Ocean City Assault Arrests

A typical assault case begins when someone is arrested and charged. They typically will not be held. If they are intoxicated, they are probably going to be held until at least the next day. Sometimes they may have to go before the judge before being released. The defendant will be advised of exactly what they have been charged with and what the maximum penalties are.

An experienced assault attorney could be beneficial when facing assault charges. Following Ocean City assault arrests, accused individuals are often told about their rights to hire an attorney or to be appointed a public defender if they cannot afford to hire an attorney. There will be a trial that usually takes place about 45 days after the charge is made.

How Does Law Enforcement Conduct an Assault Investigation?

The length of the investigation will completely depend on the complexity of the individual case. It may take 15 or 20 minutes to interview the witnesses and that is all that is required. These cases can also get way more complicated which can make the investigation last longer. Sometimes the officers will have to track down the person who is suspected of committing the assault for example. However, it is common for these types of arrests to be made right on the spot at a bar or wherever the case may be. A trial date is typically scheduled directly following Ocean City assault arrests.

What Does the Prosecution Try to Prove?

The prosecution will have to prove each and every element of the crime of assault. The state always has to prove each element, and they have to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt. They have to be able to show that the defendant had some sort of unconsented-to physical contact with a person and that it was not in any way justified. There is no injury requirement for assault and there also is no requirement that there was a weapon involved.

Potential Impact of an Assault Charge

An assault charge can really look horrible on someone’s record because it allows people to think the worst about what someone has done. Even if it was just a drunken shoving match with someone at a bar, people will make assumptions and think that someone has a really bad temper, which is not a reputation that anyone wants to have.

All of these records are made public so anyone can always find out about them. Most potential employers will do a background check on someone and colleges will ask questions about Ocean City assault arrests on applications. There are many negative consequences that can go into having an assault charge.

Understanding the Benefit of Legal Counsel

Attorneys understand the law, the rules of evidence, and the rules of procedure. A person facing these charges will want to have someone on their side that knows these things as well, because the prosecutor and the judge certainly do. It would be very foolish to walk into court and not have an attorney looking out for the defendant’s interests.

Experienced attorneys will also know what the best defenses are to an assault charge and those defenses are complicated. It is a mistake for anybody to go into court and think they can handle it themselves when they are going to be faced by attorneys and police officers that do this work every single day. It could be critical to speak with an attorney about Ocean City assault arrests before heading to trial.