Chandler Assault Lawyer

The term assault brings to mind images of vicious attacks; however, under Arizona law, the alleged victim of an assault doesn’t need to suffer serious injuries in order for the government to bring serious charges. In fact, you don’t even need to physically touch someone to be charged with assault. If convicted, you’ll face the realities of a criminal conviction being added to your record. However, there is a long way between an arrest and a conviction, and it’s up to the prosecution to prove the case against you beyond a reasonable doubt—if it can.

At the Law Office of James E. Novak, our dedicated Chandler assault lawyer has more than 25 years of experience personally handling all types of assault/violent crimes, including misdemeanor and felony assault. Our clients routinely come to us when the stakes are high, and they are in need of the best representation available.

Assaults can occur in many different situations, ranging from domestic disputes to bar fights to incidents of road rage. In Chandler, AZ, you can be arrested and charged with assault if police officers believe that you engaged in any of the following conduct.

• Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causing another person to experience physical injury,
• Intentionally placing another person in reasonable fear of an immediate injury, or
• Knowingly touching another person with the intent of injuring, insulting, or provoking them.

If you’re convicted of a Chandler assault crime, it could be graded as a Class 1 misdemeanor, Class 2 misdemeanor, or Class 3 misdemeanor, depending on the sub-section you were charged under. For example, causing another person to experience physical injury is a Class 1 misdemeanor; placing another person in reasonable fear of an immediate injury is a Class 2 misdemeanor; and touching another person with the intent of injuring, insulting, or provoking them is a Class 3 misdemeanor.

In some cases, prosecutors will allege an aggravating factor that can turn what would otherwise be a misdemeanor assault into an aggravated assault. Aggravated assault is always considered a felony.

Just because you’ve been charged with assault doesn’t mean you’ll be found guilty. In fact, the U.S. Constitution requires that the prosecution prove every element of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt. Thus, challenging the sufficiency of the prosecution’s evidence is a common assault defense. However, other than this, the following are some of the best assault defenses:

• Self-defense – You used force to protect yourself based on a reasonable belief you were about to be attacked.
• Defense of another person – You used force to protect someone else based on your reasonable belief that they were about to be attacked.
• Fabrication – The alleged victim made up or exaggerated the allegations against you.
• Lack of intent – While you may have hurt someone, you did so on accident or at least without the intent to injure them.

Of course, defenses are very fact-specific, and you should consult with an experienced Chandler assault lawyer to determine which defense applies best in your case.

If you were recently arrested for committing an assault, the dedicated Chandler assault attorneys at the Law Office of James E. Novak are here to help. With more than 25 years of experience defending good people charged with serious crimes, we know what it takes to defend against even the most serious charges. We will do everything possible to ensure that your recent arrest has as little impact on your future as possible. To learn more, and to schedule a free consultation today, call the Law Office of James E. Novak at 480-413-1499. You can also connect with us through our online contact form, and we will be in touch shortly.