Karimi Law  /  Domestic Violence

RCW 10.99 · Domestic Violence Defense

There was an argument at home, and the police came.

An argument can become an arrest, and an arrest starts a case against you immediately — often before you have said a word. The work that helps most starts now, quietly. An arrest starts a process, not a verdict — and a process can be steered.

Request a confidential review →Call the office at (206) 222‑3280

Former King County prosecutorDV ≈ 40% of practice5 languages · free consultation

If this just happened

  1. First hours

    The first hours set the shape

    What is said, signed, and done in the first hours can define the case. The safest move is usually fewer words, not more.

  2. No-contact order

    A no-contact order may already exist

    It can reorder your home and your contact with family before anything is proven. Its terms are specific, and they matter.

  3. First appearance

    The arraignment

    The first court date arrives quickly. Walking in prepared, not surprised, changes how it goes.

  4. The State's file

    The State's file is already forming

    Reports, statements, and procedure — examined the way a former prosecutor examines them, for what holds and what doesn't.

Two things move before you do.

Nothing here is a deadline meant to frighten you. They are simply the things a prepared defense is already watching.

What you're facing

A charge is an accusation — not a conviction.

A domestic-violence charge in Washington carries its own rules, its own no-contact orders, and its own pressure to resolve quickly. Understanding the process is the first step toward steering it.

What it can touch

  • An arrest
  • A no-contact order
  • The first court date
  • Your home and your contact with family
Steve Karimi
Steve Karimi
Former prosecutor

How a former prosecutor reads a DV case

He has read this file from the other side.

The factWhat it lets him doWhat it means for you
Prosecuted DV cases — King County & four cities, 1999–2004
Knows how a domestic-violence charge is built and how a no-contact order is sought.
What you do — and don't do — in the first days is guided by someone who has seen the State's side.
Domestic violence ≈ 40% of his practice
This is not an occasional matter for him; it is most of what he does.
The worst night of your life is, for him, familiar ground.
Consultations in five languages
English, Russian, Farsi, Arabic, Spanish.
The conversation can happen in the language you think in.

Meet Steve

Common questions

Plain answers.

Is a domestic-violence charge the same as a conviction?

A charge is an accusation, not a conviction. An arrest starts a process, not a verdict — and a process can be steered.

What is a no-contact order?

It can reorder your home and your contact with family before anything is proven. Its terms are specific, and they matter.

Where you can be, who you can contact — sometimes effective immediately. Knowing the exact terms prevents an accidental second charge.

Why do the first hours matter?

What is said, signed, and done in the first hours can define the case. The safest move is usually fewer words, not more.

Can the consultation happen in my language?

Consultations are available in English, Russian, Farsi, Arabic, Spanish.

Is the first consultation free and confidential?

A free, confidential consultation. No obligation. What you share stays between us.

Contacting this office does not create an attorney‑client relationship.

Where to begin

Tell it once, to someone prepared.

A free, confidential consultation. No obligation. What you share stays between us.

Request a confidential review →Call the office at (206) 222‑3280
Callthe office at(206) 222‑3280 Free consultation