Although domestic violence cases and criminal cases are often intertwined with one another, with both types of cases often arising from the same incident, in a domestic violence case the alleged victim is seeking to have a restraining order placed on you to prevent further contact with the victim and/or his or her family. In a criminal case, the state is prosecuting you for having violated a criminal statute, with a conviction resulting in a sentence that may involve jail or prison time or probation, fines, and other requirements like the obligation to attend anger management or domestic violence education classes.