Prince George’s County Assault Lawyer
Being charged with assault in Maryland can be incredibly intimidating. If you find yourself facing assault charges, one of the most important decisions you can make is to contact an experienced Prince George’s County assault lawyer right away.
Unfair assault accusations can occur under many different circumstances, including domestic disputes, protests, recreational, sporting and entertainment events, roadway altercations, and many others besides. Frequently, wrongful assault charges even stem from legitimate self-defense actions.
Whatever the situation that led to assault charges against you, working with a defense attorney in PG County can help. Get in touch with our Maryland law offices today to schedule your free initial consultation. En Español.
Assault Charges in Maryland
Under Maryland Code 3-201, assault is broken down into two degrees, with first-degree assault being a felony charge and second-degree assault being a misdemeanor, unless the latter is alleged to have involved a law enforcement officer. Each type can lead to serious penalties that warrant attention from an assault lawyer in Maryland. The two types are:
First-Degree Assault Charges
First-degree assault is the more severe charge, and requires that the victim have suffered serious bodily injury or that the alleged assault involved a firearm. The law defines serious physical injury as any harm that leaves the victim disfigured or disabled, or causes either permanent or lingering loss of function or impairment of any body part.
An assault that involves the use of a firearm of any kind automatically constitutes first-degree assault. Assault requires only that the accused intentionally acted and created a reasonable apprehension of an imminent harmful or offensive contact – typically called a battery. Because assault charges do not require that contact, or battery, actually take place, simply causing fear or apprehension with a firearm could be enough to be considered assault.
Second-Degree Assault Charges
Second-degree assault encompasses all assaults that do not constitute first-degree assault. In other words, any assault that did not result in serious physical injury or did not involve the use of a firearm is considered second-degree assault.
The simple fact is that all assault charges are completely unique, and it requires an experienced defense attorney to properly collect evidence and build an effective defense. Whether you’re facing first or second-degree assault charges, get in touch with a PG County assault lawyer at our firm to learn about the first things you need to do to protect your rights.
Penalties for Assault
First-degree assault is a felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison, whereas Misdemeanor second-degree assault is punishable by up to 10 years in prison and $2500 in fines. Assault on a law enforcement officer in the second degree—including any police, metro transit, probation, or parole officer—carries an enhanced penalty of a felony conviction with up to 10 years in prison and $5000 in fines.
Second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer requires that the accused have acted intentionally and that the officer was injured. The injury need not be considered serious, though, as is required for first-degree assault. Rather, all but the most minor injuries can suffice to bring a second-degree felony assault charge.
Consult with a Prince George’s County Assault Attorney Today
Our Prince George’s County assault lawyers have experience vigorously defending cases of justifiable self-defense and malicious and false accusations. The sooner you consult your PG County attorney, the easier it may be to mitigate the damage that comes with these serious charges.