contractors - protect yourself from legal liabilities

Questions To Ask When Defending A Battery Charge

5 July 2016

Lawrence Ross

When you're being charged with battery, there are a couple of things that you can do to help reduce the sentencing. Here are some things to discuss with your lawyer before the trial.

Was there a Valid Reason?

Having a sensible reason, or at least something that you thought was sensible at the time, is one way to potentially reduce the charges for battery. For instance, you may be able to try a self-defense plea. This will only be successful if a few conditions are met, like if you legitimately perceived a threat and used proportional force to defend yourself or another person. Speak with a lawyer to see if your case is within the realm of a valid self-defense claim.

Another "reason" that you might have gotten a battery charge is because of mental illness. While this wouldn't excuse you entirely, it can take the focus away from punishment and towards a remedy for the mental illness.

Was it a One-Time Offense?

Another thing that can help is to show that it was a one-time lapse in judgment. How is your criminal record otherwise? If this is your first offense, it may be legitimate to claim that you are a reasonable citizen who made a mistake in dealing with your situation.

In this case, it's important to present yourself as an even-keeled and responsible individual, so your lawyer will help you to portray your life circumstances well. By showing that you are a dedicated individual and good citizen in every other area of your life, and that you may have made a mistake, it can help put the judge at ease that they won't be releasing a criminal who may harm others again in the near future.

How Are You Correcting it?

If you have been a perpetrator of battery, seek advice from your criminal defense attorney on any steps to take to remediate this. If your situation occurred because of an anger management issue, take up therapy or join an anger management group session. Not only can this help you to develop personally, but it will help to show the judge that you are sorry about what happened and that you are taking steps to correct the issues that led to the battery. Again, this will show that the judge isn't potentially harming people by giving you a lenient sentence. These defenses may not help you to reverse a battery charge, but they can help you to lighten the penalties.

To learn more, contact a law firm like Ewbank & Kramer.

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About Me

My husband has worked in the construction industry for nearly twenty years. Three years ago, he decided to open his own business performing renovation work. Having so much experience helped him land clients and showed him that he has to protect himself from the clients that aren't so easy to please. We started working with an attorney in the beginning to have all of the contracts drawn up and have called when things go badly with clients. This blog will show you what you need to do to protect yourself from legal liabilities when you work as a contractor in today's world.