What to Expect After a Rockville Assault Charge

There are serious consequences associated with being charged for assault in Rockville. Assault cases can be complicated to defend and how they are handled in court can vary from judge to judge. A Rockville assault lawyer who has years of experience practicing in the local courts can provide valuable insight into how judges generally treat these charges.

Standard Arrest Procedure in Rockville

Generally speaking, once somebody is arrested they are taken into custody and either taken to one of the district stations in Montgomery County or to the central processing unit, which is located at the Seven Locks Montgomery County Detention Center. That facility will then usually process an individual by taking down much of their personal information, and will also conduct some kind of a review of the individual’s case with a commissioner. The commissioner is an individual who sits usually at the police station headquarters and will review the case and determine whether or not a bond is appropriate and what kind of bond to give. That commissioner will hear from somebody from the State’s Attorney’s office, as well as a representative of the defendant, about what bonds to set.

If the commissioner sets a bond that is too high for somebody to afford, they will be seen by a judge as well. During the next part of the case the judge can review the bond that was set by the commissioner to determine whether it was appropriate, and if it was not, what the bond should be.  The defendant or the defendant’s family can pay the bond set by the commissioner and the defendant will be released from custody and await their trial date. At that point the defense attorney and defendant will work together to determine what the appropriate defense strategy should be, and move towards resolution of the case.

Judges in Rockville

One judge might have a particular issue with assault cases but another judge might not have as big of a problem with assault cases as with drug-related cases, for example. It is important to know the players involved, especially when they are the deciding parties in a case. A Rockville assault attorney can help you understand that.
Your assault lawyer also can identify for you other issues that might come up in your particular case, like whether or not self-defense is a viable option for defense. They can help determine whether or not any number of things can be raised for the court to consider, before it determines whether you are guilty of the charges.

Potential Mitigating Factors

There are not really any other things that you can necessarily say across the board that a person should be doing when they end up with an assault charge. What they should be doing, if they can get their attorney there, is to make a plan to determine what exactly the best course of action is.
For example, in an assault case that involves domestic violence, an experienced assault attorney in Rockville might have their client begin classes at the Abused Persons Program, which is a domestic violence program in Montgomery County. It speaks specifically to people who have been charged with or involved in a domestic violence situation. It is designed to address their particular needs and tailor some education classes to them.
If the assault, on the other hand, was something that was motivated by alcohol, a lawyer might have their client do some alcohol education classes to demonstrate to the judge how seriously they take the situation. If they were drug related, a lawyer might encourage their client to enter a rehabilitation program to show the court they are addressing any issues that led up to the criminal act they were charged with. What happens after you contact an attorney is difficult to say, particularly in assault cases, because the motivation for the criminal act could be completely different depending on the individuals. What you should be doing in preparation for court is also completely different depending on the charges.

Contact a Rockville Assault Lawyer

The first thing you should do after being charged with assault in Rockville is to contact a local attorney immediately. Somebody who not only is a criminal defense specialist but also is familiar with the Rockville court system, has practiced in the locality for a number of years, and understands the parties involved in these types of cases, the prosecutors, the probation agents, and the judges. This is important because every case is unique and the temperament of each of those individuals is also unique.
Theoretically you are supposed to have access to an attorney during the entire process. In practice usually a person can request an attorney immediately without answering any questions which the officers might pose to them. They are actually given an opportunity to speak with the attorney usually after they are processed at the police station. At that point the defendant usually has an opportunity to contact family members, friends or their attorney to let them know what has happened and what is required.