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Glendale Assault Charge Lawyer

Have you been arrested for assault and battery in Glendale, AZ? While simple assault is a misdemeanor, the penalties for conviction can still be serious. You face jail time, a conviction for a violent crime, and hefty fines. It may also come with consequences that affect your job, relationships, and child custody or divorce.

For more than 33 years, Orent Law Offices has represented residents of Maricopa County charged with assault and other violent offenses. Contact our law firm for a free consultation with a Glendale assault charge lawyer who will give you the vigorous legal defense you deserve.

How Orent Law Offices Can Help if You’re Arrested for Assault in Glendale, AZ

Assault is a common criminal charge in Glendale, but that does not mean you take it lightly. Assault charges may come with jail time and a permanent criminal record. You deserve a Glendale criminal defense attorney who will help you fight for your good name and freedom.

Orent Law Offices has represented Glendale, Arizona residents facing criminal charges for more than three decades. Founding attorney Craig Orent is a Top 100 Trial Lawyer and Certified Criminal Law Specialist. He has also represented clients facing federal charges with the Federal Public Defender’s Office.

When you choose Orent Law Offices to represent you in your assault case, you can count on our law office to:

• Conduct a thorough investigation into your case to determine if your rights were violated 
• Listen to your story and help you craft the strongest legal defense possible
• Dispute the forensics, police procedure, and validity of any evidence against you
• Seek to discredit witnesses or the alleged victim by addressing inconsistencies or potential motives to lie
• Offer sound legal advice and guidance to help you make informed decisions about your defense and possible plea deals
• Seek a satisfactory conclusion to your case, including dismissal of the charge, reduced charges, a plea deal, or an acquittal at trial
• Present a persuasive case for minimum penalties, probation, and diversion programs

You deserve a robust legal defense to fight the assault charge you are facing. Contact Orent Law Offices for a free case review with a Glendale assault charge lawyer ready to fight for you.

Overview of Assault in Arizona

Assault is one of the most common violent crimes committed and charged in Glendale, Arizona. 

Under ARS §13-1203, assault is a crime committed by doing any of the following:

• Knowingly touching someone with the intent to insult, provoke, or injure
• Intentionally placing someone else in reasonable fear of imminent injury
• Intentionally, recklessly, or knowingly causing someone else physical injury 

Most people think of a conventional fight as misdemeanor assault. However, you do not need to actually be involved in a fight or cause injury to be charged with assault under Arizona assault laws.

Assault can involve anything from throwing an object at someone (without harming them), poking someone aggressively in the chest, or punching someone.

Simple assault in Arizona is a misdemeanor. 

It may be Class 1, 2, or 3 misdemeanor depending on the circumstances:

• Touching someone with intent to insult or injure is a Class 3 misdemeanor, the lowest misdemeanor level. This does not require actual injury, only an intent to cause injury.
• Placing someone in reasonable fear of imminent physical injury is a Class 2 misdemeanor. This will require proving the victim’s state of mind and that it was reasonable to fear immediate harm.
• Causing physical injury to someone else is a Class 1 misdemeanor, the highest misdemeanor level. This requires proving an injury occurred, but it does not matter how serious the injury was. Even redness or mild bruising where the victim was touched is sufficient to count as an injury. 

Assault can be enhanced to aggravated assault under ARS §13-1204. 

This crime is committed when there are aggravating factors in the assault, such as:

• The use of a deadly weapon
• The victim suffers disfigurement
• The assault happens in the victim’s home, or
• The assault is committed against a police officer or firefighter. 

When assault is committed against a current or former spouse, dating partner, or roommate, you may face a domestic violence charge. This can increase penalties of an assault charge.

Threatening and Intimidation

Threatening or intimidating under ARS §13-1202 is similar to assault. This offense is committed if you threaten or intimidate someone through conduct or word and:

• Cause physical injury to someone or serious damage to someone else’s property,
• Cause or act in reckless disregard to causing serious public inconvenience, or
• Cause physical injury to someone else or property damage that promotes or assists the interests of a street gang or crime syndicate 

In some cases, seemingly minor changes in circumstances can change a crime from simple assault to criminal threats and intimidation. Unlike assault, threatening and intimidating can be a wobbler. Misdemeanor or felony charges are possible.

What Are the Penalties for Assault in Glendale, Arizona?

The penalties for misdemeanor assault depend on the misdemeanor class and your criminal record. You may face the following penalties for simple assault conviction.

Class 1 misdemeanor assault penalties include:

• Up to 6 months in jail
• Up to 3 years on probation
• Anger management courses, restitution, and community service
• Up to $2,500 in fines and a $2,075 surcharge

Class 2 misdemeanor assault penalties include:

• Up to 4 months in jail
• Up to 2 years on probation
• Anger management, restitution, and community service
• Up to $750 in fines and a $622 surcharge 

Class 3 misdemeanor assault penalties include:

• Up to 30 days in jail
• Up to 1 year on probation
• Anger management, restitution, and community service
• Up to $500 in fines and a $415 surcharge 

If you have no criminal record of violent crimes, you may be eligible for a diversion program in Arizona. In this case, the assault charge can be dropped if you successfully complete certain classes, such as anger management.

If a domestic violence designation is added to an assault charge, the penalties can be enhanced. There may be a longer sentence, a mandatory minimum sentence, and probation restrictions. You may also face a protective order that prohibits you from returning to a home with the alleged victim and mandatory domestic violence classes.

What Defenses Can Be Raised if I’m Accused of Assault?

Depending on the circumstances, you may have many defense strategies available. The following are some of the most common defenses that may be raised in criminal cases involving assault:

• There was no intent. If someone else suffered injury or fear of imminent harm due to an accident outside your control, the elements of assault have not been met.
• False allegations. Assault is a common false allegation, particularly after heated arguments, domestic disputes, and in child custody disputes. Sometimes false assault allegations even arise due to revenge, malice, or to shift blame from the real attacker.
• Defense of self or others. Self-defense or the defense of others is a justifiable reason to commit assault as long as the force used was reasonable.
• You were intimidated or provoked. If the alleged victim was actually the initial aggressor, you may have a defense. This is similar to self-defense. 

The prosecution has the burden of proving you committed all elements of assault beyond a reasonable doubt. Many assault cases are built around allegations, witness statements, and/or injuries. Even injuries may not be sufficient proof if the victim was the aggressor or less injured in a fight.

In addition to arguing that the prosecution has failed to meet the burden of proof, your Glendale assault defense lawyer at Orent Law Offices will investigate if your rights were violated. You may have been denied counsel, coerced into making self-incriminatory remarks, not read your rights, or the victim of illegal search and seizure. We will fight to have evidence suppressed if it was obtained through the violation of a constitutional right.

Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with Our Glendale Assault Charge Lawyer

Assault cases are one of the most common violent crime charges filed in Glendale, Arizona. Do not assume that a conviction is minor simply because it is a misdemeanor instead of a felony. You still face a loss of freedom, high fines, and a permanent criminal record. A violent crime conviction can also carry repercussions if you are ever arrested again.

Contact Orent Law Offices today to schedule a free case review with a Glendale assault defense attorney who will fight for your rights and freedom.