Top Chelsea, AL Criminal Battery Lawyers Near You
1500 Urban Center Drive, Suite 450, Vestavia Hills, AL 35242
2021 2nd Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203
2107 5th Ave N., Suite 301, Birmingham, AL 35203
505 North 20th Street, Suite 825, Birmingham, AL 35203
One Federal Place, Ste. 1000, 1819 Fifth Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203
5113 Cyrus Cir, Birmingham, AL 35242
420 20th Street North, Suite 2300, Birmingham, AL 35203
500 Office Park Drive, Suite 100, Birmingham, AL 35223
600 University Park Pl, Sute 100, Birmingham, AL 35209
1901 6th Avenue North, Suite 1700, Birmingham, AL 35203
1 Chase Corporate Center, Suite 400, Birmingham, AL 35244
PO Box 131131, Birmingham, AL 35213
2021 Morris Ave, Suite 300, Birmingham, AL 35203
300 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N., Suite 301, Birmingham, AL 35203
1820 7th Ave N, Suite 105, Birmingham, AL 35203
1904 1st Ave N, Suite 300, Birmingham, AL 35203
104 N Main St, Columbiana, AL 35051
120 19th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203
2320 Arlington Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205
1914 4th Ave N , Ste. 100, Birmingham, AL 35203
3590-B Pelham Pkwy, Suite 254, Pelham, AL 35124
1901 6th Ave North, Suite 2600, Birmingham, AL 35203
2100 Southbridge Pkwy, Suite 650, Birmingham, AL 35209
1320 Alford Ave, Suite 202, Birmingham, AL 35226
2001 Park Place North, Suite 1500, Birmingham, AL 35203
Chelsea Criminal Battery Information
Lead Counsel independently verifies Criminal Battery attorneys in Chelsea and checks their standing with Alabama bar associations.
Our Verification Process and Criteria
Ample Experience
Attorneys must meet stringent qualifications and prove they practice in the area of law they’re verified in.Good Standing
Be in good standing with their bar associations and maintain a clean disciplinary record.Annual Review
Submit to an annual review to retain their Lead Counsel Verified status.Client Commitment
Pledge to follow the highest quality client service and ethical standards.
What Is Criminal Battery?
The crime of battery refers to an incident in which the offender engages in unlawful (and unwanted) harmful or offensive physical contact with the victim. Whether or not the contact needs to be intentional depends on the laws where the offense occurred, as what constitutes battery varies by state and jurisdiction.
What Are Some Types of Criminal Battery?
Criminal battery, or simple battery, is just one form of battery under U.S. federal and state law.
Sexual battery takes place when non-consensual touching, groping or other unwanted and offensive sexual acts are visited upon the victim by the offender. At a nightclub, if a man gropes a woman who is dancing without her consent, he may face charges related to sexual battery if the victim deigns to pursue the matter in court.
Family-violence battery, or domestic violence battery, takes place when a family member — typically a spouse ‚— is violent toward the victim.
Aggravated battery is an escalation of simple battery, and is typically charged when an instance of battery involves a deadly weapon such as a knife or gun, or when the battery results in serious bodily harm as concerns the victim. When a battery takes place against a protected class of persons (as a result of a hate crime, targeting police officers or other public officials, or targets the elderly, the infirm, or a child), aggravated battery charges may also be the end result.
What Is the Difference Between Criminal Assault and Criminal Battery?
The primary difference between criminal assault and criminal battery is that the former does not require that the offender actually made physical contact with the victim, while the latter holds this element as requisite for charges.
To provide an example, a man who threatens (seriously, and with intent) another patron of a football game with violence, making intimidating gestures and who throws an empty bottle at the victim and misses, could be charged with the crime of assault. Had the empty bottle actually struck the victim, the offender could instead be charged with battery.
What Are the Possible Penalties for Criminal Battery?
The penalties for battery range depending on the individual context of the case. If there is a beating or strike involved, or a wound created (bruise, gash, etc.) the maximum sentence is one year from the federal court. If a dangerous weapon is used, the maximum penalty jumps up to 10 years incarceration. Further, if there is an actual intent to commit murder, the maximum penalty is enhanced to 20 years in jail.
State laws vary in their treatment of criminal battery, generally distinguishing between simple battery and aggravated battery. Simple battery typically results in a first degree misdemeanor charge with a maximum sentence of one year in jail as well as a one year probation period. However, in some states, aggravated battery is classified as a second degree felony with a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment. This maximum penalty can be accompanied by mandatory minimum sentencing enhancements if a firearm is present during the commission of an offense, and even further enhancements apply if said firearm is discharged or is used to harm another.
How Much Jail Time for Criminal Battery in Alabama?
Simple battery typically results in a sentence of up to one year in jail for those found guilty, with most punishments being lessened for first-time offenders. Repeat offenders may see stiffer penalties in response to their convictions. By contrast, aggravated battery is typically categorized as a felony deserving of a sentence ranging from three to six years, or 10 or more years for repeat offenders — or for aggravated battery with one or more sentencing enhancements (as mentioned above) attached.
When faced with criminal battery charges, the best thing to do is contact a criminal battery lawyer as soon as possible. A criminal battery charge can be either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the state and also what happened. You won’t want to face these charges alone.