What qualifies as assault in Pittsburgh, PA?

In Pennsylvania, assault can be as simple as attempting to cause someone bodily harm in a mutual scuffle or bar fight, but this charge can also apply to situations like causing someone serious bodily injury in an intentional, planned attack with a deadly weapon. Some forms of assault charges involve specific victims injured in the course of their job duties, including police officers, correctional officers, and school employees. Because the allegations that can lead to assault charges are so varied, you need an attorney on your side who understands all of the nuances of this area of criminal defense law and who will methodically build your legal strategy based on the unique facts of your situation.

How serious is an assault charge?

An assault charge is a serious legal matter, and a conviction could result in incarceration, damage to your personal and professional reputation, and the long-term challenges that go with having a criminal record. Even for a minor scuffle that both parties were actively involved in and that didn’t result in significant harm to anyone, you could be facing up to a year in prison. Take an assault charge seriously and retain an attorney to develop a personalized defense for you, because failing to do so could expose you to much harsher penalties than you’re likely to receive when you have the benefits of professional legal representation on your side.

Is assault a misdemeanor or felony under Pennsylvania law?

Generally, simple assault is charged as a less serious misdemeanor crime, while aggravated assault is a more severely punished felony offense. Within these guidelines, different accusations can lead to different grades of charges. Even a misdemeanor simple assault crime could potentially lead to jail time, possibly for years, while felony convictions could result in lengthy prison sentences (up to 10 years or, for first-degree charges, more than 10 years).

What is the best defense against an assault charge?

The best defense when you are charged with assault is a carefully calculated and fully developed strategy that’s tailored specifically to the unique circumstances of your case. Whether that means arguing self-defense, demonstrating a lack of intent, or aggressively challenging law enforcement procedures to get evidence against you suppressed, you benefit from having a dedicated attorney involved in every aspect of your case. Samir Hadeed achieves results through effectively investigating cases and strategically calculating how to move forward to obtain the most favorable outcome possible based on the facts of your individual circumstances.

Pittsburgh Assault Lawyer | Assault Defense Attorney Pittsburgh PA

Minimize the Consequences of Criminal Charges With the Guidance of a Trusted Assault Defense Attorney in Pittsburgh, PA

Whether you’re charged with taking part in a minor scuffle or with causing someone serious harm in an intentional attack, you need a Pittsburgh assault lawyer on your side. Even the least serious assault charges could lead to a jail sentence, while felony-level offenses can result in a decade or more behind bars.

At Hadeed Law, attorney Samir Hadeed delivers calculated defense strategies and compassionate legal support throughout every stage of the criminal justice process. Don’t face this difficult time alone. Contact Hadeed Law today for a free and confidential consultation, and find out how you can minimize the consequences of assault charges in Pittsburgh.

Legal Need? Call Hadeed for Help Defending Against Assault Charges in Pittsburgh, PA

For more than a decade, defendants throughout Western Pennsylvania have turned to Hadeed Law when they need a skilled assault defense attorney in Pittsburgh, PA. Samir Hadeed provides a full range of criminal defense services to help those accused of simple assault, aggravated assault, threats, stalking, harassment, and more protect their rights.

Beating an assault charge or minimizing its impact on your life requires dedicated advocacy and compelling arguments backed by evidence. When Samir Hadeed handles assault cases, he analyzes every detail, develops a customized legal strategy for each individual client, and draws on his extensive skills in both negotiation and courtroom representation to achieve results.

Types of Assault Charges Hadeed Law Handles

Assault charges can encompass a variety of criminal offenses established under Chapter 27 of Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, Title 18. Generally, assault crimes pertain to causing harm or intending to cause harm to someone.

Hadeed Law defends clients against a variety of assault charges, including the following.

Simple Assault Charges in Pittsburgh

Established under Section 2701 of Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, Title 18, simple assault encompasses actions like the following:

Intentionally or recklessly harming or attempting to harm another person
Negligently causing someone harm with a deadly weapon
Using physical menace to make others fear imminent bodily injury
Using a concealed hypodermic needle to penetrate the skin of a law enforcement officer, correctional facility employee, or mental hospital worker during a search or arrest

In Pennsylvania, simple assault is usually charged as a second-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to two years in prison. However, there are exceptions.

If the assault occurs in the context of a fight entered into by mutual consent, it can be charged as a less severe third-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in prison.

On the other hand, if an adult (18 years or older) commits simple assault against a child under 12, they can be charged with a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to five years in prison.

Pittsburgh Aggravated Assault Charges

When assault allegations are more serious than what simple assault covers, you might instead be charged with aggravated assault. Established under Section 2702 of Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, Title 18, the conduct that can constitute aggravated assault pertains to serious bodily injury or assault against certain victims.

Forms of aggravated assault in Pennsylvania include:

Causing or attempting to cause serious injury, intentionally or recklessly, in a manner that displays “extreme indifference to the value of human life”
Causing or attempting to cause serious bodily injury to certain workers in the performance of their duties, including police officers, firefighters, probation or parole officers, sheriffs, district attorneys, and more
Causing or attempting to cause bodily injury (which does not necessarily have to be serious) to the specified workers in the course of their job duties
Intentionally causing bodily injury (not necessarily serious) using a deadly weapon
Causing or attempting to cause bodily injury (not necessarily serious) to teachers or school employees in the scope of their work
Using physical menace to put officers and other specified workers in fear of imminent serious bodily injury
Causing harm or attempting to cause harm to officers and specified workers in the course of their job duties using tear gas or electric incapacitation devices
Injuring or attempting to cause bodily injury (not necessarily serious) to a child under age six, when perpetrated by an adult (18 or older)
Causing or attempting to cause serious bodily injury to a child under 13, when perpetrated by an adult

Aggravated assault is a felony offense. Most charges of aggravated assault constitute a second-degree felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. However, matters involving serious bodily injury (in general, of officers, or of children under age 18) can be charged as first-degree felonies, punishable by a prison term that may exceed 10 years.

Other Assault-Related Offenses Under PA Law

As a full-service criminal defense firm providing legal support for defendants accused of a wide range of violations, Hadeed Law can also assist you in fighting back against other crimes established under Chapter 27 of Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, Title 18. These offenses can include:

Assault of a law enforcement officer (Section 2702.1 of Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, Title 18)
Assault by prisoner (Section 2703)
Aggravated harassment by prisoner (Section 2703.1)
Assault by life prisoner (Section 2704)
Recklessly endangering another person (Section 2705)
Terroristic threats (Section 2706)
Propulsion of missiles into an occupied vehicle or onto a roadway (Section 2707)
Discharge of a firearm into an occupied structure (Section 2707.1)
Unlawful discharge of paintball guns and paintball markers (Section 2707.2)
Use of tear or noxious gas in labor disputes (Section 2708)
Harassment (Section 2709)
Stalking (Section 2709.1)
Ethnic intimidation (Section 2710)
Probable cause arrests in domestic violence cases (Section 2711)
Assault on a sports official (Section 2712)
Neglect of a care-dependent person (Section 2713)
Abuse of a care-dependent person (Section 2713.1)
Unauthorized administration of an intoxicant (Section 2714)
Threat to use weapons of mass destruction (Section 2715)
Weapons of mass destruction (Section 2716)
Terrorism (Section 2717)
Strangulation (Section 2718)
Endangerment of a public safety official (Section 2719)

The variety of assault-related offenses outlined under Pennsylvania law establishes specific violations pertaining to victims (including law enforcement officers, care-dependent individuals, and people in protected ethnic groups) as well as specific means of causing harm (such as discharge of a firearm or strangulation). When you’re charged with any form of assault offense, having skilled legal representation on your side makes a difference.

Fight Back Against Life-Changing Consequences With a Dedicated Assault Defense Attorney in Pittsburgh, PA

With assault charges looming over you and the threat of incarceration, potentially for years, you need to take a proactive stand on your defense. Having Samir Hadeed as your Pittsburgh assault lawyer gives you the resources, knowledge, and skill you need to mount the most effective defense possible.

Through Hadeed Law’s efforts, the firm has successfully secured outcomes like the following for its clients:

Complete dismissals of charges through pretrial motions that demonstrate a lack of sufficient evidence to proceed with the case
Reduction of charges, including from felony aggravated assault to misdemeanor simple assault, from a higher grade (degree) to a lower grade of felony or misdemeanor, or from assault to disorderly conduct (a summary offense)
Suppression of any evidence that was obtained improperly, including through unlawful search and seizures or through police interrogations conducted without properly informing you of your rights
Not-guilty trial verdicts achieved in the courtroom by presenting a compelling case before the judge or jury
Plea deals negotiated with the prosecutor that ensure less severe consequences than you could face if convicted
Lighter penalties imposed in the event of a conviction through effective advocacy in sentencing hearings

Every case is different, and individual clients may have different priorities, like minimizing prison time or avoiding a showdown in court. Samir Hadeed builds defense strategies around each client’s priorities to achieve the most favorable outcome that’s feasible for their unique circumstances.

How Hadeed Law Can Help

As your Pittsburgh assault lawyer, Samir Hadeed will handle every aspect of your defense, including:

Investigation: By digging into the facts of the allegations against you, he can identify opportunities for arguments in your favor and gather valuable evidence that supports your defense rather than the prosecutor’s case against you.
Strategy formulation: Careful analysis of the facts, combined with extensive legal knowledge, allows Mr. Hadeed to consider all possible defenses, such as lack of intent to harm, accidental contact, self-defense, and false allegations. He crafts personalized arguments for every client.
Representation: In pretrial proceedings, settlement conferences, negotiations, and trial, Mr. Hadeed provides unwavering advocacy for his clients.

Every step Hadeed Law takes is focused on delivering results for its clients by achieving the most favorable outcome possible.

Why Choose Hadeed Law as Your Pittsburgh Assault Lawyer?

With Hadeed Law as your Pittsburgh assault lawyer, you gain an advocate who brings experience, compassion, and strategy to every legal matter he handles.

Extensive Legal Experience

Hadeed Law has served defendants in Pittsburgh and beyond for over a decade, and attorney Samir Hadeed has more than 15 years of legal practice providing comprehensive representation for criminal matters, personal injury cases, expungement efforts, and more.

Compassionate Client Care

Mr. Hadeed has seen firsthand how facing criminal charges can impact his clients, and he’s determined to provide peace of mind through this difficult time. He approaches every case with genuine compassion for the challenges his clients face and dedication to providing meaningful support.

Strong, Strategic Representation

A calculated defense strategy based on the specific facts of your situation provides a strong foundation for your case. Mr. Hadeed’s dedicated advocacy in court proceedings or in negotiations with the prosecutor supports the effective implementation of that strategy.

Contact a Pittsburgh Assault Lawyer at Hadeed Law Today for a Free Case Review

Whether you’re facing misdemeanor charges or felony assault charges, you should take this legal issue seriously and retain professional legal assistance. Otherwise, you’re already at a disadvantage, going up against the rigorous demands and high stakes of the criminal justice process without the benefit of extensive legal knowledge. Having the right support on your side can make all the difference in your case.

For help from an assault defense attorney in Pittsburgh, PA, contact Hadeed Law online or call 412-275-5413 today.

Pittsburgh Assault Lawyer