No one plans on being arrested for assault. What many people don’t understand is that something as innocuous as a shove or harsh words in the heat of the moment can lead to an assault charge. Police have wide latitude to arrest people for assault, and the consequences are serious.
You could lose your freedom and have to pay heavy fines if you’re convicted. In addition, a violent crime conviction can seriously damage both your personal and professional reputation. When the stakes are this high, an Irving assault lawyer who fights for you to the end could be your best defense. At the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg, we can stand up for your rights if you’ve been charged with a violent crime like assault.
What is Assault and What are its Penalties?
The Texas Penal Code lists several specific behaviors that meet the legal criteria for an assault charge, including:
- Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causing bodily injury to another, including the person’s spouse
- Intentionally or knowingly threatening another with imminent bodily injury, including the person’s spouse
- Intentionally or knowingly causing physical contact with another when the person knows or should reasonably believe that the other will regard the contact as offensive or provocative
Under most circumstances, these three offenses would be charged as “simple assault.” Simple assault is considered a class-A misdemeanor, which means the Irving district attorney can ask for a sentence of up to one year in jail and/or a fine of up to $4,000 if you’re convicted.
However, the district attorney could increase the charge to a third-degree felony if the victim or complainant in the case is:
- Your current or former romantic partner
- A member of your household or family
- A municipal, county, or state employee who was on official business when the assault took place.
Third-degree felonies in Texas are punishable by up to ten years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000. It goes without saying that the seriousness of felony assault charges means it’s probably to your benefit to have an assault attorney on your case as soon as possible.
What is Aggravated Assault?
Aggravated assault is a second-degree felony and one of the most serious offenses in the Texas Penal Code. A district attorney may charge you with aggravated assault if you inflicted serious bodily harm or the complainant or arresting officer alleges you used or brandished a weapon during the attack. You could face two to 20 years in jail time and a fine of up to $10,000 if convicted.
However, if you used the weapon to inflict serious bodily harm during the assault, you could be charged with a first-degree felony. This federal crime is punishable by five to 99 years in jail and a $10,000 fine. Our Irving legal team can defend you against these serious charges as well.
An Assault Case Can Ruin Your Reputation
Aside from prison time and fines, perhaps the worst consequence of an assault conviction is a criminal record. Having a violent crime like assault on your record harms your reputation for decades after the conviction.
It could make it difficult to get a good job or quality housing and could even keep you from securing financing. Felony assault convictions can also cost you your Second Amendment rights. These are all compelling reasons to hire an Irving assault lawyer from our firm as soon as possible.
Irving Assault Lawyer Near Me (214) 696-9253
How an Irving Lawyer Can Defend You Against Assault Charges
Assault charges can be difficult cases for prosecutors to make in court. They must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you struck someone, committed a reckless act with intent to harm someone, made aggressive contact that could be seen as an invitation to a fight, or verbally threatened someone with harm. This is where an assault attorney can help.
Irving police may have wide latitude to arrest you for assault, but that also means their judgment is subjective. A lawyer could argue that the strong words you may have said to another person in the heat of the moment don’t rise to the level of assault. Remember, just because the officer thinks it’s a crime doesn’t mean we can’t build reasonable doubt in the mind of the jury.
Further, there is always the possibility you have been misidentified as the suspect and are innocent of these charges. We could also defend you even if you did strike or push the complainant in the case. You have a right to defend yourself. If the complainant provoked you or you believed they were going to attack you, we may be able to argue that you acted in self-defense.
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A Lawyer Who Focuses on Criminal Defense
When you’re facing an assault conviction, it’s important to choose a lawyer who focuses solely on criminal defense cases. At the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg, we’ve been handling criminal cases for decades.
Our legal team knows how the prosecutors, judges, and police departments operate in Irving. In fact, our founding attorney, criminal defense lawyer Randall B. Isenberg spent ten years serving the Dallas community as a Chief Felony Prosecutor and District Court Judge. That means he has prosecuted and presided over hundreds of assault cases and this experience can be invaluable in building an effective criminal defense.
When you hire our firm, we put our skills and experience to work for you. Together, we can build a strong defense and fight the Irving prosecutor to pursue an acquittal or case dismissal. Our criminal defense team is committed to achieving the best possible outcome for you.
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Consult Our Irving Assault Lawyers Today
Time is of the essence after your arrest. Every day you delay in contacting an attorney, the prosecutor works on strengthening their case against you. We know it’s a scary situation, but we want to help you get through it.
Contact our team for a free, confidential consultation. An assault charge doesn’t have to ruin your life, and we’ll do everything we can to ensure it doesn’t.
Call or text (214) 696-9253 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
