Being charged with an assault-related offense can be overwhelming. Depending on the circumstances of the alleged offense, it can be classified as a misdemeanor or a felony. Felony offenses are more serious than misdemeanors and are associated with more severe legal penalties.
Rather than fighting assault charges on your own and potentially becoming even more overwhelmed, let a Mecklenburg County assault lawyer assist you. Let an experienced criminal attorney fight on your behalf for the best possible legal result given the circumstances.
An assault lawyer in Mecklenburg County could help a person facing assault charges in several ways, from filing motions to preparing a defense strategy should the case go to trial. Some of the ways an experienced lawyer could help include:
Assault-related offenses are outlined in Article 4, Assaults and Bodily Woundings, of Chapter 4, Crimes Against the Person, in Title 18.2 of the Code of Virginia. Some of the assault-related offenses include:
The legal code defines the specific acts that constitute each of the above offenses, as well as other types of crimes against the person. The legal code also categorizes each type of assault as a particular class of misdemeanor or felony and establishes the specific penalties for convictions of each type of assault. A Mecklenburg County assault attorney could explain in greater detail the legal code pertaining to the specific assault charges against an individual.
The legal penalties associated with a conviction for assault depend on whether the offense was categorized as a misdemeanor or felony, as well as what specific class of misdemeanor or felony.
Penalties for an assault conviction can range from a jail term of one year or less and/or a fine of $2,500 or less for a simple assault to a prison term of between 5-20 years and a fine of up to $100,000 for stabbing someone with the intent to maim or kill that person.
There are four classes of misdemeanor offenses. Class 1 misdemeanors are the most serious and carry the most severe penalty, while Class 4 misdemeanors are the least serious and carry the lightest sanctions. There are six classes of felony offenses. Class 1 felonies are associated with the most severe criminal penalties, while Class 6 felonies have the least severe legal sanctions.
Certain types of assault charges, including simple assault and assault and battery, can be elevated from a lower-class misdemeanor or felony to a higher one when the injured individual of the assault offense was intentionally chosen based on that person’s race, color, national origin, or religious affiliation.
When the charges are elevated to a higher class of misdemeanor or offense for any of these reasons, the legal penalties for a conviction are more severe. An accomplished Mecklenburg County assault attorney could go over the possible legal sanctions for a conviction of the specific type of charges a person is facing.
Fighting criminal charges on your own is never easy but can be especially challenging when the charges are assault related. The circumstances of the alleged offense can determine whether the charges are for a misdemeanor of a felony offense.
A knowledgeable lawyer understands the laws pertaining to different types of assault-related offenses and can develop a strategy to help you obtain the best possible legal outcome.
Do not fight assault charges on your own. When you hire an attorney, you will have someone on your side fighting on your behalf. Contact a Mecklenburg County assault lawyer today.