Montgomery County Assault Lawyer

No one is perfect, and a heated argument can quickly escalate to fisticuffs. Whether it started as a mistake or misunderstanding, an arrest for assault should not define the rest of your life. No situation is beyond hope, and we advise you not to plead guilty to assault before speaking to a criminal defense attorney who can explain your legal options. Our Montgomery County assault attorneys are ready to help protect your rights and advocate for your exoneration in this troubling time. We understand that the situation you are in is challenging, but there are legal routes you can take. The sooner you contact a lawyer, the more options you may have. Let our attorneys review your case and what happened so we can explain the best way to proceed.

For a free case evaluation with our assault lawyers in Montgomery County, please contact Testa & Pagnanelli, LLC at (610) 365-4733 or reach out online today for a consultation. 

Pennsylvania Assault Charges

The two most common assault charges are simple assault and aggravated assault. It’s important to know that even if the alleged victim suffered no injures, you could still be charged with assault.

Simple assaults, which are typically charged as 2^nd degree misdemeanors, are defined as: 

• Intentionally or recklessly causing injury to another person,
• Causing bodily injury to another person while using a deadly weapon,
• Threatening another person with imminent serious bodily injury,
• Intentionally sticking a law enforcement officer with a hypodermic needle

These crimes are punishable by up to 2 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000, unless the victim is a child under the age of 12. In that case, the simple assault is graded a 1^st degree assault and the penalties are escalated to 2.5 to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Aggravated assault is the more serious criminal charge and generally is charged as a 1^st or 2^nd degree felony. It involves any of the factors of a simple assault, but also:

• Causing bodily injury to a teacher or school employee,
• Causing bodily injury to a child less than 6 years old,
• The attempt to intentionally and reckless cause serious bodily injury to a police office or public servant, such as a firefighter, sheriff, district attorney, public defender, or parking enforcement officer

1^st degree aggravated assault convictions are punishable by 10 to 20 years in prison with fines up to $25,000, and 2^nd degree felony aggravated assault convictions result in 5 to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $25,000.

Our Assault Attorneys in Montgomery County Are Here to Defend You

You need a skilled lawyer on your side when you are facing charges for assault. That’s because your future is at stake should you be convicted of an assault crime – even after you serve your sentence. Before you plead guilty to a simple or aggravated assault, make sure you understand the options and your rights available to you.

At Testa & Pagnanelli, LLC, we will take the time to sit down with you to review the fact, work diligently to protect your record, and take every possible legal recourse to reduce or dismiss the case against you. If necessary, we’ll take the matter to trial to fight to prove you are not guilty and not a violent individual.

To learn more, please contact our law firm at (610) 365-4733 to schedule a free case evaluation. We represent clients in Montgomery County, Norristown, and surrounding areas.