Former Prosecutors & Highly Accomplished Hudson County Criminal Lawyers At Our Firm Are Ready To Defend Your Simple Assault Charge In Bayonne New Jersey
A threat to cause harm to another person made in the heat of the moment is all it takes for police in Bayonne to arrest and charge you with simple assault under N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(a). You should also know that its classification as a disorderly persons offense can be deceiving since you can actually be sent to Hudson County Correctional Center at the time of sentencing. A conviction also becomes creates a criminal record that employers and other interests parties can access in the future. Why put your future at risk when representation by a skilled and experienced Bayonne NJ criminal defense attorney at our firm can help you avoid a a guilty fining.
The criminal defense attorneys at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall have a proven record of successfully defending individuals charged with simple assault in Bayonne Municipal Court. We bring unique qualifications to the table such as:
- 200 years of combined experience defending Hudson County simple assault charges
- Ten (10) lawyers that specialize exclusively in criminal defense
- Former county & municipal prosecutors
- Certified criminal trial attorneys
- A long track record of dismissals and acquittals in simple assault cases
An attorney on our defense team is available 24/7 to speak with you about your simple assault charge during a free consultation. Call us now at 201-309-0500 to speak to one of our lawyers immediately.
Simple Assault Offense in Bayonne NJ
The broad definition of simple assault found in N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(a) allows it to be applied when one or more of the following behaviors occurs:
- Negligently causing bodily injury to another person through the use of a deadly weapon. Brandishing a gun while arguing with another person can lead to a simple assault charge if the gun fires and injures someone even if you did not intend to fire it.
- Knowingly, recklessly or purposely causing or attempting to cause another person to suffer bodily injury. Note that you do not have to actually cause an injury to be charged with the offense. Evidence of your attempting to do so is sufficient for police to make an arrest.
- Placing another person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury. A simple assault can be elevated to the more serious offense of aggravated assault if committed against a police officer, firefighter, transit employee, teacher or someone working in one of the occupations protected under the statute.
If the individual claiming to be the victim of a simple assault is your spouse or member of your household, an incident like those described can also form the basis for a domestic violence case in the Family Division of the Hudson County Superior Court.
Bayonne NJ Simple Assault Penalties
A simple assault conviction is punishable by up to six months in the Hudson County Correctional Center and a fine of as much as $1,000. You will also be left with a criminal record that can seriously effect your future if you are convicted. It can impede your obtaining a job, professional license or even negatively impact your immigration status (e.g. maintain a Visa, renew a Green Card, etc.). When there is a retaining order that was issued as the result of domestic violence, you will also be barred from returning to any residence that you shared with the alleged victim or even having any contact with them.
An aggressive defense making use of legal defenses based upon the facts of your particular case could lead to dismissal of the charge or a lighter sentence. Self-defense, lack of intent to cause harm and impaired mental capacity are some of the defenses that could be used if our investigation identifies facts and evidence to support them. Our Hudson County simple assault attorneys carefully review the evidence to identify mitigating factors to counter the prosecution version of the incident. For example, two or more people voluntarily engaging in a fight or scuffle could reduce a simple assault from a disorderly persons offense to a petty disorderly persons offense, which carries a lighter sentence of up to 30 days in jail and a fine of as much as $500.
Bayonne NJ Simple Assault Defense Lawyer
A Bayonne simple assault offense is not to be taken lightly. The criminal attorneys at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall are committed to providing superior legal representation to avoid allowing a momentary lapse in judgment ruin your life. Call us now at 201-309-0500 where an attorney is available 24/7 to speak with you in a free consultation.
