Like the rest of the country, Texas has a set of laws pertaining to assault and battery. These violent crimes can carry serious repercussions for those who are convicted of them. If you’re facing charges of assault and battery, you should know what to expect.
What is assault and battery?
Assault and battery are violent crimes that often go hand-in-hand in spite of being two separate offenses. Assault refers to a person threatening someone else with bodily harm. Battery is the actual contact or attack that is perpetrated to carry out the threat that renders the victim injured.
Texas recognizes assault and battery as an intentional tort, which gives the victim the right to sue the attacker in civil court. There are also different levels of these crimes that can carry penalties that range in severity. A person can also be charged only with assault even if they also committed battery.
What are the penalties for assault and battery?
Depending on the charge, a person can face serious penalties for a conviction. A class C misdemeanor conviction can occur if the individual threatened the victim with bodily harm and causes some type of physical contact that does not result in serious injury can merely get a fine of $500. However, for a class B misdemeanor charge, a person can face up to 180 days in jail and a maximum fine of $2,000.
A felony conviction for assault and battery is much more serious. While a felony in the third degree can carry 10 years in jail and a maximum fine of $10,000, for a first-degree felony conviction, the person could face the same fine but a prison term ranging from five years to life.
Aggravated assault is one of the most violent crimes involving this category of offenses. A person can be charged and convicted of it if they used a weapon during the attack and the victim was seriously injured.
A charge of assault and battery is serious. If you face such charges, you need to protect your rights and fight against them.