An assault charge in Ohio is a very serious offense and ranges from a first degree misdemeanor all the way to a first degree felony. Assault, aggravated assault, and felonious assault are the three levels of assault in Ohio. Aggravated vehicular assault is a special charge in Ohio. Which offense you are charged with depends on many factors including the mental state of the accused and the level of injury caused to the victim. To see applicable penalties please refer to the Ohio Sentencing Chart page.
Because a conviction for Assault can never be expunged from your record it can have a very long lasting affect on your future. A conviction for an assault charge can affect your employment status or ability to secure future employment, it can prevent you from obtaining certain employment licenses such as a nursing license or teaching license, or, if you are convicted of a felony, it can keep you from ever legally possessing a firearm. It is important if you are charged with an assault offense in Ohio that you speak to a qualified and experienced Ohio assault lawyer as soon as possible so that they may evaluate your case and collect evidence favorable to you before it fades with time. Only by talking to an attorney will you know where you stand.
At Peter J. Binning, Attorney at Law, your attorney will represent you from the moment you are charged. He will handle any warrant that may be issued for you, assisting in turning yourself in and getting a reasonable bond set so that you can get out of jail quickly. Your case will proceed to arraignment where your attorney will most likely assist you in pleading not guilty. He will then file any motions that he feels are in your best interest including filing for discovery from the prosecutor where he will receive all the evidence the state has against you. Upon reviewing all the evidence both for and against you and interviewing any witnesses there may be, Mr Binning will begin negotiating with the prosecutor on your behalf.
If negotiations are unsuccessful your case will most likely proceed to a motion hearing where, after hearing testimony from the police and any other witnesses, the judge will decide what evidence may ultimately be used against you in court. If the motion hearing was successful in keeping evidence out, then negotiation with the prosecutor will begin again. If no evidence is excluded, because the prosecutors case hasn’t changed any, your case will most likely proceed to trial either to a jury or to the judge alone.
This is not a simple process and their are many chances for missteps or pitfalls. This is when having a dedicated and experienced criminal assault attorney is priceless. For a free confidential consultation, please contact our office as soon as possible.