Top Savannah, GA Criminal Battery Lawyers Near You
2008 Whitaker St, Savannah, GA 31401
302 East Bryan St, Savannah, GA 31401
420 West Broughton Street, Savannah, GA 31401
5105 Paulsen Street, Suite 236-C, Savannah, GA 31405
PO Box 11153, Savannah, GA 31412
301 E 37th St, Savannah, GA 31401
7 East Congress St, Suite 400, Savannah, GA 31401
4849 Paulsen Street, Suite 201, Savannah, GA 31405
49 Park of Commerce Way, Suite 101, Savannah, GA 31405
14 East State Street, Savannah, GA 31412
100 Bull Street, Suite 200, Savannah, GA 31401
124 Inca Rd, Savannah, GA 31406
11246 Ford Ave, Richmond Hill, GA 31324
8 East Liberty Street, PO Box 10164, Savannah, GA 31412-3921
2 East Bryan Street, Suite 602, Savannah, GA 31401
208 Hall Street, Suite A, Savannah, GA 31401
801 North Oak St, PO Box 176, Springfield, GA 31329
104 W State St, Savannah, GA 31401
11258 Ford Ave, Suite 11, Richmond Hill, GA 31324
2591 U.S. Highway 17, Suite 203, PO Box 1419, Richmond Hill, GA 31324
10221 Ford Ave, Suite #4, Richmond Hill, GA 31324
502 East Broughton Street, Savannah, GA 31401
33 Bull Street, Suite 510, Savannah, GA 31401
317 Tattnall St, Savannah, GA 31401
Savannah Criminal Battery Information
Lead Counsel independently verifies Criminal Battery attorneys in Savannah and checks their standing with Georgia 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 Georgia?
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.