Are you searching for a criminal defense attorney for those accused of violent crimes such as assault in Shepherdsville, Mount Washington, Shelbyville, Taylorsville, Radcliff, Elizabethtown, Jeffersontown, or Louisville, Kentucky?
Are you presently under investigation for or have you been charged with Assault? In a matter of moments, a fairly casual situation can escalate quickly into a physical confrontation. Unfortunately, once fists have been thrown or a weapon has been drawn, an argument can cross the line into a moment that can and will significantly impact the rest of your life. Assault charges can have a substantial effect on potential future employers and alter the way a police officer will approach you in a simple traffic stop.
Are you facing assault charges in Jefferson, Bullitt, Hardin, Spencer, Shelby, or Oldham County, Kentucky? You will need an experienced criminal defense attorney who will work to investigate everything that happened and work to reduce the level of charges and associated consequences you may face.
There are many “degrees” of assault charges here in Kentucky. The charges will often be based upon the intentionality of your actions and whether or not you intended to or recognized the likelihood of harm resulting from your actions. It may surprise you to learn that Assault can be charged in Kentucky without any physical interaction. The mere genuine threat of harm to another can be charged as an assault in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
My name is John Schmidt, and as an experienced criminal defense attorney for those accused of violent crimes with more than 25 years of service to Louisville-area communities, I can tell you there are a lot of factors that go into the equation the prosecutor will use to determine the level of charges you may face (if any at all).
Was there a “deadly weapon” or “dangerous instrument” associated with the incident? What is the difference between the two? Most people understand a deadly weapon would be anything that could be discharged or used to inflict serious injury or loss of life. This would include a gun, knife, billy club, artificial knuckles (brass, metal, or plastic), martial arts weapons, or a bomb. A punch or a kick may be considered a dangerous instrument based on how and why it was thrown, the amount of force generated, and any resulting injuries.
Fourth-Degree Assault can result from any incident resulting in injury to another party, where serious, credible threats have been made, or when reckless behavior resulted in injury. While this is considered to be a Class A misdemeanor, it still carries a fine of up to $500 and the potential for a year in jail.
Any assault, third-degree Assault, second-degree Assault, or first-degree assault charge is a felony, involving heavy fines and prison sentences of at least one to five years, often up to ten to twenty years.
if you have been charged with criminal assault in Kentucky, you need to mount an aggressive criminal defense. As an experienced criminal defense attorney for those accused of violent crimes in Kentucky, I will aggressively and proactively investigate every aspect of the actions of law enforcement, evidence collection, witness and informant statements, and whether or not your rights were violated at any point in the process. I work to question the presumptions of the prosecution, reduce the severity of criminal charges and potential consequences you face or to achieve an outright dismissal of your case.
We invite you to contact us via e-mail, schedule an appointment or call us today at (502) 509-1490 to get the advice and aggressive criminal defense you need and deserve. At the Law Offices of John Schmidt & Associates we bring more than 25 years of experience to your side of the equation, manage the situation you face and the allegations against you, and work hard to achieve a much better outcome in your case than you can or will accomplish on your own.
