Process of a Prince William County Assault Case

An assault offense refers to any inappropriate contact that was threatened or attempted. Assault charges could be intimidating for people to face as a result of the serious consequences that may follow.

Since an assault offense could indicate violence, having that blemish on your record could be an issue for many. By contacting a talented assault lawyer, you could learn more about the process of a Prince William County assault case and help defend your reputation.

Potential Consequences of Assault

Due to the seriousness of an assault accusation, a defendant may be jailed, even before they are proven guilty. They could potentially remain in jail if unable to secure a bond from a judge. At a minimum, an assault conviction is a Class 1 misdemeanor in Virginia, which is the highest level of a misdemeanor that exists. A defendant could be risking up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500 if convicted.

Assault convictions may also pave the way for court-ordered restrictions like protective orders or no-contact orders with the plaintiff. Judges may be inclined to sentence assault defendants to anger management classes, as well. Violations of these conditions could generate a new case for a defendant.

Future Consequences for Assault Convictions

Assaults could also render inmates ineligible for beneficial programs offered inside the jail, whether pre-trial or post-trial. The stigma of an assault may have further, far-reaching consequences in a variety of unrelated settings. These are things like:

• Background checks
• Official applications for work and school
• Future court dates

Process of an Assault Case in Prince William County

The process of Prince William County assault case may begin with identifying with specificity what the alleged assault is. If a case was started by a private citizen getting a warrant from the magistrate, there may be a copy of the associated complaint available where the plaintiff has described the alleged offense.

The warrant could be vague or misleading so the next step is to get a better recollection from the defendant about the specifics of the alleged incident and identify any neutral sources of recollection, such as video cameras or third-party witnesses.

Possible Evidence for an Assault

Several items could serve as potential evidence in an assault case. Some common examples are:

• Pictures of alleged injuries
• Recorded communications between parties
• Text messages
• Voicemails
• Social media posts

If the defendant was arrested for an assault, a police officer could fill out the criminal complaint in a manner that is usually clearer than a private citizen would. It also means that the police were involved in an arrest, which has a good chance of being recorded in a dashboard camera or a body camera video.

Strategizing With Available Evidence

A talented assault attorney may know to use the evidence given in an assault case to their advantage. If there are injuries, the lawyer may want to check if the plaintiff’s nature is consistent with the alleged assault.

If two stories of the assault conflict, one could be more believable than another under the circumstances. If there are additional sources of evidence that show how the assault unfolded, those could be subpoenaed.

Common Defense Strategies of a Prince William County Assault Attorney

The final step of the process could be to execute the defendant’s defense strategy in court. It could be important to talk to the prosecutor and any police officer involved in the case before going to trial. A seasoned assault attorney could fight tirelessly in your defense and help to explain the process of a Prince William County assault case in depth.