Wellington Assault and Battery Lawyer

Assault and Battery Attorney in Wellington, FL

Everyone experiences anger at various points in their lives. It can fuel us to do things we never thought we could, or even would, and it can be a dangerous force when handled improperly. Sometimes, mistakes are made, or misunderstandings erupt into scenarios we never meant for them to become. Whether you’ve been arrested in your home near Azure Park or at a bar near Wellington Green, a Wellington, FL, assault and battery lawyer can assert your rights.

Hire The Law Offices of Julian M. Kessel

Known for being a bull in the courtroom, our defense attorney, Julian M. Kessel, can provide the strong and aggressive defense you need. If you have been accused of assault and battery in Wellington, he can work hard to protect your rights and freedoms. He won’t back down, and in fact, he is an aggressive, passionate, and zealous lawyer who takes his work seriously.

As a member of both the Florida Bar Association and Lawyers of Distinction, Attorney Kessel has the knowledge and experience necessary to review your case, build you a stout defense, and argue your case in court if needed.

STRENGTH. STRATEGY. THE BULL'S
WAY

Schedule A Consultation

Understanding Assault and Battery Charges in Wellington

In Florida, assault and battery are defined as separate offenses, though they are often charged together. It is important to understand the key differences when facing charges of this nature. Assault is defined as the threat of violence, meaning that your words or behavior have made another individual fear that you will inflict bodily harm on them. For assault charges, no actual physical contact is necessary.

Examples of assault can include:

• Threatening an individual with a weapon
• Verbally threatening violence
• Threatening violence through writing
• Making a menacing gesture toward them

Battery, however, occurs when there is intentional touching or physical contact with the victim without their consent. Examples of battery can include punching, kicking, striking, hitting, slapping, spitting, and any other form of physical contact.

In Florida, assault and battery laws establish two main types of assault charges. The factors present in your case will ultimately determine what kind of charge you face. These two categories include:

• Simple assault. This is the most common assault charge in Florida, and it is often charged as a misdemeanor offense. Penalties can include jail time and fines. However, even a simple assault charge can see you being assigned a permanent criminal record if convicted. Individuals with a criminal record face an unemployment rate of 30% across the United States.
• Aggravated assault. In 2022, the rate of aggravated assault in the United States was 264.1 cases per 100,000 members of the population. Aggravated assault is often charged as a felony and can result in harsher penalties, including long periods of jail time, thousands of dollars in fines, and a criminal record.

Certain factors will determine if your case will be charged as simple assault or aggravated assault. These include:

• Use of a weapon. If a deadly weapon was used during the alleged assault, then the charge will likely be aggravated, and the penalties can be extremely harsh. In 2023 alone, 149,766 assault cases involved the use of a handgun.
• Severity of any injuries inflicted. The more serious the injuries are because of the alleged assault and battery, the steeper the assault and battery penalties will be.
• Criminal history. If the defendant has a prior criminal history, this will likely lead to a much more severe sentence.
• Status of the victim. Certain groups of individuals, when victimized by an assault, can be a factor in the severity of the charge. These include law enforcement officers or elderly people.

If you have been charged with assault and battery in Wellington, Julian M. Kessel can fight for you. He can provide you with the defense you deserve so that true justice can be sought. His team can investigate your allegations, collect compelling evidence that proves your side of the story, and aggressively pursue the ideal outcome to your case in negotiations or court. Throughout your case, we can zealously safeguard your rights and challenge everything the prosecution asserts about you.

Defending You Against Assault and Battery Charges

At The Law Offices of Julian M. Kessel, we can review the details of your case and determine what course of legal action should be taken in your defense. Depending on the circumstances of your case, several different defense strategies may be viable. These include the following:

• Self-defense. In assault and battery cases, self-defense is the most often used argument for defense. For this defense to stand up in court, your lawyer must prove that you truly felt like you were in imminent danger of physical harm. They must also prove that you only used as much force as was necessary to protect yourself and that you did not provoke the other party’s actions.
• Defense of others or property. Your Wellington assault and battery attorney can argue that your actions were taken in defense of your property or another individual. This argument will only work in cases where you can establish an immediate threat of harm and that you have exhausted all other options to protect others or property.
• Lack of intent. This argument works to prove that you did not mean to cause any harm to the alleged victim. Keep in mind, however, that this mode of defense can be extremely difficult to prove, given the circumstances of your charge and arrest.
• Mistaken identity. Depending on the facts of your case, you could show that you have suffered a mistaken identity, so you are not actually the individual who committed the assault and/or battery.

Hire an Assault and Battery Lawyer Today

Whether you are facing misdemeanor or felony charges for assault and battery in Wellington, the charges can have a significant impact on your life and personal freedoms. You need to hire an assault and battery lawyer who can press your defense, inside and outside the courtroom. At The Law Offices of Julian M. Kessel, we can represent you through the legal process and fight hard, no matter what. Contact our offices for an appointment today.