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Worcester County Assault Lawyer

A misunderstanding can quickly escalate to an assault charge. A Worcester County criminal defense lawyer can evaluate all details of the alleged incident, the arrest, and the charge in order to craft a strong defense.

Assault Charges in Worcester County

An assault charge may be the result of a mutual altercation, a misunderstanding of intent, misidentification, or even an act of self-defense. Often, when Worcester County law enforcement arrives to the scene of an alleged assault, they are forced to make a subjective determination of instigator and victim based on any apparent injuries or which participant told his or her side of the story first.

Under Maryland assault laws, there are specific elements the prosecution must prove in order to obtain an assault conviction. An assault lawyer in Worcester County knows what these elements are and how to dispute them in court.

Maryland Assault Laws

There are many different kinds of assault, including domestic abuse and sexual assault. Those acts are typically prosecuted under laws pertaining specifically to them, while assault in general is prosecuted as either first degree assault or second degree assault. A simple assault charge can be relatively minor; however, the consequences of an assault conviction become increasingly severe based upon the perceived seriousness of the offense.

First Degree Assault

Crimes against the person including assault and reckless endangerment are defined, prohibited, and penalized beginning in Maryland Code § 3-201. In this section, state law defines “serious bodily injury” as an injury that creates substantial risk of death or that causes permanent or protracted disfigurement, loss, or impairment of any body part or organ.

It is the presence of serious bodily injury or use of a firearm that causes an assault to be considered first degree assault, according to Section 3-202.

First degree assault is a felony punishable by a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

Second Degree Assault

A lesser offense, but one which still carries serious penalties, is second degree assault.

Defined under Section 3-203, assault in the second degree includes physical injury that is more severe than “minor injuries” but less than the “serious bodily injury” required for a first degree assault charge.

Second degree assault also includes assault of a law enforcement officer, probation or parole officer, firefighter, paramedic, or other emergency response worker.

Second degree assault is a felony punishable by a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Reckless Endangerment

A person may be charged with reckless endangerment under Section 3-204 if he or she engages in any activity that creates a “substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury” or if he or she discharges a firearm from a vehicle.

Under this statute, reckless endangerment is a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of 5 years in prison.

Prepare with a Worcester County Assault Lawyer

With such a broad scope of assault charges and penalties, it is important for anyone charged with assault to quickly contact a Worcester County assault attorney who understands the nature of the charge and how best to defend against it. To learn more about assault defense in Worcester County, Maryland do not hesitate to contact our legal team to schedule your risk-free consultation today.