Seahawks defensive tackle Rocky Bernard will avoid prosecution for domestic violence, if he stays out of trouble for two years.

Bernard was arrested in April after a former girlfriend claimed that he hit her at a night club.

If he has no violations for two years and if he complies with an order that he have no contact with the woman, the charge will disappear.

“This represents him taking responsibility for what happened and taking steps to make sure it never happens again,” said John Scott Fox, Bernard’s lawyer.

As the Seattle Times points out, the agreement isn’t a conviction.  Instead, it’s an agreement not to prosecute.  And the goal in this regard might have been to insulate Bernard from scrutiny under the league’s Personal Conduct Policy.  If there’s no conviction, guilty plea, or plea of no contest, then maybe the league won’t do anything.

We’ve got a feeling that this effort to avoid the intent of the Personal Conduct Policy won’t work.  As Bernard’s lawyer says, the player is “taking responsibility for what happened.”  He’ll also be taking responsibility at work, possibly in the form of one game check, before too long.

Based on a 2008 base salary of $4 million, a game check amounts to $235,294.  And 11.7 cents.