A Guide to Aggravated Assault and Other Assault Charges!

Assault charges can carry a range of punishments and effects on your life, depending on the extent of the crime. In order to understand what an assault charge is, it’s important to distinguish between simple assault and aggravated assault.

Understanding Assault

Simple assault is defined as the threat or attempt to cause physical harm to another person without actually touching them. This could include threatening someone with a weapon or other means of harm, but not actually using it. Simple assault typically carries lesser penalties than aggravated assault does and will usually be charged as a misdemeanor.

What is Considered As Aggravated Assault?

Aggravated assault occurs when someone threatens or causes serious physical injury or death by the use of a weapon or other means of force. Aggravated assaults are often felonies regardless of whether or not the weapon was used in the commission of the crime. 

Depending on the state law, an aggravated assault conviction could result in several years in prison along with fines and restitution fees paid to victims. It may also require that you register as a violent offender in some states.

Other Assault Charges

Other forms of violent criminal charges are also available, such as stalking and domestic violence offenses which have lesser penalties than aggravated assault but still include possible jail time if convicted. 

Stalking involves directly following, harassing another person for no legitimate reason (such as for business purposes), making unwanted contact via phone calls, text messages, social media posts, etc., engaging in surveillance activities without permission from the victim, sending unsolicited gifts/letters, etc.

Domestic violence is considered any physical act committed between family members, spouses, or intimate partners that results in physical harm or fear of harm being inflicted upon them. 

Punishment for these unique charges depends on state laws and can range from probation to prison time, depending on the severity and the number of incidents involved with each case.

Verdict!

It’s important to know what kind of punishment you may be facing when faced with an accusation for any form of criminal activity, including those listed above; the consequences can range from minimal fines all the way up to extensive jail sentences if found guilty by circumstances beyond reasonable doubt set forth by prosecutors and judges handling your case. 

That being said, it’s always smart to seek competent legal representation from a criminal law firm when faced with aggressive criminal charges such as those listed above so justice can be served accordingly without bias based upon wanton conjecture plied against you by accusers having malicious intent towards you in court proceedings.