Assault

Facing an assault charge can be overwhelming. Even before having a chance to defend yourself in court, these types of accusations can permanently damage your personal and professional relationships in the community. Our Atlanta defense attorneys understand that assault charges can be the outcome of many different situations, and there is often more to a story than is found in the police report.

Some people end up facing serious criminal assault charges simply as the result of being at the wrong place at the wrong time. Our Atlanta assault lawyers have successfully defended many cases involving assault charges, and will help you through this difficult time with compassion and understanding.

Assault is serious crime in the state of Georgia, and a conviction can have potentially life-long effects on a person’s ability to obtain housing and employment. With so much on the line, it is important to take the charges seriously and obtain legal representation as soon as possible. The prosecution team that is building a case against a person is made up of highly trained professionals who are focused on obtaining a conviction in these types of cases.

Defendants will need someone on their side with experience defending against assault charges to ensure they are not at a serious disadvantage when presenting the defense to the judge. An experienced Atlanta assault attorney may be able to successfully argue that the charges against a person should be lowered, or dropped entirely.

In Georgia, laws relating to assault can be found in Title 16, Article 2, Chapter 5 of the Georgia Code. Georgia law breaks down assault into two crimes: simple assault and aggravated assault.

Simple assault in Georgia is defined as an attempt to commit a violent injury to another. Any intentional action that reasonably causes a person to believe they are about to suffer a violent injury, constitutes an assault. It is important to understand that an injury need not result from a person’s actions in order for them to be charged with assault. No physical contact is needed for an assault to take place.

A simple assault is a misdemeanor offense under Georgia law, and can result in a jail sentence of up to one year making it important an assault lawyer in Atlanta is contacted.

Aggravated assault is considered a felony offense in Georgia, and can result in a lengthy prison sentence, of up to 20 years. An aggravated assault is defined as an assault committed with any of the following elements:

• An assault committed with the intent to rob, rape, or murder;
• An assault committed with a deadly weapon, or any object that can be used in a manner that causes serious bodily injury; or
• An assault committed by discharging a firearm from a vehicle at another person (a “drive-by”).
• Choking another person or obstructing their nose or mouth.

A closely related criminal offense to assault is battery. Battery is the actual offensive touching or physical contact that is threatened by assault. If an individual intentionally strikes or hits another person, or touches them in an insulting manner against their will, they may be charged with battery.

Facing an assault charge can be extremely stressful. You may feel helpless to defend yourself and your reputation following an arrest or accusation of assault.

Our attorneys understand that these types of cases are often the result of situations in which emotions were running high, and can assist you in clearing any confusion surrounding the circumstances that resulted in charges being filed against you.

Do not delay in obtaining legal representation to help defend your freedom and your good name. Contact our experienced Atlanta assault attorneys today to discuss your case and get the help you need to build the best possible defense for you.