Assault & Battery Charges

Houston Criminal Defense Lawyers discuss: Assault & Battery Charges 

Let a Sullo & Sullo Houston Criminal Attorney fight your Assault & Battery Charges. 

Of course, any Harris County Criminal Court conviction can lead to extremely negative and far-reaching consequences to your life, and a Harris County Criminal Court conviction for assault and battery is no different—charges of assault and battery absolutely require the services of a qualified Houston Criminal Attorney. As any Houston Criminal Lawyer will likely tell you, anyone who intentionally or recklessly causes bodily harm or injury or who engages in physical contact which is deemed to be offensive to another person has committed the crime of assault. Assault is generally considered a serious misdemeanor, and, contrary to general opinion, you do not actually have to strike someone to be charged with assault in Harris County Criminal Court. Being charged with Assault & Battery after your Harris County Arrest is a serious matter – you could be facing time in Harris County Jail Texas, and could potentially have a Harris County Criminal Record when it is all over.

While you may believe being charged with assault when you did nothing more than poke your neighbor in the chest to make your point is not even worth worrying about—you would be wrong. Regardless of whether you actually struck another person, you could be charged (and potentially convicted) with the crime of assault, particularly if you do not have an experienced Houston Criminal Defense Lawyer by your side.  In fact, it is imperative that you retain a knowledgeable Houston Criminal Defense Lawyer who can ensure your rights are protected during this time and who will work hard to have the charges either dropped completely or dropped to a lesser offense.

What your Houston Criminal Lawyer knows that you may not be aware of is that assault—depending on the circumstances surrounding your crime—can be charged as a felony and can carry a mandatory prison sentence. In short, if you want to avoid time in a Harris County Jail Texas, or unpleasant interactions with a Harris County District Attorney, contact a Houston Criminal Defense Lawyer at Sullo & Sullo immediately. The Houston Criminal Lawyers at Sullo & Sullo offer Houston Criminal Lawyer Free Consultations and are Houston Criminal Defense Lawyers with Payment Plans.

What are the Degrees of Assault Charges in Harris County Criminal Court? The most serious level of assault charges occurs when the crime is committed against a public servant, a government official, a police officer or a emergency services personnel. In this case, the crime could be charged as a third-degree felony in the state of Texas. If the assault charges are for a repeat assault which involves strangulation or choking of a significant other or family member, the assault could be charged as a second or a third-degree felony. If actual physical harm was caused to another human being during the assault or if the assault involved an elderly or disabled person, then the offense will likely be charged as a Class A misdemeanor.

If the assault charges involve only threats of bodily injury or provocative contact, the charge is likely to be a Class C misdemeanor. A class B misdemeanor could be charged if an athlete or other sports official was assaulted. The jury must believe you had intent to cause serious injury to another person, or did actually cause serious injury to another person to convict you of assault. If a jury believes you acted with extreme indifference to human life, thereby creating a grave risk of death, or if a gun was involved, the degree of your assault charges is likely to increase in severity. Following your Harris County Arrest for Assault, obtain Houston Criminal Lawyer Free Consultation to learn more about your options. Sullo & Sullo Attorneys are Houston Criminal Defense Lawyers with Payment Plans and they offer Houston Criminal Lawyer Free Consultations.

What are the Harris County Criminal Court Penalties for Assault and Battery? As any Houston Criminal Defense Attorney will likely tell you, the penalties associated with an assault and battery conviction in the state of Texas can be quite severe. Simple assault, in the state of Texas—usually a Class C misdemeanor, carries a penalty of up to a $500 fine A Class B assault and battery misdemeanor conviction carries a fine of up to $2,000 and as much as 180 days in a county jail. A Class A assault and battery misdemeanor conviction can result in a fine as large as $4,000, and up to one year in a Texas county jail. If the charges are for a more serious assault and battery, a third-degree felony conviction can result in penalties as high as a $10,000 fine, and up to 10 years in prison, while a second-degree felony conviction can result in fines as large as $10,000 and from 2-20 years in a Texas state prison. If you are charged with aggravated assault, a conviction could result in a first-degree felony, carrying a penalty of 5 years to life in prison. Criminal assault charges are extremely serious and should not be taken lightly, and a Houston Criminal Defense Attorney must be contacted immediately. A Houston Criminal Lawyer at Sullo & Sullo can help defend you against Assault & Battery charges in Harris County Criminal Court. We can challenge the evidence against you and can try to negotiate with the Harris County District Attorney on your case. We are Houston Criminal Defense Lawyers with Payment Plans, so we can work with your financial situation. We also offer Houston Criminal Lawyer Free Consultations for those individuals wanting to learn more about their case.  

What are the Consequences of a Harris County Criminal Court Assault Conviction? As you can see, being convicted of assault is quite serious. You could face jail or prison time and pay large fines, however there are additional consequences to a Houston assault and battery conviction which can be almost as serious. You could potentially be fired from your current job, or could be prevented from being hired for a job in the future you are otherwise well-qualified for. A criminal conviction on your Harris County Criminal Record, could prevent you from obtaining a professional license or from working in certain jobs such as those which involve children. You may have difficulty renting an apartment, getting a student loan, or qualifying for any type of governmental assistance with a criminal conviction on your record. Don’t let this happen! Hire an experienced Houston Criminal Lawyer right from the beginning in order to ensure you do not spend the rest of your life battling the effects of an assault conviction. A Houston Criminal Attorney at Sullo & Sullo will fight hard to protect your rights. We can work with your particular financial situation, being Houston Criminal Defense Lawyers with Payment Plans. For those persons who want more information on their individual case, we also offer Houston Criminal Lawyer Free Consultations.

What are Defenses to Assault and Battery Charges in Harris County Criminal Court? There are a few arguments which could be helpful as a defense to your assault and battery charges, depending on the individual circumstances. These potential defenses include:

• There was no physical injury inflicted and no real threat of physical harm;
• You had no way of knowing your actions would be considered provocative or offensive;
• Your actions were committed in self-defense;
• You had no way of knowing the alleged victim was a public servant, officer, or other “important” figure, or
• The alleged victim consented to your behavior, whether through a scientific experiment, a medical treatment or employment.

Getting Help from the Best Criminal Defense Attorney Near Me – If you have been charged with assault and battery in the state of Texas, it is imperative that you contact a Houston Criminal Lawyer from the Sullo & Sullo law firm. With our Houston Criminal Lawyer Free Consultations, your adverse experience in a Harris County Criminal Court can be minimized. It is certain that following your Harris County Arrest for assault and battery that your interactions with a Harris County District Attorney will not be pleasant ones, however if you want to avoid spending time in Harris County Jail, Texas, or ending up with Harris County Criminal Records, a Sullo & Sullo Houston Criminal Lawyer can help. We are Houston Criminal Lawyers who care about your case. While you may be seeking a Cheap Lawyer after your Harris County Arrest, you should take note that Sullo & Sullo strives to keep costs low while not sacrificing the quality of its criminal defense representation.