June 28, 2015 Fighting is never the solution to your problems. Unfortunately, in some situations, violence is visited on you. In some of those situations, you will find yourself faced with a choice – do you let yourself be hurt, or do you defend yourself? When you make this choice, you open yourself up to an entirely new world of legal consequences – one in which you may even find yourself temporarily on the wrong side of the law. In some situations, your self-defense may lead to you being charged with assault even when you were not the person who threw the first punch. One thing that you have to understand is that on the day the charges are levied against you, it doesn’t particularly mattered who threw the first punch – it matters who pressed charges. Having charges filed against you does not mean you are guilty, but it does mean that you are going to go through the legal system. If criminal charges were filed, it is very important that you do nothing without first speaking to a lawyer. While years of television and movies may have taught you that only guilty people hire lawyers, the reality is that lawyers are here to protect your rights. When charged with assault, there are two issues at play. First and foremost, it is up to the prosecution to prove that you committed an act that satisfies the legal requirements of assault. If the fact that you were fighting is not in question, you must then prove that you committed the assault in self-defense – you must show that you were provoked and that you were acting out to prevent further harm to yourself. Only by doing this can you hope to be cleared of the charges. Fortunately, this is where a good attorney can help you. If you are charged with assault even though you didn’t throw the first punch, you need to make sure that you have a vigorous defense. You’re in the right, but you will have to prove that to the court. If you are willing to stand up for yourself in court, though, you should be able to be vindicated by the ruling. Contact us today to get started!