Montgomery County Assault Attorney
Assault is a serious type of violent crime that can come with severe legal repercussions and penalties. If someone has accused you of assault, or if police have arrested you under assault charges, contact an attorney from Ciccarelli Law Offices right away. Legal representation could mean the difference between facing life-changing penalties and moving on with your life. Speak to a Montgomery County assault lawyer today, call (610) 692-8700 to schedule a free consultation.
Why Choose Our Assault Attorneys?
- We have years of experience navigating criminal defense laws in Pennsylvania.
- We have a proven record of success with all types of criminal cases.
- We truly care about what happens to clients, and always try our best for positive results.
- We offer free, zero-obligation consultations in Montgomery County to discuss specifics.
- We provide criminal defense services to clients at a reasonable fee.
Pennsylvania Assault Laws
Pennsylvania law differentiates between simple assault and aggravated assault. Simple assault refers to the attempt or completion of causing bodily injury to another person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly. Simple assault also refers to negligently causing injury using a deadly weapon, putting someone in fear of serious bodily injury, or concealing a hypodermic needle to intentionally penetrate a law enforcement officer or jail employee during arrest or search.
Aggravated assault in Pennsylvania has the same parameters as simple assault, except that the individual must have knowingly or recklessly caused serious bodily injury under an extreme indifference to the value of human life. If someone assaults a police officer, public transportation employee, or teacher, school board member, or other agents and employees in performance of their duties, it is also aggravated assault.
The penalties for an assault conviction in Pennsylvania depend on the type of assault. The consequences for simple assault are either a second or third degree misdemeanor, with penalties of up to one year in prison. If the victim is a child under 12 and the perpetrator is over 21, the charge is a first-degree misdemeanor with up to five years in prison. Aggravated assault is a first- or second-degree felony, with a penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
Potential Defenses to Assault Charges
Hiring a Montgomery County assault attorney is your best chance at creating a strategy to prevent a conviction for assault. Your attorney can carefully review the facts of your case, as well as learn about your criminal history. Then, your lawyer will put everything together to come up with a strategy that can help you.
- Self-defense. Your lawyer may be able to establish that you acted out of self-defense, against an unlawful threat or harm against you.
- Defense of others or of property. If you injured someone because you had a real fear that the person was going to cause harm to others or property, this is a potential defense.
- Consent. It may be possible to argue that you had the alleged victim’s consent, if n individual voluntarily consented to a particular act.
Your defense strategy will be unique for your individual situation. The strategy your lawyer chooses will also depend on your available legal options. It might be possible to convince the courts to dismiss the charges completely. If not, your lawyer may strive for acquittal or lesser assault charges against you. Your lawyer will do everything possible to minimize the consequences you face after an assault charge.
Contact Us for a Free Consultation
Ciccarelli Law Offices has over 30 years’ combined experience representing clients in all types of criminal defense cases in Montgomery County. If you need our help fighting recent assault charges against you or a loved one, call us at (610) 692-8700 or contact us online to request a free consultation with an experienced Montgomery County criminal defense attorney.