Assault Charge-You Can Beat It

Posted Friday, May 25, 2018 by Andrew Charles Huff

An Assault charge can be frightening and potentially life-changing if not handled properly and effectively. My past clients charged with assault involved words or more at a bar, a heated argument with a spouse or an altercation with a neighbor.

The crime of “Assault” is the intentional infliction of unwanted physical harm. To successfully prove that a person assaulted another, a prosecutor must show that the accused intentionally performed some act that caused a victim to fear actual harm. Proof of actual harm or use of a weapon is not required for this offense. Rather, mere proof of a threatening act that would cause a person to believe harm was present could be enough for an assault charge.

There are four degrees of Assault under Washington law. Assault-4th Degree is the least severe charge and is a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $5,000.00 fine.

Assault 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree are more serious charges and are all felonies. The use of firearms or other deadly weapons drastically increase the seriousness of assault charges.

There are three main defenses to an assault charge. The first relates to an accused’s intent at the time of the allegation. Assault is the intentional infliction of unwanted harm and if an accused can show that he or she never intended for this act to cause a fear of harm, an assault charge can likely be dismissed or dropped.The remaining two defenses involve self-defense and the defense of another. That is, an accused can try to dismiss an assault charge by showing that they were acting in self-defense; or acting in defense of another person.

I have been representing clients with proven results for years on assault charges or other criminal offenses. I will provide you strong legal representation to navigate your charges, defend your rights, and fight for the best possible outcome