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Simple Assault Defense Attorney in Kingston, PA, Defends Clients Against Assault Charges in Luzerne County, Lackawanna County, Columbia County, and Throughout Northeastern Pennsylvania
Simple assault charges may not be as severe as felony offenses, but underestimating this form of legal trouble may be a big mistake. Putting up a strong defense against charges of simple assault is critical for achieving a more favorable outcome in your case. A skilled Luzerne County simple assault lawyer at Muckler Law, LLC/ can help you defend against charges of simple assault and other violent crimes.
Get your questions answered by an experienced legal professional. Contact us today for your free consultation.
Facing Simple Assault Charges in Luzerne County, PA?
Why should you hire an experienced simple assault defense attorney in Kingston, PA? Simple assault is a criminal matter, and attaining the most positive outcome possible for your situation means bringing on professional legal assistance.
At Muckler Law, LLC, founder and lead attorney Matthew T. Muckler draws on his 15+ years of experience as both a criminal defense attorney and former Luzerne County assistant district attorney to build a robust defense and fight for the most favorable outcome for your unique situation.
Where Our Luzerne County Simple Assault Lawyer Can Assist You
From our office location on Market Street in Kingston, PA, we assist clients throughout Luzerne County and the surrounding areas, including:
- Hazleton
- Nanticoke
- Pittston
- Wilkes-Barre
- Kingston
- Hanover Township
- Plains Township
- Hazle Township
- Butler Township
- Dallas Township
- Kingston Township
- Plymouth
- Exeter
- Wright Township
- Newport Township
- Swoyersville
We know that the incidents that lead to simple assault charges can occur in all kinds of environments. No matter where in Northeastern PA you were charged with this crime, we’re prepared to hear your side of the story with empathy and understanding and help you defend against the simple assault charges you’re facing.
What Constitutes Simple Assault in Luzerne County, PA?
Even if you have been criminally charged with simple assault, you may not completely understand what this offense entails.
Under Pennsylvania law (18 Pa. C.S.A.2701), the crime of simple assault may encompass any of the following actions:
- Intentionally or knowingly causing bodily injury to someone else
- Recklessly causing someone bodily injury
- Negligently causing bodily injury with the use of a deadly weapon
- Attempting by physical menace to cause someone else to fear imminent bodily injury, even if no physical harm was inflicted
- Using a concealed hypodermic needle to penetrate the skin of a law enforcement officer or correctional facility worker during an arrest or a search of the individual’s person
A Luzerne County simple assault lawyer can help you understand the charges you’re facing and the prosecution’s against you.
Is Simple Assault a Felony in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania?
In Pennsylvania, simple assault is generally charged as a misdemeanor, a crime that is less severe and carries less serious criminal penalties than a felony.
Like felony charges, misdemeanor charges can take the form of different grades of severity, the most severe of which are first-degree charges.
Misdemeanors in PA may be charged as any of the following:
- First-degree simple assault charges: The most severe simple assault charges are those committed by a legal adult (age 18 or older) against a child younger than 12 years of age.
- Second-degree simple assault charges: Most instances of simple assault in PA are considered second-degree misdemeanors. The exception is when they meet the criteria for first-degree charges (above) or third-degree charges (below).
- Third-degree simple assault charges: When the assault occurs in the course of a fight or scuffle that both parties consent to engage in, it constitutes a less serious third-degree charge.
A misdemeanor is often thought of as a minor charge in comparison to a felony, but make no mistake: this charge represents a violent criminal offense and has the potential to affect your life long after you have served any sentences that arise out of it.
A conviction for a misdemeanor still goes on your criminal record. A simple assault conviction may show up on background checks you may undergo when you are searching for a job, applying for school, applying to rent a place to live, or applying for a mortgage or other type of loan. If your case is publicized in the news, people in personal and professional relationships with you may be able to find out about it.
Penalties for Simple Assault in Pennsylvania
Although simple assault, in particular, may be charged as a misdemeanor, assault is a form of violent crime. As such, it carries penalties under Pennsylvania law that can be as severe as multiple years of jail time and thousands of dollars in fines.
What Is the Maximum Sentence for Assault in PA?
If you want to know the worst-case scenario for simple assault charges in Pennsylvania, it’s generally a fine of up to $10,000 plus up to five years of prison time.
Suppose the offense of which you’re accused doesn’t amount to the most severe form of simple assault violation. In this case, you’re unlikely to go to jail for anywhere near the five years possible for the most serious first-degree offenses.
If the charge against you is a second-degree offense, as most simple assault violations in PA are, you could still wind up spending two years in jail. You might also face a fine of up to $5,000.
Third-degree simple assault charges that arise out of mutual combat carry a maximum fine of $2,500 in Pennsylvania, but you’re still looking at potential jail time. A simple assault charge in the third degree may result in a prison sentence of up to one year.
In some circumstances, you may be facing additional criminal charges (such as aggravated assault, battery, or terroristic threats) that could expose you to even more severe penalties.
Beating Simple Assault Charges in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania
There are numerous potential defenses for a simple assault charge in PA. Depending on the facts of your case, your attorney may pursue one or more of the following arguments in the defense strategy they develop for you:
- False accusations, mistaken identity, and other claims of innocence
- Self-defense
- Defense of others who are in danger
- Provocation of the attack
- A lack of intent behind the alleged assault
- A lack of bodily injury arising out of the alleged assault
- Involuntary intoxication
- Insanity
The outcomes your attorney may seek in your case could range from dismissal of the charges against you to a not-guilty trial verdict, a plea bargain for a lesser offense, or less serious sentences.
Contact a Luzerne County Simple Assault Lawyer at Muckler Law, LLC, Today for a Free Consultation
Put your case in the hands of a law firm that offers comprehensive criminal defense services for all forms of Pennsylvania assault crimes, from simple assault to aggravated assault, terroristic threats, and reckless endangerment.
For help from a simple assault defense attorney in Kingston or elsewhere in Luzerne County, PA, contact Muckler Law, LLC, online or call 570-908-4069 today.