Assault and battery charges are serious criminal offenses. If you are faced with a situation relating to an assault and battery charge, it is a good idea to get some more information. You can do this by speaking to Assault and BatteryLawyers Minot ND and looking up other resources. To get you started, here’s a look into the ABCs of assault and battery charges.
A for Assault
Assault refers to any reasonable threat to a person. This is usually before any touch is actually made. Assault could be verbal, for example threatening to beat someone up if they don’t give you money. It could also be physical, for example raising a fist towards someone in a menacing gesture. Cases of assault can be hard for an Assault and Battery Law Firm Minot ND to prove, because there may not always be some tangible evidence of the threat.
Charges of assault are not often filed alone and are usually filed along with battery charges. If you have been charged with assault, you should be aware that it is considered a crime. This includes bullying in schoolyards and cases of domestic violence.
B for Battery
The battery is the act of physically harming someone or degradingly touching someone. It is the direct contact made by an offender that hurts an individual. For example, if you have actually beaten someone up to steal money from them, or spat on someone’s face. There is usually tangible evidence of battery such as bruises or broken bones. However, it must be noted that injuries and damages do not have to be proved for the perpetrator to be held liable for their actions. Therefore, Assault and BatteryLawyers Minot ND must find the right arguments when defending a case.
If you are charged with battery, then you might get sentenced to provide compensation to the person who has filed the charge. These can be in terms of monetary compensation for medical expenses, physical injuries, prescription medication, and/or absences from work.
C for Charges
Where an assault charge goes, a battery charge usually follows. Although separate, the two charges are often seen filed together. Basic assault and battery are charged as higher-level misdemeanors. However, there are also cases of aggravated assault and battery. This refers to situations where a dangerous or deadly weapon is used or a person is seriously harmed, or in cases where it is committed against protected people or in a protected place. These types of cases are charged as a felony, which is higher than a misdemeanor.
Having an assault and battery charge on your record can be incredibly harmful to you. It may put up roadblocks in your path. It would be difficult to find jobs or rent houses, as employers and landlords would not want to employ or rent out to someone who potentially poses a threat to other employees or tenants.
Any Assault and BatteryLaw Firm Minot ND would tell you that the legal consequences for assault and battery cases are serious. These are crimes that are recorded on your permanent record, and you may be sentenced to jail time with probation or parole depending on the extent of your crime, and hefty fines. The legal sentence you will receive depends on the severity of the crime, the attitude of the court, any prior convictions you might have, and whether it is an aggravated charge or not.
To know how to defend yourself against an assault and battery charge, it is important to talk to Assault and Battery Lawyers Minot ND at the earliest.
This article is intended to serve informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal advice. Reach out to us at Ward K Johnson, an Assault and BatteryLaw Firm Minot ND with expertise in assault and battery charges, for legal advice on your assault and battery case.