Puyallup Assault Lawyer serving Seattle, Tacoma and Spokane

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If you’ve been arrested for assault you are facing some very tough penalties, so you need a Puyallup assault lawyer. You may worry about your future, your freedom, and your ability to support your family. Don’t let fear take over. Take action instead. Just because you’re arrested doesn’t mean you’ll be convicted. Don’t give up hope, get help from Greene & Lloyd PLLC.

We have been defending people like you charged with assault for over 20 years. There is little we haven’t seen, whether that’s circumstances of arrests or mistakes by law enforcement and the prosecution. We understand you’re in a difficult, possibly life-changing situation. Count on an experienced assault attorney at Greene & Lloyd to protect your rights and freedom.

Our Puyallup Assault Lawyer Knows Washington Criminal Law

There are many types of assault under Washington law. Potential penalties range from one year to life in prison. There can be fines from up to $5,000 to $50,000. Most of these crimes involve allegations of physical harm. Washington law breaks assault down into different degrees and situations.  If you were arrested and are concerned about the level of charges you’re facing, or the possible penalties, ask our Puyallup assault lawyer about your case.

First Degree Assault

• With the intent to cause great harm, the assault of another using a firearm or a deadly weapon, by force, or in some way likely to cause great bodily harm or death
• To poison another, infect someone with the human immunodeficiency virus or some other harmful substance
• The assault on another and causing great bodily harm

Penalty for First Degree Assault:

• A class A felony (up to life in prison, a fine up to $50,000, or both)

Second Degree Assault

• The situation doesn’t fit first degree assault
• The intentional assault on another and recklessly causing substantial bodily harm
• Causing substantial bodily harm to an unborn child by intentionally and unlawfully injuring the mother.
• Assaulting another with a deadly weapon
• Injuring or poisoning another with the intent to inflict bodily harm
• An assault with the intent to commit a felony
• Intentionally causing pain similar to torture
• Strangling or suffocating another

Penalty for Second Degree Assault:

• A class B felony (up to ten years in prison, a fine up to $20,000, or both), unless there’s sexual motivation, then it’s a class A felony

Third Degree Assault

• Situations that don’t fall under first or second degree assault
• Preventing the execution of a court process or order
• Resisting or preventing catching or detaining another
• The assault of someone working as a transit operator or driver or school bus driver, his or her immediate supervisor, a mechanic, or a security officer, while the person is performing his or her official duties
• Assaults on firefighters, those working for fire departments, a law enforcement officer or a law enforcement agency employee, a nurse, physician or health care provider, a judicial officer, or a court-related employee
• Assaulting someone in or near a courtroom
• Using a projectile stun gun on a peace officer
• A person with criminal negligence causing harm to another with a weapon or object likely to cause bodily harm

Penalty for Third Degree Assault:

• A class C felony (up to 5 years in prison, a fine up to $10,000, or both)

Fourth Degree Assault

• Situations not covered by the prior three degrees
• Domestic violence and harassment

Penalty for Fourth Degree Assault:

• A gross misdemeanor (up to a year in prison, a fine up to $5,000, or both) or a class C felony

How a Sexual Assault Defense Lawyer Can Help You

If you’ve been charged with sexual assault, our team can help. We will ensure your rights
are fully protected. A sexual assault under Washington law is labeled as “rape”
or “indecent liberties.” These crimes involve sexual intercourse without the
other person’s consent. Possible penalties are five years to life in prison and
fines from $10,000 to $50,000. Prosecution of sexual assault cases are often
based on victim testimony and DNA tests. If you need legal representation,
count on the experienced Puyallup assault defense attorneys at Greene &
Lloyd. We will force the prosecution to carry its burden of proof and contest
unreliable evidence that should not be used.

 

Defending Juvenile Offenders Accused of Assault

When a juvenile is charged with assault, the justice system prosecutes the case via a
different path than that used for adult offenders. The Washington Juvenile
Court System handles criminal charges faced by those under the age of 18. A
unique element of the juvenile justice system is its goal to treat and
rehabilitate offenders. If your child has been charged with assault, our
Puyallup assault defense lawyer will defend his or her constitutional rights,
which are the same rights as adults have. We work closely with parents to
ensure that minors will get the fullest protection allowed by law and the least
harsh consequences possible.

Assault Charges Also Cover These Actions

• Drive-by shootings
• Reckless endangerment (creating a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury to another)
• Promoting the suicide of another
• Coercion (by using threats forcing someone to do something the person has a right not to do or forcing someone not do something the person has a right to do)
• Hate crimes
• Threatening the governor or his or her family
• Assaulting someone working in juvenile or adult corrections
• Assaulting a child
• Committing domestic violence then preventing or trying to prevent another from getting medical help or reporting the crime
• Failing to get help, when help can be called without endangering oneself. The person must be present when a crime occurred, knew the victim suffered substantial harm, and that he or she needed help

If you are facing an assault charge, don’t face it alone, and without skilled help. Our Puyallup assault lawyer will explain how Washington law impacts your case. Call our team today at (253) 770-0808 to speak with one of our assault attorneys.

An Assault Attorney May Find the Right Defense in Your Case

Depending on the facts of your case, you may have several defenses. They may result in charges being dropped, a not guilty verdict, or a positive plea bargain agreement negotiated by your assault attorney. One defense that may be used by our Puyallup assault lawyer is the use of force (self-defense) is legal under state law. The circumstances in which self-defense can be a valid defense for an assault charge in a case is when:

• The force was not more than necessary
• The person was about to be injured
• The person was preventing or trying to prevent a crime
• The one accused of assault was preventing a mentally ill or disabled person from committing a dangerous act. He or she was restraining the person to protect them. The restraint was only as long as needed for those with legal authority to put the person in custody

Washington’s “stand your ground” law also provides for a defense if you’re trying to help others. It states that no one “shall be placed in legal jeopardy of any kind whatsoever” for protecting, by necessary, reasonable means himself or herself, his or her family, or his or her property. It also covers helping another who is in “imminent danger” or the victim of assault, robbery, kidnapping, arson, burglary, rape, murder, or another violent crime. This can be a complicated defense used in a legal case. If you believe it may apply to your assault charges, speak to an assault defense attorney at Greene & Lloyd.

Who Is the Right Assault Defense Lawyer for You?

If you’re facing an assault charge, you need to find the right criminal defense lawyer. We also need to find the right clients who fit our practice. That’s why we need to get together for a consultation and discuss your situation. We will talk about the allegations, what happened, the law, and what we can do for you. We don’t judge those who come to us for help and you will be treated with respect.

Before coming, do some homework. Look at our website, get information about our team and ask questions. Ask us about how you would pay for our services, trial strategies, and what kind of plea bargain might be possible. Our assault lawyer will discuss the decisions you would make and the estimated timeline for your case.

Ask us about our staff, assistants, and paralegals. We have excellent, dedicated, hard-working people working behind-the-scenes on our cases. Ask how much of the work will be handled by your assault defense lawyer and our supporting team.

Ask about what the plan for your case might be. Ask about our approach to investigating our clients’ cases, negotiating plea bargains, and conducting trials. We’ll be happy to talk about our experience with past assault cases and how that may help you now.

What a Puyallup Assault Defense Lawyer from Greene & Lloyd Can Do for You

Assault is a serious charge. A conviction could result in years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines. Having a conviction on your record could seriously impact your life and your ability to support your family. Criminal background checks have become common by those who hire, lend money, and rent apartments. You shouldn’t represent yourself and you don’t want an attorney who will use your case to learn about criminal defense.

We are honest with those we represent and we expect the same from our clients. We won’t sugar-coat your situation or promise you a certain outcome in your assault case. We will promise you that, if we’re retained, your Puyallup assault defense lawyer will focus all our efforts to protect your interests and your freedom. We will work hard so you can obtain the best outcome possible.

Contact us to schedule a consultation. See if we’re the right attorneys for you. We may spend a lot of time together so you will need to feel comfortable working with us. You also need to feel confident with us and our approach.

After we’re retained, we’ll investigate your case so we can take the best and most aggressive approach possible. We will represent and defend you and your rights through every stage of the process.

Greene & Lloyd will counsel you on the strengths and weaknesses of your case and tell you where you stand. We will suggest the best path to take, but that’s ultimately your decision to make.

Talk to an Assault Defense Attorney You Can Trust

Federal and state prosecutors have many resources they can use to try to convince a jury. The team at Greene & Lloyd has the experience required to counter those tactics and build a solid case for you. If you’re accused of or arrested for assault, call our assault defense attorney at (253) 770-0808 to schedule a consultation today