What Counts as Domestic Battery in Illinois? Facing a domestic battery charge in the state of Illinois? Attorneys Andrew Russek and Joshua Boardman from Combs Waterkotte discuss how these charges come about.
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Interview Transcript
Scott Michael Dunn: Let’s talk about domestic violence, battery. What counts as domestic battery in Illinois?
Boardman: Actions against the person, without a legal justification, physical contact with persons that fall within the specific domestic battery definition. In order for the state’s attorney to charge domestic battery, oftentimes you have to think that there is some sort of familial or romantic relationship going on between the accuser and the accused. So you’ve got actions that are unwanted against someone in your household. Folks like that.
Russek: Essentially a way to think about it is it’s like battery or assault against a normal person, but because there’s that domestic relationship, the thresholds are lower. So what would maybe be a lower level misdemeanor or a lower level felony against a stranger, because it’s a domestic partner, it’s almost enhanced is a way to think about it. They come down harder on you for doing it to somebody who you’re supposed to be close to.
