Kent Assault Lawyer
Assault Defense Lawyer in Kent, WA with 25+ Years of Experience
Have you been arrested for assault? The sooner you have a Kent assault defense attorney on your side, the sooner you have a lawyer advocating for your freedom and future. With our experience and familiarity with criminal law, you can trust The Law Office of Erik P. Kaeding to provide you with attentive representation.
Call our firm at (253) 444-4432 or contact us online. Our Kent assault attorney is prepared to act quickly and protect your rights and future. Free consultation!
What Is Assault?
Assault may include physically hurting another person, but is not limited to just acts of physical harm. Assault charges can also include the act of threatening another person with bodily injury or harm.
This means that a person can be charged with assault for allegedly threatening another person, whether the threat was meant or not, or for behaving recklessly in a way that leads to another person being injured.
Assault Laws & Penalties in WA
There are four types of assault charges in Washington State: first-degree assault, second-degree assault, third-degree assault, and fourth-degree assault.
First-degree assault, which is the the most serious type of assault offense, occurs when a person assault another with a firearm or any deadly weapon, exposes another person to poison, HIV, or another destructive substance, or inflicting great bodily harm. This offense is a Class A felony.
Second-degree assault occurs when a person assaults another with a deadly weapon, assault someone with the intent to commit a felony, intentionally assault someone and recklessly inflicting serious bodily injury, assault another by strangulation, intentionally causing great bodily injury to an unborn child by harming the mother, transmitting or exposing someone to poison, HIV, or another destructive substance. This offense is a Class B felony.
Third-degree assault occurs when a person assault certain groups of people (e.g., law enforcement officials, firefighters, healthcare providers, public transportation workers, school bus drivers, and court officials), assault someone in order to prevent or resist executing a lawful process, or cause bodily injury to someone with a weapon or harmful instrument or cause bodily injury associated with significant pain for an extensive period that is deemed suffering (both cases with criminal negligence). This offense is a Class C felony.
Fourth-degree assault, which is the least serious form of assault, involves any type of assault that is not serious enough to be classified otherwise. This offense is a gross misdemeanor.
Defending Assault Charges in Kent
The defense of assault charges can be complex, especially if there are multiple parties in the alleged incident. Law enforcement often wants to make an arrest at the scene of the crime, which can lead to the wrong person being arrested or charged. For example, a person could start a fight, but suffer more bruises than the victim, leading to the actual perpetrator being left alone and the victim being arrested. Our firm investigates quickly to determine what the most effective defense strategy for your case may be.
This may include the following defense strategies:
- You were acting in self-defense
- It was a case of mistaken identity
- You were wrongfully accused
Secure Representation to Fight for Your Rights
Violent crime charges are taken very seriously in the eyes of the law, which means hiring representation after your arrest is essential. Regardless of the severity of the charges you are facing, our criminal defense lawyer and legal team are here to protect you from life-altering consequences.
If you would like to schedule a free consultation or learn how our Kent assault defense attorney can help with your case, contact us at (253) 444-4432.