Fighting Your Calgary Assault Charge with an Effective Defence

The first step in an effective defence is understanding the legal situation you find yourself in when you're charged with a crime.

If you've been charged with simple or common assault in Calgary, your case might proceed as either a summary offence or an indictable offence, depending on various factors surrounding the case and with some discretion on the part of criminal justice officials.

Assault charges brought as summary offences can result in a faster trial process (if the case goes to trial), and have maximum penalties of six months in jail and/or a $5,000 fine. Assault charges brought as indictable offences can have much more serious consequences, including both larger fines and longer jail terms, and these cases can lead to full trials where you will need to present a defence in open court.

Though they are different, and though summary offence cases can seem simpler in some ways, both summary and indictable assault charges are very serious, and can have a significant impact on your family, your livelihood, and your life. Mounting an effective defence against an assault charge in Calgary almost invariably means partnering with a defence lawyer to assist you with your case.

An experienced Calgary criminal defence lawyer will help you understand the law, identify options you might not otherwise have been aware of, and develop strategies that account for the mechanisms of the criminal justice system you likely have little familiarity with. A good lawyer is a good partner to have when facing an assault charge in Calgary.

If you would like a free initial consultation with an experienced defence lawyer, please contact my office today.