Top Columbia, TN Criminal Battery Lawyers Near You
7619 Hwy 70 S, PO Box 210184, Nashville, TN 37221
Law Offices of Thomas T. Overton helps clients in the Columbia area with their Tennessee Criminal Battery needs.
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150 3rd Avenue South, Suite 1900, Nashville, TN 37201
111 N. Greenwood St., Suite B, Lebanon, TN 37087
541 N. Mount Juliet Rd., Suite 2203A, Mount Juliet, TN 37122
342 Main St, Suite 202, Franklin, TN 37064
99 E. Main Street, Suite 200, Franklin, TN 37064
302 North Spring Street, Murfreesboro, TN 37130
222 2nd Avenue South, Suite 2000, Nashville, TN 37201
1720 W End Ave, Ste 320, Nashville, TN 37203
424 Church Street, Suite 800, Nashville, TN 37219
40 Burton Hills Blvd, Suite 200, Nashville, TN 37215
3102 West End Avenue, Suite 400, Nashville, TN 37203
1222 Demonbreun St, Suite 1201, Nashville, TN 37203
424 Church St., Suite 2000, Nashville, TN 37219
501 Union Street, Suite 502, Nashville, TN 37219
615 Main St, Suite 102, Nashville, TN 37206
4235 Hillsboro Pike, Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37215
106 E College St., PO Box 1336, Murfreesboro, TN 37133
1201 Demonbreun St, Suite 1000, Nashville, TN 37203
5200 Maryland Way, Ste. 301, Brentwood, TN 37027
210 E. College St., Dickson, TN 37055
137 Public Square, Lebanon, TN 37087
150 Public Square, Lebanon, TN 37087
102A Scottsville Road, PO Box 280, Lafayette, TN 37083
1310 6th Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37208
Columbia Criminal Battery Information
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What Is Criminal Battery?
The crime of battery refers to an incident in which the offender engages in unlawful (and unwanted) harmful or offensive physical contact with the victim. Whether or not the contact needs to be intentional depends on the laws where the offense occurred, as what constitutes battery varies by state and jurisdiction.
What Are Some Types of Criminal Battery?
Criminal battery, or simple battery, is just one form of battery under U.S. federal and state law.
Sexual battery takes place when non-consensual touching, groping or other unwanted and offensive sexual acts are visited upon the victim by the offender. At a nightclub, if a man gropes a woman who is dancing without her consent, he may face charges related to sexual battery if the victim deigns to pursue the matter in court.
Family-violence battery, or domestic violence battery, takes place when a family member — typically a spouse ‚— is violent toward the victim.
Aggravated battery is an escalation of simple battery, and is typically charged when an instance of battery involves a deadly weapon such as a knife or gun, or when the battery results in serious bodily harm as concerns the victim. When a battery takes place against a protected class of persons (as a result of a hate crime, targeting police officers or other public officials, or targets the elderly, the infirm, or a child), aggravated battery charges may also be the end result.
What Is the Difference Between Criminal Assault and Criminal Battery?
The primary difference between criminal assault and criminal battery is that the former does not require that the offender actually made physical contact with the victim, while the latter holds this element as requisite for charges.
To provide an example, a man who threatens (seriously, and with intent) another patron of a football game with violence, making intimidating gestures and who throws an empty bottle at the victim and misses, could be charged with the crime of assault. Had the empty bottle actually struck the victim, the offender could instead be charged with battery.
What Are the Possible Penalties for Criminal Battery?
The penalties for battery range depending on the individual context of the case. If there is a beating or strike involved, or a wound created (bruise, gash, etc.) the maximum sentence is one year from the federal court. If a dangerous weapon is used, the maximum penalty jumps up to 10 years incarceration. Further, if there is an actual intent to commit murder, the maximum penalty is enhanced to 20 years in jail.
State laws vary in their treatment of criminal battery, generally distinguishing between simple battery and aggravated battery. Simple battery typically results in a first degree misdemeanor charge with a maximum sentence of one year in jail as well as a one year probation period. However, in some states, aggravated battery is classified as a second degree felony with a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment. This maximum penalty can be accompanied by mandatory minimum sentencing enhancements if a firearm is present during the commission of an offense, and even further enhancements apply if said firearm is discharged or is used to harm another.
How Much Jail Time for Criminal Battery in Tennessee?
Simple battery typically results in a sentence of up to one year in jail for those found guilty, with most punishments being lessened for first-time offenders. Repeat offenders may see stiffer penalties in response to their convictions. By contrast, aggravated battery is typically categorized as a felony deserving of a sentence ranging from three to six years, or 10 or more years for repeat offenders — or for aggravated battery with one or more sentencing enhancements (as mentioned above) attached.
When faced with criminal battery charges, the best thing to do is contact a criminal battery lawyer as soon as possible. A criminal battery charge can be either a misdemeanor or a felony depending on the state and also what happened. You won’t want to face these charges alone.