Defending Assault Charges in Hampton Roads
Being accused of assaulting someone can be an overwhelming experience, especially if you are going through it without any legal guidance. There are many ways a Hampton Roads lawyer could defend you from assault charges. Defending assault charges in Hampton Roads may depend on the circumstances of your specific case and the skill of your assault attorney. Contact a skilled assault lawyer today that could begin working on your case.
Mitigating Factors in an Assault Case
When looking to begin building a defense, an attorney in Virginia may start with seeking out separate testimonies from that of the individuals involved in the alleged incident. Third-party witnesses may be useful because they could have objective viewpoints of what happened. Lawyers could use this to the advantage of a defendant if they see fit. Some of the specific defenses or mitigating factors that may be used are mutual combat or self-defense.
Both defenses could work in concert with one another by showing that the alleged assault was mutual and not fully a result of the defendant. They could show any mitigating factors that may indicate that they either did not initiate the fight or that they were defending themselves to show that they were not acting with malice.
Witness Testimonies Use in Disproving an Assault Offense
With witness testimony, a seasoned attorney may want to confirm the following before using them in defending assault charges in Hampton Roads:
- Relationship to either party
- How much was observed of incident
- How much was heard of an incident
- Amount of knowledge of events
Statements by witnesses could be helpful because they provide a context to the court about what happened. Judges want to hear from everyone, especially the people who may have been involved in the case. If a person is arguing self-defense, they could show that they were injured, which could help mitigate the case against them.
Evidence That May be Gathered when Defending Assault Charges
Common evidence that defense attorneys could gather to challenge the prosecution’s case is an eyewitness account from people who may have seen what happened and could testify to the judge what they saw. If it is a public place, there may be surveillance cameras that could capture the incident and be presented as evidence. Medical records may also be used if there are injuries and could be presented to the court when defending assault charges in Hampton Roads.
Seeking the Help of a Hampton Roads Assault Attorney
When facing assault charges in Hampton Roads, it may be important to retain an experienced defense attorney. Assault in Virginia is often considered a misdemeanor that could carry potential jail time if convicted. Getting the help of an attorney who could help you avoid further consequences may be useful for dealing with such a stressful charge. A Hampton Roads assault lawyer could help you with the case by organizing and putting everything together. Contact a talented assault lawyer today that could begin defending assault charges in Hampton Roads.
