Our featured criminal defense lawyers are familiar with all of Pennsylvania’s laws and penalties, they understand how to be aggressive in the court room, and will help you each step of the way throughout your case while working to obtain a favorable verdict.
Are You Being Charged with Assault?
Whenever a person is charged for a crime, they need to be aware of the maximum penalties they face for committing it, if they actually did. That is another issue your defense attorney in PA can address with you as many individuals are wrongfully convicted each and every year for crimes they never engaged in.
Let’s take assault for instance as this is a pretty popular crime committed in the U.S. There are two common types of assault: simple and aggravated. Below is a breakdown of each along with the charges you could potentially face if you are currently being investigated for this offense.
Simple Assault
As per § 2701 under the Chapter 27 statute for Pennsylvania, anyone who engages in the following acts will face a simple assault charge.
- Makes an attempt to cause or intentionally causes bodily injury to another.
- Negligently causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon.
- Make attempts to physical menace to put another in fear of imminent seriously bodily injury.
- Conceals or tries to conceal a hypodermic needle and intentionally or knowingly penetrate a law enforcement officer or an officer or employee of a correctional institution, etc.
Any person charged with the above mentioned crimes could face a misdemeanor of the second degree charge. The charge intensifies if it was a mutual consent fight of it the assault was brought on to a child under 12 years of age by someone 18 years of age or older.
Aggravated Assault
If someone commits any of the following acts, they could be facing charges for aggravated assault.
- Attempts to cause serious bodily injury to another.
- Attempts to cause or intentionally, knowingly or recklessly cause serious bodily injury to any officers, agents, or employees or other persons enumerated in subsection(c) of the statute.
While there are many other ways a person can become convicted of this charge, the difference between this offense and a simple assault charge is that the injury they intent to impose is much harsher. Aggravated assault carries with it a felony of the first-degree charge or possibly the second degree depending on the circumstances.
Each case varies by person and by the degree of the crime. If you are looking to learn how you can possibly get your charges reduced or dismissed, contact us today and we will help you find and retain a top of the line Pennsylvania criminal defense lawyer in a timely manner.
