If you are charged with assault in or near Colorado Springs, what are your legal rights? What steps will you need to take? The first step you should take is contacting Colorado Springs assault attorney John Joyner at Joyner Law.

What constitutes an assault in the State of Colorado? How will the legal team at Joyner Law defend you against an assault charge? If you keep reading, these questions will be answered below.

What Constitutes Assault in Colorado?

However, assault happens when an assailant actually and intentionally causes bodily injury to a victim. Colorado law recognizes three “degrees” of assault. Assault in the first or second degree is a felony. Assault in the third degree is an “extraordinary risk” misdemeanor but can be a felony charge if committed against a police officer or an at-risk person.

How Are Assault Charges Handled in Colorado?

First-degree assault is a Class Three felony, and second-degree assault is a Class Four felony. Both may be penalized upon conviction with a substantial prison term.

However, if an assault defendant’s attorney can prove that an assault happened “in the heat of passion,” a first-degree assault charge becomes a Class Five felony, a second-degree assault charge becomes a Class Six felony, and a conviction will result in a shorter prison sentence.

Assault in the third degree is a Class One misdemeanor that may be penalized on conviction with a jail term of six months to two years. If you are facing an assault charge in Colorado, you must be advised and represented by an attorney who has substantial experience handling assault cases.

What Will an Assault Lawyer Do on Your Behalf?

Your lawyer will investigate the alleged assault incident, scrutinize the evidence, may have an investigator speak with any witnesses, determine what happened, and develop an appropriate defense strategy on your behalf.

Self-defense, the defense of someone else, and in some limited cases the defense of property are defenses that may be available against assault charges. Your lawyer may be able to prove you’ve been misidentified or that no assault happened and you were falsely charged.

Your lawyer may attempt to have the case dismissed, may recommend that you take a plea bargain, or may recommend taking the case to trial. It all hinges on the details of the charge.

If you are charged with assault, don’t try to act as your own lawyer. You will need reliable legal advice and effective representation. Colorado Springs criminal defense lawyer John Joyner has a passion for justice, and he has built a reputation for aggressive, effective defense representation.

As a former Deputy District Attorney, John Joyner understands criminal law from both sides of the courtroom. He puts his extensive legal background to work in every case for every client.

If you are taken into custody and charged with assault in or near Colorado Springs – or anywhere else in Colorado – immediately schedule your first legal consultation with Colorado Springs assault attorney John Joyner today.