Battery charges, also known as assault charges, can negatively impact your life by affecting your career prospects and social standing. By hiring a battery defense lawyer, you can fight these charges and protect your future.
At McKenzie Law Firm, P.C., we understand that you’re in a difficult position. We’re prepared to handle your case with patience and intentionality. Continue reading for more information about working with our criminal defense lawyers.
Battery and assault are considered different crimes in some states:
In Chester County, though, these two crimes are both considered assault. There are two types of assault in this county: simple assault and aggravated assault. Each type has its own legal consequences.
Under 18 Pa. C.S. § 2701, you commit simple assault when:
In these instances, simple assault is punishable by a second-degree misdemeanor.
Two instances can alter the severity of a simple assault charge:
Simple assault is a broad criminal category involving everything from physical intimidation to bar fights. However, these crimes are important to understand because even a scuffle at the bar can end with imprisonment.
Aggravated assault applies to more serious cases involving deadly weapons and physical attacks on essential workers like police officers and teachers.
More specifically, these are the instances that qualify as an aggravated assault:
In addition to these crimes, seriously physically harming or menacing any of the following types of employees can lead to an aggravated assault conviction:
The state’s 18 Pa. C.S. § 2702 provides the complete list of protected employees.
The punishment for aggravated assault is either a second-degree felony or a first-degree felony, the penalties for which include the following:
The primary distinction between simple assault and aggravated assault is the type of bodily injury involved. Most simple assault cases entail bodily injury, whereas aggravated assault cases include serious bodily injury.
This is how these two legal definitions differ:
In many cases, the difference between a simple assault conviction and an aggravated assault conviction hinges on these definitions. A battery defense lawyer in Chester County can review the details of your case to determine if the severity of an injury has been over-inflated.
The legal codes detailing simple assault and aggravated assault are long, complex, and contain several caveats. To succeed in a battery defense case, it’s essential that you understand the ins and outs of these codes. However, without legal training, it’s often difficult to make sense of building a compelling defense.
This is where a battery defense lawyer in Chester County could support you. At McKenzie Law Firm, P.C., we have many years of legal experience. We can aggressively fight for your innocence by:
To reduce your sentence or prove your innocence, our team could use one of the following defenses:
These are only a few examples. A defense not noted here may apply to your case. Our team can tailor our legal strategy to your unique case.
Criminal charges are stressful, as they can permanently alter your life. However, working with a battery defense lawyer doesn’t need to be. At McKenzie Law Firm, P.C., we prioritize accessibility and client comfort.
These are the services we provide that make interacting with our firm seamless:
If you’ve paid attention to high-profile criminal cases or are a fan of legal television, you may have heard the phrase “plea deal.” Plea deals are easy to disregard as an option because they require the defendant (the person accused of a crime) to admit guilt. In doing so, the defendant foregoes the opportunity to make their case during trial.
However, this legal tool can benefit some instances by:
If you’ve entered a plea deal or are considering entering a plea deal, a Chester County battery defense lawyer from our firm can manage your case. We can discuss the pros and cons of this arrangement. Remember, we won’t ever enter a plea deal unless you’re comfortable doing so.
If you have questions about your case or need further information about working with a battery defense lawyer, don’t hesitate to contact our offices. You can call our firm for a no-obligation case evaluation today.
