Married couples seek divorces for many reasons. And with no-fault divorces available in many states, the parties do not even need to make any showing of wrongdoing by the other party. However, any Dallas family violence attorney knows that even with no-fault divorce, a spouse may have good reason for seeking a divorce, including a history of domestic violence.
Recently, for example, an Arlington woman who had been in the process of a “nasty” divorce was killed by her husband. The husband came to her home, knocked her door down with a sledgehammer and shot her in her back yard. The previous day, the husband had been ordered to pay spousal support and attorney’s fees, and faced jail time if he failed to do so. There was also an order prohibiting him from coming within 200 feet of her home or office, and from contacting her by calling or texting.
After the shooting, the man voluntarily turned himself in and confessed. He faces 40 years in prison for this murder, which will not be his first prison sentence. He served 10 years of a previous 30-year sentence for charges that included aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Physical abuse is not the only form of domestic violence. It can also take the form of emotional and sexual abuse. When that happens, domestic violence victims may seek an emergency order or temporary restraining order to stop the abuse. Such orders generally require that the abuser stay away from the victim, the victim’s home and workplace and prohibits further abuse.
Source: Dallas News, “Man gets 40 years for killing estranged wife after beating down door of Arlington home with sledgehammer,” Matt Peterson, Nov. 27, 2012