Michigan Aggravated Assault Lawyer

What is Aggravated Assault in Michigan?

The Michigan Aggravated Assault Law: MCL 750.81a

At Prain Law, PLLC everyday we eagerly answer the question “What is Aggravated Assault in Michigan?” Michigan Aggravated Assault charges under MCL 750.81a are brought when someone allegedly “assaults someone causing serious or aggravated injury.”

In simple terms, the definition of Aggravated Assault in Michigan is an assault that is distinguishable from other assaults because it causes a certain type of injury, but not with a weapon like a Felonious Assault, and also without “intending to commit murder or to inflict great bodily harm less than murder,” like Assault With Intent to Commit Murder or Assault With Intent to do Great Bodily Harm Less Than Murder

READ: Yet Another NOT GUILTY verdict for Prain Law, PLLC - Aggravated Assault and Assault & Battery - May, 2015

In the definition of Aggravated Assault in Michigan, what do the words “assault” and “serious or aggravated injury” mean?

An assault in Michigan can be one of two things. An assault is either:

a) an unsuccessful attempt to commit a battery (i.e. a swing and a miss); or

b) any act that would cause a reasonable person to fear or apprehend an immediate battery (i.e. a fake slap to make someone flinch, but without actually touching them).

In Michigan, an assault must be intentional (and not accidental), but actual touching is not necessary.

How is “Serious or Aggravated Injury” Defined in Michigan?

What is the Sentence for Aggravated Assault in Michigan? Will I go to Jail for Aggravated Assault?

A person convicted of Aggravated Assault in Michigan under MCL 750.81a is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 1 year or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.

A person convicted of Aggravated Assault in Michigan can spend up to an entire year in Jail. Whether or not you will actually see Jail time in your Aggravated Assault case depends on the severity of the alleged injury, how your Aggravated Assault charges are defended, and the effectiveness of your Michigan Aggravated Assault defense attorney.

Often, people convicted of Aggravated Assault first offense in Michigan do not receive Jail, but it is more possible than in a case of mere Simple Assault or Assault and Battery. You may also receive a Probation sentence, with a term of 6-18 months (24 months maximum). Typical conditions of Probation for Aggravated Assault include psychological evaluation, reporting on a monthly basis, community service or District Court Work Program, and/or anger management or other counseling.

Will I be forced to pay my accuser’s medical bills if I am convicted of Aggravated Assault in Michigan?

If (and only if) you are convicted of Aggravated Assault in Michigan, the Court WILL order you to pay your accuser’s medical expenses and other resulting expenses, even including lost wages. This is called “Crime Victim Restitution” and it is authorized by the Michigan Crime Victim Rights Act.

IMPORTANT NOTE: being accused of a Michigan Aggravated Assault charge also increases the chances you may be sued in civil court.

What does all of this law mean for me?

An assault that ultimately causes an injury could get you convicted of Aggravated Assault (sometimes also called “Assault and Infliction of Serious Injury”) and locked up for up to an entire year.

While Michigan law states the injury must be a “serious or aggravated injury,” this is deceptive. Michigan’s aggravated assault law is a very harsh law. It is absolutely possible for the government to magnify your simple assault and battery charge into an aggravated assault charge just because the “victim” sought medical treatment. The government does not even have to bring a doctor or nurse into court to prove the medical treatment was actually necessary. In other words, some arbitrary, non-educated, biased decisions made by the person who is accusing you can suddenly have you facing an entire year in jail, $1,000.00 in fines alone, probation, and a loss of quality of life due to a permanent record (much worse with a previous conviction).

Particularly, if you are a man and the accuser is a woman, you had better believe that the Prosecutor will have a special “Victim’s Advocate” standing next to her and your accuser at nearly every Court hearing. Let’s face it, the effect of this is to prejudice the Court into seeing you as a criminal before you even have a chance to defend yourself; presuming you guilty until proven innocent.

Fortunately, your accuser’s choices aren’t the only ones that can affect your freedom and your future. By choosing the right Aggravated Assault attorney, you just might have the prosecutor backing down and wishing their boss would allow them to get out of the whole thing.

Charged With Aggravated Assault? Act Immediately

Aggravated Assault can result in one year’s jail time for you, $1,000.00 in fines, probation, and major blemish on your permanent record.

Aggravated Assault is any assault that causes an injury. If you are convicted of Aggravated Assault, which is also called Assault and Infliction of Serious Injury, you could be thrown behind bars for as much as one year.

Even though Michigan law states that the injury must be a “serious or aggravated injury,” enforcement of the law proves that it is a bit deceiving. In Michigan, Aggravated Assault is treated very severely. For example, the government can amplify your Simple Assault and Battery Charge into an Aggravated Assault Charge if the alleged “Victim” received medical treatment.

In this scenario, the government isn’t even required to have a doctor or nurse appear in Court to testify that the medical treatment received was required.

The situation only gets worse if you are a man and the accuser is a woman. Often, the prosecutor will ensure a “Victim’s Advocate” will stand by your accuser at most every Court hearing to prejudice the Court into viewing you as a criminal before you've had the proper and entitled defense.

This is why you must seek out an experienced Aggravated Assault Attorney with the know how to challenge the prosecutor and properly defend your freedom. If you are facing Aggravated Assault Charges it is imperative that you contact a Michigan Assault Attorney immediately because this charge is often magnified to an assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder charge. If that happens you can be sentenced a maximum penalty 10 times greater for first offenders, even if you never physically laid a finger on your accuser.

IMPORTANT NOTE: if you are facing aggravated assault charges, you MUST contact a Michigan domestic violence attorney immediately because this particular charge can easily be magnified to an assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder charge (which carries a maximum penalty 10 times greater for first offenders) - even if you do not physically touch your accuser at all. Contacting Prain Law, PLLC immediately will allow us to go to work for you and greatly reduce this possibility.

At Prain Law, PLLC, we have successfully delivered a number of NOT GUILTY verdicts in cases involving very serious injuries regarding Aggravated Assault in Michigan under MCL 750.81a.

Other helpful links to Prain Law's articles on Michigan Aggravated Assault Law:

Prain Law's latest NOT GUILTY verdict in an Aggravated Assault case