It goes without saying, that assault charges can carry serious consequences for the accused person, and can have a long-lasting effect on their reputation and livelihood. Furthermore, a state can impose sizeable financial penalties as well as mandatory jail time. If you are charged with assault, it’s important that you begin to take steps immediately to help your case even before you speak to an assault lawyer in Grand Forks. By acting quickly, you may be able to mitigate some of the damage that the charges can cause to your life.
Furthermore, most people lost their control when they are charged with assault. However, it is crucial to remain calm and handle the situation with wisdom. Read on to find out five things to do when facing an assault charge.
1. Hire an assault lawyer– Whether you or your loved one has been charged with assault, hiring an assault lawyer is vital. Furthermore, a lawyer can give you advice, represent you in court and handle any questions, whether those are from media or law enforcement. Besides, if your lawyer is experienced enough and skilled enough, they may reduce your sentence if not have it dismissed altogether.
2. Create a list of witnesses– You must jot down the list of all witnesses who can provide great help in solving the case. Furthermore, witnesses include people who were there when the incident occurred, as well as people who can testify about your relationship, if any, with the victim and your good character. Put together a list of potential witnesses but don’t contact them, at least until after you have met with an assault lawyer and discussed what to do.
3. Steer clear of social media– While it’s tempting to take to social media to tell your side of the story, make sure you don’t post about the alleged assault on social media. Besides, what you tell people about the incident on social media could come back to haunt you in court. Those people can be witnesses in the case and would have to testify against you.
4. Don’t discuss the incident with others– In addition to staying off social media, make sure you avoid the temptation to talk to other people about the allegations, including family, friends, neighbors and co-workers. Furthermore, the information you share with other people can be used against you if you are charged with assault.
5. Avoid attempts to contact your accuser– It is completely understandable that you would be frustrated, angry and confused about being charged with assault. However, do not try to contact your accuser- even if you simply want to sort things out or apologize. Communicating with the accuser cannot help your case and it usually works against you. Besides, you could even face additional criminal charges if you take it too far.
While these were some of the things to do when facing an assault charge, there are many others, such as write down everything you remember, remaining calm and polite among many others.