An attorney at Okabe & Haushalter may be able to help you if you have been arrested on assault and battery charges or aggravated assault charges in Los Angeles or the South Bay area. By reviewing your particular situation and case, we can determine how to effectively defend your case. Our Los Angeles assault and battery attorneys have extensive experience handling these cases, and we want to help form the best possible defense strategy moving forward for your situation.
Self-defense, provocation by the alleged victim, mistaken identity, accidental contact, and mutual combat may all be an explanation of why you were thought to have committed assault and battery, and your lawyer can utilize these defenses in court to help prove that you are not guilty.
Attempting or threatening to harm another person, with the apparent means to carry out the threat, is considered to be assault. The unwanted touching or striking of another person is the battery. As such, assault and battery are often combined in a criminal case. An assault and battery conviction may result in a “strike” on a person’s criminal record – as assault and battery are considered to be a violent and serious felony offense in California.
Even though the phrase “assault and battery” is used regularly by individuals in this state, the reality is that these are two separate and distinct crimes.
When we turn to California assault law, Penal Code 240 PC, we can see that assault is the attempt to use force or violence on another individual. However, when we look at Penal Code 242 PC, we can see that battery is the actual use of force or violence on another individual.
In California, assault, and battery, along with other violent crimes, present a particular problem when they are charged as felony offenses. Under the “Three Strikes and You’re Out” law, certain violent and serious felony convictions are classified as “strikes.” When a person receives a conviction for a second violent or serious felony, he or she will face double the penalties. A third conviction, even for a lesser offense, may result in 25 years to life in prison. This is just one of the numerous reasons a skilled defense lawyer is so important if you are facing assault and battery charges.
If you or somebody you care about has been charged with assault or battery, reach out to the team at Okabe & Haushalter for help today. Our attorneys have extensive experience handling complex criminal defense cases, and we have the resources necessary to handle every aspect of this situation on your behalf. Our goal is to formulate the best defense strategy possible given the facts and circumstances of your particular situation so we can get the charges against you reduced or even dismissed altogether. When you need a Los Angeles assault and battery defense lawyer, you can contact us for a free consultation of your case today by clicking here or calling 310-543-7708.
