East Brunswick Assault Attorney
East Brunswick NJ Assault Attorneys
No one expects to end up at the East Brunswick Police Department or the Middlesex County Jail on assault charges. If this happens, however, you need to be prepared to hire an experienced, local East Brunswick criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible.
A night out at McDonagh’s Pub or Delta’s can turn into a nightmare if you find yourself having to fight back against criminal charges for assault. Being accused of assault is a serious matter in East Brunswick or any other town in Middlesex County, for that matter. Even if you assume the situation is blown out of proportion, you need to be prepared to defend yourself and define next steps. For a free consultation with an attorney who can help, call (732) 659-9600 or contact us online today.
Charged with Assault in East Brunswick NJ
As one of the 48,000 residents in East Brunswick, you could easily wind up facing assault charges involving another resident or a tourist visiting the New York City area. Whether you’re in Tanners Corner, Washington Heights, Patrick’s Corner, Dunham’s Corner, Brookview, or Westons Mills, you need to be prepared for the full process of what it means to be charged with assault.
Laws related to assault are outlined under N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1 and this refers to the intentional creation of a reasonable apprehension of imminent bodily harm. Assault can additionally be defined as a person’s alleged attempt to carry out an incident causing injury.
There are several major categories associated with assault in NJ.
Simple Assault in East Brunswick
Per N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(a), if a person causes bodily harm to another or generates the reasonable fear that bodily harm is imminent, that person could be charged with simple assault. While this is the least severe charge under the category of assault, this situation should still be taken seriously.
Many people misunderstand assault, but a person could even be accused of this crime if the person who was struck was not hit intentionally. If reckless conduct did injure someone, however, assault charges and relevant consequences on conviction could apply.
A conviction of simple assault could carry fines up to $1,000 and a maximum of 6 months in jail as a disorderly persons charge. Having this on your criminal record means that this charge and conviction would be revealed to potential employers and used to deny you work opportunities.
If charged with some form of simple assault, you might be asked to appear in East Brunswick Municipal Court. It’s located at 1 Jean Walling Civic Center Drive in East Brunswick.
East Brunswick NJ Aggravated Assault Charges
Aggravated assault is charged when the charging party alleges that assault was committed with a disregard for the value of human life. This falls under N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1(b). Other circumstances that warrant an aggravated assault charge include:
- Committing a simple assault with a deadly weapon
- Assault of a school bus driver, police officer, or firefighter
- Pointing a firearm at a person (even if the firearm was not loaded)
Simple assault is usually charged at the disorderly persons level, but circumstances surrounding the assault can raise this to a higher level of aggravated assault. These include if the assault happens in the presence of a child younger than age 16 at a community sports event for youth, or at a school, or if the assault is carried out by an employee working in a care facility when the victim is an elderly resident of that institution.
A conviction for aggravated assault carries a jail term from 18 months to up to 10 years.
Arrested in East Brunswick for Assault by Auto
In addition to simple and aggravated assault, New Jersey has another law that could lead to a separate and specific type of assault charges. This charge is applied under N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1c(1) when the person accused allegedly caused injury to someone else due to reckless operation of a vehicle.
What Constitutes Bodily Injury in an East Brunswick Assault Case?
If a person claims that they suffered at least some form of physical pain, this can be classified as bodily injury. Bodily injury involves illness, physical pain, or any impairment of a person’s physical condition.
A serious bodily injury, on the other hand, refers to the major long-term disfigurement, impairment of bodily function or organ, or a serious risk of death.
What to do when facing East Brunswick NJ Assault Charges – Talk to a Local Lawyer for Your Defense
The stakes are high with a simple assault or aggravated assault charge. The potential for a criminal record and other consequences can impact your life in major ways. As such, getting help with an East Brunswick assault charge is a very important step in protecting your rights. Contact our attorneys at (732) 659-9600 for more information and to discuss your best defense.