San Mateo Probation

Domestic Violence violence probation is San Mato County is a specialized program intented to support the San Mateo County Superior Court's efforts to implement an aggressive and integrated criminal justice response to spousal abuse. The goal is to break the cycle of domestic violence which studies indicate is passed on in a person family of origin. The San Mateo County District Attorney's office and San Mateo Superior Court believe that arrests alone will not stop domestic violence. Accordingly, collaboration among criminal justice personnel and non-government domestic violence and sexual assault programs has been designed.

Probation Department

San Mateo County Deputy Probation Officers are assigned to geographic areas throughout the County. It is there job to intensively supervise Domestic Violence probationers. The Probation Officers are liaisons between the Batterer’s Treatment Providers and the Superior Court in an expressed effort to help probationers change the way they relate with their partners in their relationships. Misdemeanor domestic violence cases are initially placed on formal (supervised) probation by the Domestic Violence Court for a minimum of 18 months. After the initial 18 month supervised probation period, the prbation may be modified to informal, unsupervised probation by the Superior Court.

Felony domestic violence cases (not heard by the Domestic Violence Court) are placed on formal probation for 3 years. However, not all Domestic Violence cases are placed on formal probation following conviction and may be placed on informal, unsupervised probation to the Superior Court.

Probation Investigation and Supervision

After a person is convicted of a domestic violence related charge in San Mateo County, a probation officer conducts an investigation to determine that particular individual's level of risk. In this way, a risk assessment scale is calculated on those people referred to the Probation Department for a post conviction investigation. The San Mateo County probation investigator also makes a risk assessment of lethality using a standard tool developed for this purpose. The risk assessment scale and the risk assessment of lethality are two instruments which together indicate the probability of future violent behavior and the likelihood that the person can change.

Deputy Probation Officers contact the victim immediately after a person has been found guilty and sentenced in a domestic violence case to make sure the complainant understands what happened in the Superior Court and to provide contact information for the probation office and the Probation Officer. Deputy Probation Officers, meet with probationers in their office as well as in the probationer’s home. The probation officer will conduct periodic searches of the home and require the person on probation to submit to drug and alcohol testing, as the Superior Court directs.

The Batterer’s Treatment Program provides periodic progress reports to a person's Probation Officer, who will review them with the probationer. In misdemeanor cases, Deputy Probation Officers submit written reports to the Domestic Violence Court for performance reviews in court. Deputy Probation Officers primary goal is to protect the complainant and any minor children.

During each domestic violence probation investigation, a thorough check of local civil records in order to determine whether the defendant has been involved in any family law case. The probation officer will also telephone the Victim’s Advocate in the District Attorney’s office in order to obtain additional information which may not be contained in the Superior Court file or District Attorney’s file.

San Mateo County Probation Officers make personal contact with the complainant after sentencing in order to review information previously provided and to ensure that the victim how to contact the probation officer supervising the person who has been convicted. Probation officers supervising Domestic Violence Court probationers also obtain copies of treatment provider reports, review them with the probationer, and submit brief, written reports to the Domestic Violence Court for the periodic performance reviews which occur in the Superior Court.

Domestic Violence Treatment

The San Mateo County Probation Department has certified six Batterer’s Treatment Providers who conduct domestic violence counseling groups in ten community-based locations throughout San Mateo County and from San Francisco to Palo Alto pursuant to Penal Code section 1203.097(c),. These Providers have agreed to conduct group sessions on topics required by the treatment provisions of the Penal Code.

The treatment providers also follow standards the Probation Department has established regarding fees, attendance, behavior control and communication with the Probation Department. The standards established help ensure equal treatment of probationers and help the Probation Department monitor the Treatment Programs. All Batterer’s Treatment Program counselors are required to have 40 hours of training as required by Penal Code section 1203.098.

Description of San Mateo Domestic Violence Court

There is one Domestic Violence Court in each of the County’s two criminal justice court branches in Redwood City and South San Francisco. A Superior Court Judge is assigned to each court. Domestic Violence Court sentencing typically occurs one morning each week in each location. Those who have been convicted of domestic violence are placed on supervised probation for a minimum of 18 months.

Other individuals convicted of domestic violence may be remanded into custody. All individuals convicted of domestic violence are ordered to enroll in a Batterer’s Treatment Program within two weeks of sentencing and are ordered to return to court with a Proof of Enrollment form provided by the treatment provider.

Superior Court Review

After the Proof of Enrollment appearance, a person convicted of domestic violence must appear before the same Domestic Violence Court for periodic progress reports as the Judge determines. Arrest warrants are issued for probationers' who fail to appear for any court appearance.

Progress report materials, which include written reports from the Batterers Treatment Program and the Deputy Probation Officers, are provided to the Judge at the progress report hearing. A San Mateo Deputy Probation Officer serves as a Court Officer and is present to assist the Judge by answering any questions or addressing any concerns regarding a probationer’s performance on probation. If the person is performing poorly on probation, the Judge will not hessitate. County Jail and State Prison is always an option.

Experienced Domestic Violence Lawyer

The stakes are high in a California domestic violence case. A criminal conviction for domestic battery or criminal threats in San Mateo County may result in jail, large fines, mandatory domestic violence counseling sessions which meet two (2) hours weekly for a minimum of one year, mandatory alcohol education classes, personal conduct orders, stay away orders, temporary restraining orders, and other punishment as provided by Penal Code section 1203.097. For that reason, it is critical that that a person charged with domestic assault, domestic battery, criminal threats or stalking in San Mateo County have only a qualified domestic violence defense lawyer to handle the case from the earliest possible moment.

Robert Tayac is recognized as being among the top domestic violence lawyers in the San Francisco Bay Area and represents clients in criminal cases related to domestic violence, assault and battery, and applications for and responses to restraining orders. Attorneys, investigators and experts working with this highly specialized law office represent clients in the Northern California criminal courts located in San Francisco, San Mateo Marin, Alameda, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Sonoma and Napa counties.

Additionally, lawyers of this law firm represent clients seeking or defending against temporary restraining orders and no harassment orders before the superior courts of San Francisco, San Rafael, Redwood City, South San Francisco, Napa, Oakland, Palo Alto, Walnut Creek, San Jose and Santa Rosa. The firm accepts only California domestic battery cases, California temporary restraining order actions or California driving under the influence cases.

Contact The Office

An arrest in San Mateo for domestic battery, domestic assault, criminal threats or stalking is very serious. For that reason, it is important that you have only a qualified local criminal defense lawyer handling your domestic violence case from the beginning. If you or someone you know has been or may be accused of domestic violence in San Mateo County, we invite you to read the information contained in this website and welcome you to call our office and discuss your case with a domestic violence lawyer. If you prefer, you may submit a confidential case questionnaire which will be reviewed by a member of our firm and receive a prompt response.

If you hire Robert Tayac to handle your domestic violence case, you will know your case is being properly handled by a knowledgeable, experienced, and trustworthy California criminal defense lawyer.

Office Locations and Areas We Serve

Mr. Tayac represents clients who have been arrested in the following counties as well as other cities throughout California and can meet clients at one of several office locations in Northern California.

Resources

This website is about California’s domestic violence laws and the San Francisco and Bay Area courts. Domestic violence cases in California frequently must be fought. Many people arrested for domestic violence are innocent. A person doesn't have to commit a crime to be taken to jail by the police, especially in domestic abuse cases.