Maryland First Degree Assault Penalties

First degree assaults are defined under Maryland law as felonies, and so they carry a maximum penalty of 25 years. The Maryland first degree assault penalties defined as crime of violence. What that means is if the person is sentenced to any sort of incarceration, they would have to do at least 50% of their sentence before they would eligible for any sort of parole. Defining a strong defense with the help of a skilled assault attorney could be beneficial when facing such consequences.

What is a Probationary Period for First-Degree Assault Cases?

There will typically always be some sort of probationary period associated with Maryland first degree assault penalties. The defendant may be asked to serve some active portion of incarceration. The rest of their sentence will be suspended and they will have to successfully complete a period of probation.

If the person has some sort of prior criminal record, then it is possible that the court would forego the probationary period and give the person straight time. Repeat offenders will typically receive more actual jail time than first-time offenders. Once they have completed that portion of the sentence, then they are typically no longer under the supervision of the court.

Potential Long-Term Impact of a First-Degree Assault Conviction

There are several different ways that a first-degree assault conviction could impact a person’s life. The most immediate thing is probably the obvious loss of freedom. Often times, someone is going to have to serve a sentence whether it is a jail sentence or a prison sentence. There is also usually a probationary period, which also curtails someone’s rights significantly.

They have to be in contact with the probation officer, they cannot move or do anything without asking for permission. The judges can put conditions on the probation that the defendant has to complete. This can all make a person’s life extremely difficult.

It is also a difficult public perception that person will have to deal with for the entirety of their life. If someone looks at this person’s record and sees they have a first-degree assault, they are going to make a lot of assumptions about that person as far as their character or ability to be a violent person. These convictions can have a very negative impact on a person in a multitude of different ways.

Importance of Retaining an Attorney

It is important to retain a lawyer because this charge is a felony that carries with it potential jail time. This is not a situation where you would want to go in alone without an experienced attorney to guide you every step of the way. It is important to get someone who works specifically in criminal defense and is able to navigate the entire process.

A lawyer with experience will know the law, the defenses, and can help you combat any potential Maryland first degree assault penalties. The law is always modified, and experienced attorneys should have probably tried several cases that include the defense of self-defense or the defense of others.