If you have been charged with assault, there are a few steps you need to take to ensure you protect your rights and have the appropriate representation when you get to court. These charges can change your life forever, affecting your reputation, costing you a career, and even prison time in many cases. It is important to know what assault is and what you need to do once you have been charged.
What Is An Assault?
If you are charged with assault in Philadelphia, this is because one party attacked another party physically, sometimes in the case of domestic violence, sexual harassment, or a physical attack. Depending on the severity of the assault, it can be categorized into different categories, which means that other potential consequences exist.
Steps After Being Charged With Assault
If you have been charged with assault, there are several steps you need to take right away for your case.
1. Secure an Attorney
Once you have been charged, you can expect a formal case to be presented against you. Depending on the testimony and the evidence stacked against you, your best chance of having your charges dismissed or reduced is with the assistance of a criminal defense lawyer. They can look at the evidence and determine if you committed the crime you are being charged with. Criminal defense lawyers have experience working with evidence and the legal jargon that you may not be familiar with in a courtroom.
2. Collect Evidence
When an assault case is presented to the court, the prosecutors must have some form of evidence to claim that you were the person who committed the assault. Evidence such as the following can help your case:
- Alibi and proof of your whereabouts
- Witnesses who can confirm your story
- Providing DNA samples
- Receipts
- Videos
- Text messages
Evidence is critical in an assault case, so depending on the situation, there are many different types of evidence that can be submitted to the court. For those who have been mistaken as the culprit, supplying proof that you were not in the area at the time of the attack is essential.
If you are building a case on self-defense, proof of previous altercations, threats, and witnesses are evidence options that can be used. No matter what your case may be, you can present this evidence to your legal team and they will utilize it as needed throughout the case.
Let Brennan Law Office Assist You Today
If you have recently been accused of assault and need a Philadelphia assault lawyer, contact our team today. We have some of the leading domestic violence lawyers in Philadelphia and also assist with other assault cases.