If you have been arrested for assault in Highland Park, the prosecution will not go easy on you. But you are innocent until proven guilty and should be treated as such. That’s why having a Highland Park assault lawyer represent you in court is so important.
At the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg, we believe you deserve a Highland Park criminal defense lawyer who gives you the best opportunity for a positive outcome in your case. Our attorneys have been standing up for defendants in assault cases for several decades. Our combination of experience, toughness, and dedication to our clients could be a difference-maker in your case. We will fight aggressively for an acquittal or a case dismissal.
Assault Attorneys Who Only Practice Criminal Defense Law
The legal field is complex and has many areas attorneys may focus on. With that said, the criminal justice field is one where the stakes are perhaps the highest for clients. That’s why it’s so important to have an attorney who is deeply familiar with the criminal justice process and has proven they can win criminal cases for their client. Our firm only handles one area of the law: criminal defense.
We have dedicated our careers to fighting for the rights of the accused. More importantly, our law firm has a solid track record of fighting and winning assault defense cases. It doesn’t matter how strong the police or prosecutors tell you their case is because only a jury can find you guilty.
Your Highland Park assault defense attorney will thoroughly examine the prosecution’s case and collaborate with you to mount the most effective defense possible.
Potential Defenses an Assault Lawyer Can Mount
In an assault trial, the prosecution’s case relies on their version of events. But that doesn’t mean it’s the only version. There are many potential defenses against an assault case, some of which include:
- Self-defense of your family or property: You can legally use proportional physical force to defend yourself, your family, and your property. If we can show you were acting in self-defense, we may build reasonable doubt in the jury’s minds.
- Innocence: People are often wrongly arrested due to being misidentified. We may be able to find evidence that you didn’t commit the crime, such as witnesses or other forensic evidence that you were not at the crime scene.
We may also be able to argue that your actions in the case do not rise to the level of criminal activity. Assault laws give police latitude to arrest people for subjective things, such as making threats or initiating physical contact with the intent to carry out a threat or starting a fight. However, your actual intent could differ from how the police or prosecution interpreted it.
Words or actions in the heat of the moment don’t always equal a crime. A Highland Park assault lawyer could make the case that you had no intention of hurting anyone or starting a fight. If that’s the case, we may be able to persuade the jury that your actions didn’t fit the legal definition of assault.
Legal Definition of Assault in Highland Park
If police believe you committed an action that fits within the legal definition of assault in Texas, you can be arrested and charged. Texas Penal Code § 22.01 says whoever does one or more of the following things commits assault:
- “Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes bodily injury to another, including the person’s spouse.”
- “Intentionally or knowingly threatens another with imminent bodily injury, including the person’s spouse.”
- “Intentionally or knowingly causes physical contact with another when the person knows or should reasonably believe that the other will regard the contact as offensive or provocative.”
The above criminal offenses are generally Class A misdemeanors punishable by up to one year’s imprisonment and a fine up to $4,000, per Texas Penal Code § 12.21.
Felony Assault in Highland Park
Prosecutors have the discretion to charge you with third-degree felony assault if the victim in your case is one of the following:
- A member of your household
- A current or former romantic partner
- A member of your family
- A public employee who is actively working or on-duty
If convicted of third-degree felony assault in Highland Park, the punishment is between two and ten years in jail and a fine up to $10,000, per Texas Penal Code § 12.34.
If the prosecution alleges you used a weapon or did severe bodily harm to the assault victim, they can charge you with second- or first-degree aggravated assault. These offenses are punishable as follows:
- Second-degree felony: 2 to 20 years in jail and a fine up to $10,000, per Texas Penal Code § 12.33
- First-degree felony: 5 to 99 years in jail and a fine up to $10,000, per Texas Penal Code § 12.32
Our Highland Park criminal defense attorneys can fight even the most serious criminal charges for you.
Assault Convictions Have Long-Term Consequences
It’s unfortunate that many people convicted of crimes are punished for years after they have paid their debt to society. The normal consequences of an assault conviction are severe enough, but the aftermath can be even more difficult.
Assault convictions automatically become part of your criminal record, meaning anyone who runs a background check on you can readily discover this part of your past. An assault conviction can negatively affect your employment opportunities, loan applications, and ability to participate in licensed professions. It may also complicate your ability to maintain child custody or have visitation rights.
These are just some of the adverse consequences your Highland Park assault attorney will try to avoid by securing an acquittal or dismissal in your case.
Learn More About How a Highland Park Assault Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Help You
Your freedom, reputation, future earning power, and more are all on the line if you have been arrested for assault. At the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg, we understand how seriously an assault conviction can complicate your life, and our legal team will do everything possible to keep that from happening.
If you’d like to hear more about how a criminal defense lawyer can help you, please contact us for a free case evaluation. We’re here to advocate for you when no one else will. Being arrested for assault in Highland Park doesn’t have to ruin your life. We’ll fight to defend your freedom.
