What is Considered a Self defense in an Assault Case?

Life is completely unpredictable and you cannot predict what might be waiting for you around the corner. Even if you will find yourself in a challenging situation, chances are, your natural instincts and reflexes will help you deal with the circumstances properly and effectively. This is exactly where the notion of self defense comes into the frame. Even if you are the victim, the other person may still press charges against you, claiming that he or she demands compensation for all the damages. So how will the self defense strategy hold up in court? Well, if you have ample evidence that would demonstrate how you were reacting in self defense, the case may even be dismissed. Yet, it is all much easier said than done.

First of all, in order to demonstrate what is self defense and what kind of self defense will hold up in court, let us review a couple of examples:

1. You and your buddy are drinking at his place and discussing the latest news. Your buddy is already quite drunk and you tell him to slow down. Sure enough, his reaction is inadequate – he is angered by your words, he takes an empty beer bottle and makes an attempt to crash your skull with it. You manage to avoid his blow and push him aside, causing him to fall down and break his arm.
2. You and your buddy are drinking and he is suddenly angered by something you said. He takes a beer bottle and swings it over your head. You manage to avoid the blow, take the knife from the table and stab him.

While the first case is considered self defense for certain, since you reacted naturally and tried to defend yourself from the danger and acted accordingly, the second case is a very tricky one. To begin with, stabbing a man is a rather harsh measure and one that you should resort to only if you have no other choice. In this case, you could always run away or push your buddy aside. The prosecution will not let the second one slide that easily.

If you happened to be involved in the similar situation and wish to prove your actions were nothing more than self defense, we recommend you to get in touch with a qualified criminal defense attorney, who is going to use all of his skills and expertise to help you. He will go through all the available evidence and will make sure you get out of this unpleasant situation with minimal legal damages. Only a professional attorney will be able to confront the prosecution on the subject of self defense to fight your charges properly. This way, you will get the best legal representation you deserve.

Were you involved in a self defense criminal case? Contact our law firm now!

The Law Offices of Criminal Defense Specialists