Being charged with assault is very serious, and if you are convicted, then the charge will stay on your record permanently. If you have been charged with any type of assault at all, then you need to hire a Manhattan assault lawyer right away to handle your case. The state of New York can be very harsh where assault cases are concerned, so you will need experience on your side to beat or lessen the charges against you. There are many different types of assault that include but are not limited to aggravated assault, family violence, domestic violence, or even child abuse. You need an attorney who knows how to deal with these allegations, so that your penalties can possibly be reduced through a plea agreement.
What to Expect When You Are Charged with Assault
Assault charges can range anywhere from simple assault to aggravated assault, and the severity of your sentence will depend on whether the prosecutor decides to charge you with felony or misdemeanor assault. The factors that determine how they file the case will depend on how bad the assault was, and whether or not you have a prior record for assault or other violent crimes. If you are convicted, you can face a sentence that includes fines and probation if the assault is minor, or a significant amount of jail time up to a maximum of 20 years, if you have a felony assault conviction. You should never take an assault charge lightly under any circumstances. You need a legal representative that will aggressively fight for your rights. If you hire a competent attorney, they will know the best course of action to take, and they will know how to deal with strategies that are used by the prosecution.
Always Have Your Attorney Present Before Speaking to Police
If you are a suspect in any type of assault case, then you should never speak to the police until you have talked to an attorney. They may try to use hardball tactics to get you to confess, but all you have to do is tell them that you would like to speak to your attorney. They may also offer you some type of reward for confessing, such as reducing your charges down, but they have no control over this. Investigators employ many different tactics to unfairly coerce confessions out of suspects, and they also try to get you to incriminate yourself by making other statements as well. In most cases your attorney will want to be present for the interrogation process, so you will be fully protected as long as you don’t talk to police before you hire legal counsel.
If you need an experienced Manhattan assault lawyer, then call on the services of The Law Offices of James Medows. They offer full legal services for all types of criminal law cases in the State of New York.
