Assaults are serious criminal charges in Maryland and elsewhere.
Moreover, if you and the alleged assault victim live together
under the same the roof, you could also be charged with domestic
violence, which can carry additional penalties.
Assault charges are fact-specific. If you have been charged
with an assault crime in Maryland, time is of the essence, and
you need experienced legal counsel on your side who can safeguard
all of your legal and constitutional rights. The criminal defense
lawyers at Alpert Schreyer, LLC, may assist you with formulating
good legal defenses to your assault charge, obtaining a dismissal
of your assault charge in court, or obtaining a favorable plea
deal with the prosecution.
GROUNDS FOR ASSAULT IN MARYLAND
Under Maryland law, to be
charged with assault, a defendant need not actually touch
or make physical contact with the alleged victim. The defendant
only needs to place the victim in imminent fear of a physical
assault or imminent bodily harm.]
The Maryland
Criminal Code defines several types of assault, depending
upon the nature and extent of the circumstances surrounding the
incident and the level of harm posed to the alleged victim.
Second-degree assault - Second-degree assault, also known
as common assault, involves threats of (or actual) offensive
physical contact directed toward the alleged victim.
First-degree assault - A first-degree assault involves
threats of (or actual) serious physical injury, including an
assault with a deadly weapon, directed toward the alleged
victim.
Maryland law defines an "offensive physical contact" as contact
that a reasonable person would find offensive, while "serious
physical injury" refers to an injury that creates a
"substantial risk of death" or causes "permanent or protracted
serious disfigurement or functional loss or impairment of a
body part or organ."
Variations on these assault charges, such as against a police
officer, correctional officer, or prison inmate, carry
additional penalties.
DEFENSES TO MARYLAND ASSAULT CHARGES
Maryland law provides various legal defenses to assault charges
incurred in the state. A knowledgeable Maryland criminal
defense lawyer may help you formulate a good legal defense to
your assault charge. Some common defenses to assault charges in
Maryland include:
Alibis
Mistakes of fact
Lack of criminal intent
Coercion by someone else
Duress by a law enforcement officer
Self-defense (such as using force or a threat of force
against someone else for self-protection or self-preservation)
Defense of another
Falsification of story by the alleged victim (usually in
child custody cases)
CONTACT A MARYLAND CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER
TODAY FOR A FREE INITIAL CONSULTATION
Maryland assault convictions come with harsh penalties, and too
much is at stake for you to "go it alone." Instead, you need
experienced legal representation in your corner throughout your
case. To schedule a free case evaluation or case evaluation
with a Maryland
criminal defense lawyer at Alpert Schreyer, LLC,
please call us at (866) 444-6363 or contact us
online.