Assault & Battery Defense Lawyers
If you’ve been accused of assault or battery in Philadelphia or New York, you need to be extremely careful. The consequences of a conviction can be severe and life-altering.
The key is to get a skilled criminal defense lawyer on your side as soon as possible. No matter how your case looks at first, a skilled attorney can often help you avoid jail time and achieve a better outcome.
Our assault and battery attorneys are experts at fighting for the best possible result, working to reduce or dismiss charges and keep you out of jail. We are here to help.
Experienced Assault Attorneys
Our experienced criminal defense attorneys are experts at fighting to get the best possible outcome, reducing or dismissing misdemeanor and felony assault charges and keeping you out of jail. We are here to help.
Laws in Pennsylvania and New York cover a wide range of assault and battery crimes. While the word “battery” might suggest a serious beating, you can be charged even if there is no injury at all. Accusations are easily exaggerated, and little to no physical evidence may be required.
Our firm has an outstanding record handling hundreds of cases, including:
- Simple and Misdemeanor Assault
- Aggravated and Felony Assault
- Domestic Violence (Assault of a family member)
- Assault against a Public Servant
Our experienced assault attorneys know exactly how police, courts, and prosecutors build their case against you and where to look for flaws to use in your defense.
Understanding the Legal System is Key
Often, it is not just the facts of the case that lead to the best outcome, but a deep understanding of the legal system, professional relationships, and a clear, sensible presentation of your case to the court or District Attorney. Our assault defense lawyers know the court system inside and out.
You can rest assured that our Philadelphia or New York assault and battery lawyers will fight vigorously to defend you and achieve the best resolution possible.
Pennsylvania and New York Assault and Battery Laws
Assault and battery are actually two separate crimes, even though they are often mentioned together. The specific laws and definitions can vary slightly between states.
Here are some of the levels of assault or battery crimes:
- Simple Assault: This can be as little as attempting to physically injure someone. Assault does not always require physical contact or injury.
- Aggravated Assault: This charge is typically filed when the victim suffers severe bodily harm, or a deadly weapon was used or brandished during the commission of the assault.
- Assault with a Deadly Weapon: If you use or display a deadly weapon during an assault, you could face this charge. Items considered a “deadly weapon” can include firearms, explosive devices, knives, and even metal knuckles.
- Assault against a Public Servant: Assaulting a public servant, such as a police officer, can result in a felony charge.
- Domestic Violence Assault: In Pennsylvania and New York, domestic violence is typically defined as an assault against a family member, household member, or a current or past dating partner.
Even Minor Touching Can Result in Criminal Charges
Our Philadelphia assault attorneys understand that being convicted of a violent crime can affect your future, your job, your freedom, and sometimes your immigration status.
In a tense moment, any contact can be enough for police and prosecutors to charge you with an assault or battery crime—even if no harm is inflicted and little to no force is involved.
Police and judges often assume that assault and battery incidents are severe beatings, when in reality, they can stem from heated arguments, stress, or other issues. Once police are called and arrive, someone will almost always be arrested and taken to jail. Police officers rarely have a choice in the matter.
Hiring an Assault Defense Attorney
The first thing to do if you’ve been arrested or are being investigated for any battery crime is to hire a top criminal defense attorney. The lifelong consequences of a criminal conviction can be hard to overcome.
Legal Defenses to Assault Crime Charges
There are many types of legal defenses to assault charges. The most common defenses our attorneys use for assault or battery charges are:
- You were falsely accused. False accusations are common, since they don’t require the victim to have suffered any actual injury. This makes it easy for someone with an agenda to exaggerate claims. The credibility of witnesses and any physical evidence can be key, but the burden of proof is on the prosecutor, who must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
- There is insufficient evidence.
- You acted in self-defense or defense of others. Pennsylvania and New York law allows you to act in self-defense or the defense of others if you reasonably believed you were in imminent danger and used no more force than was necessary to defend against that danger.
- You did not act willfully. Prosecutors must prove you “willfully” acted with the intent to use force against the victim. If your act was accidental, even during an angry argument, you are not guilty.
- You did not have the ability to inflict force or violence. If for some reason you did not have the ability to inflict force or violence on an alleged victim, you’re not guilty of assault.
Most Assault Cases Are Resolved Without a Trial
Our attorneys usually obtain the best outcome without going to trial. Trials can publicly expose personal issues and be more costly than a skillfully negotiated dismissal or a favorable plea deal.
There are instances, however, where our experienced criminal defense attorneys may advise you that fighting the case in a trial is in your best interest.
Call us for a free case evaluation. Time is of the essence!