Under Oregon laws, assault is considered a very serious violent crime. When facing charges of this magnitude, you want to be certain you choose a hard-hitting and hard-working attorney to handle your case. Call today to discuss how we can help you during this difficult time.
Although assault is a serious crime, we know there is a story behind the incident that led to your arrest. We want to hear from you, exactly what happened and how it came to these criminal charges.
We know that it is common to be unfairly charged with assault. You may have been defending yourself from an attack or maybe you got involved in a bar fight. Perhaps your actions were taken out of context and you shouldn’t be facing these charges at all!
Of course, sometimes people do make mistakes, and regret their actions. If you lost your temper, and exercised bad judgment in a stressful situation, we want to help you. You deserve fair treatment under the law and a second change.
We have handled many assault cases in the state of Oregon and know that there are countless circumstances that lead to these charges. Even though our experience is invaluable, the personal attention your case will receive is even more important.
This is because we recognize that you, our client, is the reason why we do what we do. We are committed to ensuring your fair treatment in the Oregon criminal courts. We will do our best to aggressively defend your interests throughout the entire court process.
Contact us today for a free case evaluation and legal consultation on your Oregon assault charges.
1st Degree Assault – Laws & Penalties in Oregon
The most serious of all assault charges, assault in the 1st degree happens when you do one of the following:
- Intentionally cause serious physical injury to someone with a deadly or dangerous weapon,
- Intentionally or knowingly causes serious physical injury to a child under 6 years old,
- Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly cause serious physical injury to another while driving under the influence when you have at least three prior DWI.
You could also be charged with 1st degree assault if you have certain prior assault convictions.
First degree assault is a Class A felony, punishable by up to 20 years in prison and fines reaching $375,000.
Ref: Or. Rev. Stat. §163.185
2nd Degree Assault – Laws & Penalties in Oregon
You may be facing charges of assault in the 2nd degree if the prosecution believes you intentionally or knowingly caused serious physical injury to someone or caused serious physical injury with a deadly or dangerous weapon.
Assault in the 2nd degree is a Class B felony and punishable by up to 10 years in prison and fines reaching $250,000.
Ref: Or. Rev. Stat. §163.175
3rd Degree Assault – Laws & Penalties in Oregon
Third degree assault is another serious felony and you may be charged with this offense for a variety of reasons. If the prosecution believes you did any of the following, you could be charged:
1. Recklessly cause serious physical injury to someone with a deadly or dangerous weapon
2. Recklessly cause serious physical injury to someone under circumstances “manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life”
3. Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly cause injury to a driver of public transit or taxi operator when you are not operating a motor vehicle,
4. Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly cause injury to an EMS technician or paramedic
5. Intentionally or knowingly cause injury to a child under 10 years old
Assault in the 3rd degree is a Class C felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison and $125,000 in fines.
Ref: Or. Rev. Stat. §163.165
4th Degree Assault – Laws & Penalties in Oregon
Fourth degree assault is the least serious of the assault crimes under Oregon law. You could be charged with this offense if you intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly cause physical injury to someone or cause injury with a deadly weapon through negligence.
Negligence means that you may have done it on accident or weren’t being completely cautious with your weapon.
In these circumstances, 4th degree assault is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 1 year in jail and fines of $6250.
If, however, you have prior assault convictions or the assault takes place in front of a child, the charge could be elevated to a Class C felony. Class C felonies are punishable by up to 5 years in prison and seriously harsh fines reaching up to $125,000.
Ref: Or. Rev. Stat. §163.160
Oregon Assault Charge in Oregon? Free case evaluation and criminal legal advice.
Assault is a serious crime with even more serious penalties. Don’t take your chances with just any attorney; be confident with your choice and call us!