Asked 8/15/2016 – Austin, TX

I am a survivor of domestic violence and have the District Attorney representing me and helping with my Family Violence case against my ex-boyfriend of almost 3 years. I have been cooperating with the case fully, and have submitted all documentation of past abuse incidents (eg: photos of injuries, audio recording of a violent episode, etc…). My ex-boyfriend became aware of all this evidence just recently after I applied for a Permanent Protective Order, and obtained a defense attorney. What can I expect from here? Will his lawyer try to contact me? Will the process of charging him become more difficult now that he is being represented? What is my best course of action to ensure my case is still strong? Thank you for your assistance during this difficult time.

Answer

The fact your ex has retained an attorney does not change anything from your perspective. It is the job of the District Attorney to prosecute the criminal case against him. You are a witness in that case, and it is not your responsibility to make the case “strong”; it is your job to cooperate with the DA to the best of your ability and let him or her handle it from there. His defense attorney should NOT be contacting you, and if that happens, notify the DA immediately. Good luck.