At Shugar Law Office, we defend our clients against assault charges. A New Jersey assault lawyer at Shugar Law Office will prepare an aggressive, effective legal defense on your behalf.

Even if you don’t touch someone else physically, you could face assault charges in this state. Throwing a punch that misses, for example, is simple assault under New Jersey’s criminal justice system. Simple and aggravated assault cases are common, but these charges are not trivial.

There are severe consequences for assault convictions, even if you’re only guilty of a simple assault offense. If you’re facing an assault charge, you must have legal representation from a New Jersey assault attorney who will aggressively advocate for the justice you need.

Understanding Assault Charges in New Jersey

New Jersey law recognizes these types of assault:

1. A simple assault charge involves causing minor bodily harm or threatening someone with imminent harm. It also includes causing injury negligently with a weapon.

1. Aggravated assault charges are more severe. Aggravated assault may entail significant or serious bodily injury, acting knowingly or recklessly with extreme indifference to human life, or the use of any weapon causing serious bodily harm, injury, or death.

1. Assault against an on-duty police officer is treated as aggravated assault, even if the officer suffers only minor injuries. A prison sentence is likely upon conviction.

1. Felony assault with a deadly weapon involves using an object to cause serious bodily injury or death. At Shugar Law Office, our criminal defense attorneys have considerable experience defending clients against these charges.

What Are the Penalties for Assault Convictions?

Under New Jersey’s legal system, if the victim and defendant were involved in a fight or scuffle, simple assault is a petty disorderly persons offense. Convictions for these offenses are punishable with thirty days in jail and a $500 fine.

Most simple assaults in this state are disorderly persons offenses; convictions for these offenses are punishable with up to six months in jail and $1,000 in fines. Penalties for aggravated assault depend on whether it is charged as a second, third, or fourth-degree crime:

1. A second-degree aggravated assault conviction is punishable with five to ten years in prison and a maximum fine of $150,000.

1. A conviction for a third-degree offense is punishable with a three-to-five-year prison term and a fine of $15,000.

1. A conviction for a fourth-degree offense can be penalized with eighteen months in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Other potential criminal penalties include probation, restitution, and creating a permanent criminal record. Offenders may also face civil penalties, because assault victims have the right to sue their assailants in civil court to recover compensation for serious bodily injury.

How Will We Help You Defeat an Assault Charge?

If you face assault charges in New Jersey, let the legal team at Shugar Law Office review your case. The defense strategies a New Jersey assault lawyer may use to help you include:

1. moving to dismiss the case
2. moving to suppress evidence
3. negotiating with the prosecutor to reduce the charge
4. negotiating a plea deal to avoid the most severe penalties
5. proving no assault happened or you acted in self-defense or to defend a third party

Each assault case is unique, so an experienced criminal defense lawyer must speak with you personally and review your case to determine the best legal strategy. A Shugar Law Office attorney will explain your options and offer sound legal advice and recommendations.

If your assault case goes to trial, the state must prove your guilt beyond a reasonable doubt to convict you of a criminal offense. A knowledgeable defense lawyer will cast doubt on the prosecution’s evidence and effectively explain why the jurors should find you innocent.

Should You Claim Self-Defense?

Self-defense legally justifies the use of force in New Jersey if you reasonably believe you are at risk for imminent serious bodily injury and your response is proportionate to the threat. The elements of a self-defense claim are:

1. You must genuinely believe you are in immediate danger of significant bodily injury.
2. You may use only reasonable force, no more than necessary to stop the threat.
3. You cannot be the initial aggressor.

Deadly force is justifiable only when someone reasonably fears imminent death or serious bodily harm. Discuss with your New Jersey assault attorney whether a self-defense claim should be your legal defense against an assault charge.

What Else Should You Know About Assault?

Even a simple assault conviction has serious consequences. It creates a criminal record that can make finding employment, housing, obtaining a loan, or attending specific colleges and universities challenging.

The defense attorneys at Shugar Law Office know how to obtain a favorable outcome in your assault case. Favorable outcomes include persuading the prosecutor or court to dismiss the case, winning an acquittal at trial, or negotiating a plea deal you can live with.

Trust Shugar Law Office With Your Assault Case

The attorneys at Shugar Law Office have an impressive record of successfully defending clients against criminal charges, including assault. Please don’t wait to seek our help. If the state brings an assault charge against you, call a defense lawyer immediately.

For those facing assault charges, your first meeting with us is free of charge or obligation. You’ll receive personalized legal advice and learn how New Jersey law applies to your assault case. You’ll be treated with courtesy, professionalism, and respect.

Whether you are innocent or guilty as charged, if you face an assault charge in New Jersey, now or in the future, promptly call Shugar Law Office at 609-544-2811 to schedule a free consultation with a New Jersey assault defense lawyer.