Portland Assault and Battery Defense Lawyers

First  Degree Assault: 7 years, 6 months
Second  Degree Assault: 5 years, 10 months

Although commonly grouped together in criminal cases, assault and battery are two separate criminal offenses, both violent crimes. While assault involves the attempt or threat of violence and serious bodily injury against a person, battery involves the actual striking, hitting or unwanted touching of another. Therefore, if Joe brandishes a knife and threatens Bob, and then stabs him in the leg, Joe may face assault and battery charges.

If you have been arrested for or accused of assault, battery, or assault and battery together, you will need to consult a Portland defense attorney as soon as possible. Time is of the essence in any criminal case, as in some cases a pre-file investigation carried out by a competent attorney can help avoid having formal charges filed at all.

Portland Assault and Battery Charges

Assault and battery may in some cases be covered under Ballot Measure 11, a law passed by Oregon voters in 1994. Under Ballot Measure 11, certain violent crimes require for a juvenile to be tried as an adult and for an offender to face specific mandatory minimum penalties, which cannot be reduced for parole or good behavior. Under this law, following are the mandatory minimum prison sentences for particular assault charges:

First Degree Assault: 7 years, 6 months
Second Degree Assault: 5 years, 10 months

Criminal Defense Attorneys in Portland, Oregon

All is not lost if you have been arrested for assault and battery and are facing these serious criminal charges. By consulting a defense lawyer, you can find out what your rights are, get your questions answered and have your immediate concerns addressed by a skilled legal professional. With the proper representation, you may even be able to avoid a conviction altogether and keep your criminal record clean.

Contact a Portland assault and battery defense attorney at our firm regarding your criminal charges.