If you are charged with aggravated assault in Plano, you need to secure legal counsel you can trust as soon as possible after your arrest. An attorney for assault charges can help you make sense of your situation and build the most effective possible defense. Contact the Plano aggravated assault lawyers at the Pelley Law Office, L.L.P., today at 972-608-0335 to learn how our team can assist you with your defense.
The Pelley Law Office, L.L.P., has decades of professional experience in criminal defense. Our firm has helped many past clients navigate complex cases and avoid conviction, and we have also helped clients minimize their sentences when they have broken the law. It’s imperative that you assert your right to legal counsel when you have been charged with aggravated assault and consult an experienced attorney for assault charges you can trust as soon as possible.
Lawyers At Your Side When You Face Felony Aggravated Assault Charges
Aggravated assault is a major crime that comes with grave consequences. An individual can be charged with aggravated assault if he or she attacks another individual and causes serious bodily harm or uses an object classified as a deadly weapon. The Texas Legislature defines the term “deadly weapon” very broadly. Nevertheless, we have a very lengthy and impressive record of getting these types of cases dismissed.
Result: CASE DISMISSED. Charge: Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. Our client came very close to killing someone with his car while he was extremely intoxicated. His bright future looked like it had come to a screeching halt. Nevertheless, he hired our team and we got his case dismissed. State of Texas vs. R.B. .
Result: CASE DISMISSED. Charge: Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.
There was a group of men and women swimming naked in the lake after midnight. No surprise, they were drinking heavily. Our client was accused of beating somebody over the head with a wine jug. Despite the victim ending up in the hospital near death, we still got our client’s charges dismissed. State of Texas vs. W.C. .
Result: CASE DISMISSED. Charge: Enhanced 1st Degree Felony Assault.
Our client was arrested for beating his girlfriend from within an inch of her life and sending her to the hospital. He faced life in prison. He hired our defense team, and we got his case dismissed. State of Texas vs. J.E.
If you have been charged with felony aggravated assault, our experienced aggravated assault lawyers can help you prepare a strong defense. We have over 80 years experience successfully defending assault charges. Texas enforces several laws that could be crucial to building your defense. You need an experienced attorney on your side who can help you leverage these laws correctly, prove the truth of the situation in question, and guide you to a positive outcome in your case.
Asserting Defenses Against Aggravated Assault Charges in Plano
It’s possible for a fight between adults to lead to criminal charges. Yes, you got in a fight. But, this is still Texas! You need us to properly assert your defenses or they will be lost. You need to know Texas’ laws concerning self-defense, defense of others, and mutual combat so you can present the most effective case possible if you are charged with aggravated assault.
Result: The jury returned a verdict of “NOT GUILTY.” Charge: Assault Causing Serious Bodily Injury. The complainant in this case was taken to the emergency room following his losing battle with our client. Despite horrible evidence against our client, Mr. Pelley was still able to get him acquitted of all charges by asserting the “mutual combat” defense. State of Texas vs. B.H.
Our defense team does our own independent investigation to determine:
- Was the accused acting in self-defense? If you were forced to act to defend yourself, you cannot be charged with a crime. As long as you can prove that you did not provoke the incident in question and only used the level of force you truly believed to be necessary to stop the threat of harm presented by another party, self-defense is one of the most viable defenses you can use in any assault case.
- Was the accused protecting an innocent third party? Texas’ robust self-defense law applies to the defense of a third party. Just as you are allowed to use whatever force you deem necessary to protect yourself from an imminent threat of harm, you are allowed to use that same level of force to protect an innocent third party. Your attorney can help you gather evidence to prove the true nature of the situation that led to your arrest.
- Was the crime committed accidentally? In order to be charged with aggravated assault, the prosecution must prove the defendant acted with intent to harm the victim. It is possible the defendant caused an injury or appeared to assault the victim but actually caused the incident due to negligence. A defense attorney can help their client build an effective defense to prove the truth of such an incident.
- Can the identity of the accused be proven? Many people are unfortunately arrested for crimes they did not commit because they matched the physical description of the actual perpetrators. If you are the victim of mistaken identity, there could be circumstantial evidence working against you, and you will need experienced defense counsel to establish an alibi and prove that you did not commit the crime in question.
- Was it mutual combat — a fight agreed to by both the accused and the other person? Texas is one of only two US states in which mutual combat is lawful under certain conditions. If you and another party agreed to lawful mutual combat and your opponent then accuses you of assault, your attorney can help you prove that the altercation in question was, in fact, lawful under Texas’ mutual combat laws.
Result: Grand Jury returned a “No-Bill” and FELONY ASSAULT CHARGES DISMISSED . Charges: Several Felony Charges by a Habitual Offender. Our client came out of a bar drunk out of his mind and was accused of beating up several cops. It was a plausible allegation since he was about 6’2″ and 240 pounds of muscle. At 21, he already had a trip to prison and was looking down the barrel of a 25-year minimum sentence without parole if he was convicted of these charges. Mr. Pelley put an end to the investigation and all of the cases were dismissed. State of Texas vs. C.S.
Self-defense is the most commonly cited defense against assault and aggravated assault charges in Texas. State law includes many specific laws designed to protect everyone’s inherent right to self-defense, and it is legal to use equivalent force, even lethal force if you are presented with an imminent threat. For example, if someone assaults you with a deadly weapon, you are well within your rights to use a deadly weapon to defend yourself.
The legal concept of self-defense can also apply to the defense of an innocent third party. You may have been charged with aggravated assault after you acted in defense of someone else. However, proving the exact details of this type of situation can be incredibly difficult. You need skilled lawyers for assault charges you can trust on your side if you want to build the most effective possible defense.
It is also possible for Texas’ law regarding mutual combat to come into play in your case. This is a unique state law that allows two consenting adults to engage in a fight. The fight must not take place in public and may not result in serious injury. The purpose of this law is to allow individuals to settle matters between themselves without legal intervention, taking their own personal safety into their own hands. However, there are limits to how this law can apply.
Know Your Rights After an Arrest in Plano
Lawyers for assault charges help their clients assert their rights, employ the legal defenses available to them when they have been charged with crimes, and guide them through the criminal justice system as efficiently as possible. When you choose the lawyers for assault charges at Pelley Law Office, L.L.P. to represent you, you have dedicated attorneys reviewing the details of your arrest and booking to ensure that due process was followed and your rights have been respected.
Whenever anyone is arrested for a crime in the United States, two important Constitutional Amendments come into play in this situation. The Fifth Amendment protects against self-incrimination and upholds the right to remain silent during an arrest. If you are arrested by the police for any criminal offense, you are under no obligation to answer any questions or provide a statement.
You should comply with arresting officers’ instructions so you are not also charged with resisting arrest or any other offenses, but you should say nothing except “I want my lawyer.” The Sixth Amendment guarantees legal counsel when you are charged with a crime and a speedy and fair trial. After arrest and booking in Plano, you will be allowed to make phone calls, and it is crucial that you reach out to an experienced Plano aggravated assault lawyer right away.
When the police arrest you, they are required by law to read your Miranda rights, which is a brief explanation of your right to remain silent and your right to an attorney. If they fail to do so, this is a major due process violation. If you are mistreated in any way while in police custody, this is also another serious violation that will have a significant bearing on the outcome of your case. Notify your attorney for assault charges immediately if you have experienced any such issues.
Benefits of Hiring an Experienced Aggravated Assault Lawyer
Do not make the mistake of assuming you can represent yourself in a criminal case, even if you are certain you have not broken the law and are completely innocent. The police and prosecutors handling your case have no incentive to help you and will usually look for any way they can find to ensure a conviction. You need a skilled attorney for assault charges you can trust on your side to reach the optimal conclusion to your case.
When you hire the Pelley Law Office, L.L.P. to represent you in an aggravated assault case, we will review the police report from your arrest and then listen to your side of the story. We have the experience necessary to quickly determine whether we can prove self-defense or mutual combat as an affirmative defense against an aggravated assault charge.
Even if evidence and witness testimony to support your side of the case seems minimal, we are confident in our ability to provide effective criminal defense counsel in the most challenging cases.
Ultimately, you have the right to an attorney when you have been accused of any crime, and fully exercising this right is essential if you want to avoid the worst penalties that might be assigned to you if you are convicted. The lawyers for assault charges at Pelley Law Office, L.L.P. will work closely with you to help you avoid conviction if possible or mitigate your penalties if necessary.
Potential Penalties for Conviction of Aggravated Assault in Texas
It is possible for an individual convicted of aggravated assault in Texas to face a wide range of penalties. Generally, the severity of the penalties they will face will depend on the scope and severity of the actions they took against the victim in question and whether they caused serious bodily harm. They may not only face consequences in criminal court, but a surviving victim could also pursue civil damages for their medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other losses.
Penalties for most aggravated assault convictions in Texas will include fines that can exceed thousands of dollars and prison time. The defendant could be sentenced for at least two years in prison up to life in prison based on the severity of their offense. Additionally, their conviction can impact their life in many other ways as well.
Individuals convicted of violent felonies may lose any professional licenses they hold, face loss of custody rights or visitation with their children, lose their right to own firearms and face many other long-term consequences. Their criminal record is likely to interfere with future employment opportunities as well.
Understanding Plea Bargains in Criminal Court
Prosecutors will sometimes consider plea bargains when they believe they have enough evidence to secure a conviction. In their efforts to avoid a lengthy trial and conserve court resources, they offer defendants plea deals that exchange immediate guilty pleas for reduced sentences and/or reduced charges. If you know you are guilty of the crime in question, accepting a plea deal can potentially make a significant impact on your overall sentence.
It is important to remember that while prosecutors most often consider plea deals when they are sure that they can secure a conviction, it is also possible that a prosecutor may not be convinced they can win at trial, and their plea deal is an attempt to compel the defendant into accepting the offer so they can more easily secure a conviction.
Every case is unique, so it is vital to have a lawyer for assault charges you can trust on your side who can help you make clearer sense of your situation and determine whether a plea deal is the optimal choice for you.
What to Expect From Your Plano Aggravated Assault Lawyer
As soon as you secure the legal counsel of the Pelley Law Office, L.L.P., we will immediately begin building your defense. We have decades of professional experience in criminal defense in Texas and have helped many clients navigate their cases efficiently. In every case we accept, our goal is to help our client avoid conviction if possible or mitigate their penalties if necessary. We are confident in our ability to provide effective representation in the most challenging cases.
Whether the details of your case are perfectly clear, or it has come down to your word against the word of your accuser, you need legal counsel you can trust on your side to navigate your case efficiently. Our team will carefully review all of the defenses available to you, explain the Texas statutes likely to come into play in your case and craft a defense strategy aimed at securing a positive outcome.
If you have any concerns about the cost of hiring a private attorney for assault charges to represent you, bear in mind that you may not be able to afford not to hire an aggravated assault lawyer. The outcome of your case has the potential to impact your life in many ways. If you are convicted of felony aggravated assault in Plano, you could face years behind bars, heavy fines, loss of your career, strained personal relationships, and great difficulty rebuilding your life after completing your sentence.
We will carefully explain our billing policy so you know what to expect in terms of the cost of our legal counsel. We track all time spent working on our clients’ cases so they can be certain of the value they are getting when they choose our firm to represent them. You need a dedicated lawyer for assault charges on your side when you have been charged with any serious offense like aggravated assault, and we can deliver the legal counsel you need in this situation.
Experienced Attorneys for Assault Charges – You Need To Call Us Today!
Do not fool yourself by hoping your criminal problems will go away. They will not. Pick up your phone and call us right now at 972-608-0335, or send us an email. Our experienced criminal defense team is ready to start fighting for you immediately. Each moment that goes by is bad for you, and good for the prosecution.
The best way to predict your future are the results we have achieved in the past.
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