Assault and Battery Lawyer in Melbourne, FL

Have you been recently accused or charged with assault or battery in Melbourne, FL? Confused about your options? Continue reading this page to determine what exactly this means and how our lawyers here at Smith & Eulo can help you get the best results.

Our firm will work extremely hard to make sure you get the best defense possible for your case. In this case, this means getting a “not guilty” verdict or lowering your sentence to the absolute minimum.

Defining Assault

In Florida, an “assault” is an intentional, unlawful threat by word or act to do violence to the person of another, coupled with an apparent ability to do so, and doing some act that creates a well-founded fear in another person that such violence is imminent.

Please note that a situation does not necessarily have to be physically violent to be considered assault. There are just three concurrent scenarios that are necessary.

Intentionally trying to cause fear to the victim
The victim’s belief that the perpetrator is going to cause harm to him/her
The victim feels panic that the perpetrator is going to cause immediate harm to him/her
The perpetrator must act in a manner that causes the victim to feel that he/she is in imminent danger

Penalty for Assault

Assault in the state of Florida is considered to be a second-degree misdemeanor, and punishment can include…

A $500 fine
Up to 60 days in jail
Possibility of probation and mandatory anger management courses

Defining Battery

It is important to identify the difference between Assault and Battery as they carry different penalties. The meaning of battery is when a person actually and intentionally touches or strikes another person against the will of the other; or intentionally causes bodily harm to another person.

Penalty for Battery

The penalty for battery (a first-degree misdemeanor) can include…

A $1000 fine
Up to 1 full year in jail

After committing a second battery offense, the charge is now considered a third-degree felony offense. The penalty for this charge can be…

$5000 fine
Up to 5 years in prison

Example of Assault

Person A and Person B are having a verbal altercation. Person A angrily gets up and moves towards Person B in a deliberate and aggressive manner. This scenario would be considered assault.

Example of Battery

Person A and Person B are having another verbal altercation. This time, however, Person B moves towards Person A in an aggressive manner and ends up punching Person A in the jaw. This scenario would be considered battery.

Aggravated Assault

An aggravated assault is an assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill or with intent to commit a felony. Those who commit aggravated assault can be convicted of assault in the third degree which includes.

The penalty for aggravated assault can include…

Up to 5 years in prison
5 years probation
$5000 fine

Aggravated Battery

A person commits aggravated battery who, in committing battery: Intentionally or knowingly causes great bodily harm, permanent disability, or permanent disfigurement; or uses a deadly weapon.

A charge is automatically considered to be aggravated battery if the person who was the victim of the battery was pregnant at the time of the offense and the offender knew or should have known that the victim was pregnant.

The penalty for aggravated battery can include…

Up to 15 years in prison
15 years probation
$10,000 fine

If you or a loved one has been charged with assault or battery in Melbourne, FL, Brevard County, or its adjacent areas. Our criminal defense attorneys have over 100 years of combined experience successfully handling these types of cases.

If you or your loved one find themselves in a situation where you are being accused of assault and battery? Call us right away at 321-473-3621 to speak with a qualified legal professional or fill out the contact form on this page. We’re available 24/7, we offer free initial consultation and payment plans. In addition to our Melbourne office, we have offices in the following cities across the state of Florida: