Assault & Battery
Trial-Tested Experience to Help Keep You Out of Jail
Assault & Battery Defense Lawyer in Salinas & Monterey
Personalized Defense Strategies for Clients
Assault and battery are actually two separate crimes, so an individual could be facing charges for assault, battery, or both charges, depending on the circumstances. Whether you have been charged with simple assault or a more serious charge, you need a qualified and experienced assault and battery lawyer in Salinas to protect your rights. At Law Office of John Klopfenstein, our attorney is a litigator who wants to win, not settle.
Call our office at (831) 751-3947 to speak with a Salinas assault & battery lawyer about your situation.
What Are Assault & Battery Charges in California?
Assault is defined as attempting to inflict force or harm on another person, while battery is causing harm. Simple battery and simple assault are misdemeanors, which can result in a sentence of up to six months in county jail and a fine of up to $2,000. More serious forms of assault and battery, such as assault with a deadly weapon and battery causing serious bodily injury carry more severe penalties.
Assault with a deadly weapon can include any weapon that could cause injuries, such as:
Wounds requiring stitches
Concussion
Loss of consciousness
Broken bones
Other serious injuries
Battery causing serious bodily injury is a wobbler, which means it could be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. If you are convicted of a felony, you could be facing penalties of up to four years in jail and fines of up to $10,000.
What Are Protected Groups?
In addition to the nature of the offense and degree of injury caused to the alleged victim, California law offers special protections for certain groups of people. Assault and battery on members of these protected groups can result in enhanced penalties.
The protected groups in California include:
Assault on a public official – Assaulting a judge, prosecutor, defender, government employee, or their family members in retaliation for performing official duties is a wobbler, which could be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony.
Domestic battery – Spouses, romantic partners, fiancées, and those living in the same home are covered under this category. The charge is a misdemeanor with a sentence of up to a year in jail, a $1,00 fine, and registration in a batterers program.
Battery on a peace officer – This category covers police officers, EMTs, and animal control officer and carries a maximum penalty of three years in jail.
Sexual battery– Sexual battery is a wobbler. As a felony, there is a maximum four-year prison sentence.
Elder abuse – When the victim is over 65, it is a wobbler with a penalty of up to four years in prison and a $6,000 fine.
Whether you are facing misdemeanor or felony assault or battery charges, your freedom could be at risk and a criminal record for assault and battery can follow you even after you have completed your sentence. When the stakes are high, our Salinas assault and battery attorney has the experience to provide the level of representation you deserve.
Defense Strategies for Assault & Battery Charges
Our Salinas assault and battery lawyer has more than 30 years of experience as a criminal defense attorney, including experience as a public defender and a solo practitioner. He is familiar with the local District Attorneys and judges, so he knows who will be handling your case and uses this knowledge in plea bargaining and preparing for trial.
