If you have been arrested and charged with aggravated assault in Morristown, Roxbury, Dover, Parsippany, Mount Olive, Rockaway, Madison or elsewhere in Morris County, The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall can help. The governing statute in New Jersey for aggravated assault is N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1b. It is a very complex statute and encompasses three different degrees of assault. The difference between a fourth degree and a second degree aggravated assault conviction could be the difference between a ten (10) year New Jersey State Prison sentence and a probationary sentence at worst. Most aggravated assault charges stem from one of two things; either an alcohol driven fit of rage or a domestic dispute between loved ones. Irrespective of the factual circumstances surrounding the incident, an experienced criminal defense lawyer can make a huge difference. At The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall we have eight Morristown criminal defense lawyers on staff, making our office one of the largest criminal defense firms in the State let alone Morris County. With over 200 years of combined experience on staff, including years of prior prosecuting experience, you would be hard pressed to find a legal scenario that we have not already dealt with. If you would like to schedule a free initial consultation today, please contact our Morristown office directly at 973.309.7050. Our attorneys are available 24/7 to help assist in any way possible.
Morris County NJ Aggravated Assault Attorney
As touched upon above, aggravated assault can be either a second, third or fourth degree felony in New Jersey. What will help dictate the degree of aggravated assault a Defendant is charged with is the type of injury suffered and the “status” of the victim. First, with regards to the type of injury suffered, the legislature has created three different categories, they are as follows: serious bodily injury, significant bodily injury and bodily injury. Serious bodily injury has been defined as “creating a substantial risk of death, or long-term disfigurement or loss or impairment of an organ”. Significant bodily injury has been defined as “temporary loss of the function of any bodily member or organ or temporary loss of any one of the five senses”. Lastly, bodily injury has been defined as “physical pain, illness or any impairment of physical condition”. Now with regards to the second key factor, the “status” of the victim, the legislature has created certain categories of people who receive heightened protection under the law. In other words, simply due to their “status”, a Defendant will be punished more severely then they would normally based on the injury caused. Those status are as follows; police officers, firemen, EMT, Judges and DYFS employees just to name a few. For more information on second degree and third degree aggravated assault please click the links. In addition, for more information on aggravated assault on a police officer please click the link as well.
Dover NJ Aggravated Assault Lawyer
If convicted of a second degree aggravated assault charge in New Jersey a Defendant is facing anywhere between 5 – 10 years in State prison, a fine not to exceed $150,000 and a permanent felony criminal record. In addition, this offense falls under the No Early Release Act, which in essence requires a Defendant to serve at least 85% of there sentence before they can become eligible for parole. If convicted of a third degree aggravated assault charge in New Jersey, a Defendant faces anywhere between 3 – 5 years in a State prison, a fine not to exceed $15,000 and a permanent felony criminal record. Lastly, if convicted of a fourth degree aggravated assault charge in New Jersey, a Defendant faces up to 18 months in a State prison, a fine not to exceed $10,000 and a permanent felony criminal record. With all that being said, a skilled criminal defense lawyers can make a huge difference when it comes to creating defenses for aggravated assault charges. If you or a loved one has been charged with aggravated assault in East Hanover, Morris Township, Boonton, Pequannock, Florham Park, Randolph or Montville The Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall can help. If you would like to come into our office to discuss all your options with any one of the eight criminal defense lawyers on staff please contact our office at 973.309.7050.