.png){kind=spacer}
DOMESTIC BATTERY — TOUCH OR STRIKE (F.S. § 784.03(1)(a)1)
CASE DISMISSED (NOLLE PROSEQUI)
Santa Rosa County, FL
February 19, 2026
Client was charged in Santa Rosa County with Domestic Battery — Touch or Strike (F.S. § 784.03(1)(a)1), a first-degree misdemeanor carrying up to 1 year in the county jail and up to a $1,000 fine. In Florida, domestic violence battery carries mandatory conditions upon conviction, including completion of a 29-week Batterer's Intervention Program (BIP), a minimum of 12 months probation, and a permanent domestic violence designation on the client's criminal record that can never be sealed or expunged. A domestic violence conviction also triggers federal consequences under the Lautenberg Amendment (18 U.S.C. § 922(g)(9)), permanently prohibiting the client from possessing firearms — a lifetime ban with no exceptions. The [REDACTED] incident arose from a [REDACTED] situation in which the client maintained that [REDACTED]. The client faced the prospect of a lasting criminal record that would affect employment, housing, custody proceedings, and fundamental constitutional rights for the rest of their life.
The defense mounted an aggressive challenge to the State's case from the outset, including a comprehensive review of all witness statements, law enforcement body camera footage, and physical evidence. We identified critical weaknesses in the prosecution's ability to establish the elements of battery beyond a reasonable doubt, including [REDACTED] inconsistencies in the timeline of events and [REDACTED] that contradicted the State's theory of the case. Through detailed written challenges to the State's evidence and a clear demonstration that the defense was trial-ready, the State elected to enter a Nolle Prosequi — a complete dismissal of all charges. The client avoided a domestic violence conviction, avoided the mandatory 29-week Batterer's Intervention Program, preserved their constitutional right to bear arms, and maintained a clean criminal record. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes; each case depends on its facts and circumstances.