Criminal Defense Attorney -
Utah Assault Defense Lawyer
Assault and
aggravated
assault are serious charges that can result in
substantial jail and or prison time if you are convicted. To
give yourself the
best
chance of achieving the results you need, you
should have an
experienced Utah
criminal
defense attorney on your side. Based in
Salt Lake City, Stephen
Howard has represented thousands of clients during his career, and has
the experience, skill, and determination to achieve
real results for his
clients.
Contact us
today to schedule an initial consultation.
Elements of a Utah Assault Charge
A "simple" assault (sometimes called "battery") charge in Utah is a
misdemeanor.
A Utah
assault charge begins as a class B misdemeanor
(punishable by up to 180
days in jail). However, it can be enhanced to a class A
misdemeanor if the assault results in "substantial" bodily injury to
another person, or if the other person is pregnant and the suspect
knows the person is pregnant.
"Assault" is defined under Utah statutes as: (a) )an attempt, with
unlawful force or
violence, to do bodily injury to another; (b) a threat,
accompanied by a show of immediate force or violence, to do bodily
injury to another; or (c) an act,
committed with
unlawful force or violence, that causes bodily injury to another or
creates a substantial risk of bodily injury to another. (Utah
Code Ann. 76-5-102.) "Substantial bodily injury" is defined
under
Utah statute as an injury that creates or causes protracted
physical pain, temporary disfigurement, or temporary loss or impairment
of the function of any bodily member or organ. (Utah Code
Ann.
76-1-601.)
If the assault involves the use or threatened use of a weapon or
involves a "serious" bodily injury then it can be filed as a felony
aggravated assault. Penalties for a
Utah
aggravated assault conviction are
substantially higher and can include prison time.
Self Defense in Utah Assault Cases
You may be found not guilty of an assault, even if you committed the
acts that are alleged. Under Utah criminal law, the use of
force can be justified under some circumstances if it is done in
self
defense,
defense
of your home, or in
defense
of your property.
Application of Utah's self defense laws is not always straightforward.
The self defense statute allows for the use of "reasonable" force in
defending yourself against the use or threatened use of force by
another. If you believe that one of these defense may apply to your
case, you should
contact
an experienced criminal attorney as soon as possible to determine how
self defense may play a role in your criminal case.
Finding an Experienced Criminal Attorney in Salt Lake
If you are facing charges for assault or other criminal charges in
Utah, it is critical to have an experienced criminal defense attorney
on your side. Stephen Howard has protected his clients' rights in
thousands of serious felony and misdemeanor cases, including homicide,
aggravated assault,
domestic violence,
and more.
Salt
Lake criminal defense attorney Mr.
Howard has a record
of getting
real results
for his clients.
Contact
us now to schedule an initial consultation.