Is the fear of domestic violence or abuse paralyzing your ability to leave your relationship or marriage? Kathleen Gomez has experience helping families like yours gain the freedom and safety they seek.
Domestic violence and abuse are tragic, complicated and enigmatic for outsiders to understand. Their consequences are far-reaching and lasting. Their victims suffer shame and trauma that can take years to heal, if ever.
The abuser and the abused are often caught up in cycles of abuse that have repeated over generations. Stopping the cycle is difficult. It's not uncommon for victims of domestic violence or abuse to recant their statements to the police out of fear for their and their children’s safety or remorse that their abuser will be punished.
The cycle can be and has been broken. Victims find the courage and motivation to take action and reclaim their lives. A knowledgeable family law attorney understands the devastating impact of domestic violence and knows the legal remedies available to protect you and your children.
Minnesota statutes offer lengthy and comprehensive definitions of domestic abuse. Primarily, domestic abuse is causing physical harm, bodily injury or assault or causing someone to fear any of these. It also encompasses threats, criminal sexual conduct or sexual extortion.
There are 5 degrees of criminal sexual conduct. Many factors contribute to a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th or 5th-degree criminal sexual conduct charge, but common considerations include:
Sexual extortion constitutes using threats to compel someone to have sex. These can include threats to:
An order of protection is a court order to stop domestic violence or abuse. Orders of protection don’t involve the police, don’t require an attorney to initiate and can be organized on your behalf by a local domestic violence advocacy group.
When you file for an ex-parte order of protection, where the other party is not given notice and is not present at the hearing, a judge will grant the order if they find you are in “immediate and present danger” of domestic violence or abuse.
The ex-parte order will protect you against the following:
If you file for a full order of protection, a hearing must be held where your abuser has the chance to appear and defend themselves. If, after the hearing, you're granted the full order of protection, you will receive all of the protections of an ex-parte order and can also include:
Do you need trusted legal support to get divorced and move on with your life?
If you've been Googling "family lawyer near me" in hopes of finding a skilled attorney to help with your divorce, then stop. Look no further. You already have the best advocate in your community. Gomez Law PLLC stands ready to help clients like you in Dayton, MN and Hennepin County.
Kathleen Gomez has worked tirelessly to help clients navigate divorce while fighting domestic violence. Her advocacy has deep roots: Before practicing law, she was a police officer for 20 years and worked to provide legal services to underserved communities in the Twin Cities. During that time, she saw the devastating toll domestic violence takes on families.
Don’t let the threat of violence cast a shadow over your future and the lives of your children. If you’re going through divorce, fighting for custody of your children, or suffering domestic violence, contact Kathleen Gomez for an initial consultation.
Copyright©2025, Gomez Law PLLC. All Rights Reserved.