Los Angeles Battery Lawyer

Battery Defense Attorneys in Los Angeles, CA

Award-Winning Legal Representation in LA County

Battery is considered acts of physical violence against another person. It is a serious crime and can carry devastating penalties is the person is convicted. If you or a family member is facing battery charges, your highest priority needs to be seeking legal advice from experienced Los Angeles battery defense lawyers who can fight for you. At Gibbons & Gibbons, our award-winning criminal defense lawyers deliver personalized, aggressive defenses that can help you get the best outcome possible. We fight tirelessly for our clients.

Schedule your free consultation today. Call (562) 802-3602 or contact us online to get started.

What Constitutes Battery in California?

Under California Penal Code 242 PC, simple battery is defined as any willful and unlawful use of force or violence upon another person. Use of force or violence can be caused by touching or causing an object and/or another person to touch the victim.

In order for the courts to consider the crime battery, three things have to occur:

• You touched someone else: Legally, all you have to do is make physical contact with another for this first step to occur. That physical contact can be you personally touching another or using an object to touch another person.
• The contact was willful: No one forced you to touch someone else, meaning if you were at a rock concert and were shoved into another person, you were not willfully touching them. It does not necessarily mean that you intended to break the law, hurt someone else, or gain an advantage. For example, if someone were to throw a mug at someone in an act of passion, it was an intentional act, whether or not they meant to cause harm.
• Unlawful use of force or violence: Unlawful force is power or violence directed against a person without their consent.

Is Battery in California a Misdemeanor or a Felony?

Simple battery is categorized as a misdemeanor as long as it was not committed against a peace officer or other protected persons.

What are the Penalties for Battery in California?

Penalties include:

• Misdemeanor probation
• Up to 6 months in county jail
• Fines of up to $2,000

If you commit battery on a person such as a peace officer, firefight or EMT, you could be charged with more serious penalties.

These could include:

• Possible felony charges
• Up to 3 years in prison
• Fines of up to $10,000

Along with these penalties, you will have a criminal record following you around and alerting any prying eyes to the fact that you might be a violent person, making it much more difficult to find employment, housing, and loans. Your future depends on not only fighting the charges against you, but exonerating yourself from the implications of a criminal accusation.

Gibbons & Gibbons has handled thousands of cases over our decades in practice. We treat every case as if it could go to trial, meaning we are always prepared to challenge every claim made by your prosecutors. You can count on us to do everything we can to protect your future.

Schedule Your Free Consultation Today

If you have further questions relating to California battery, or if you or a loved one has been charged with battery, you need to contact our Los Angeles and Orange County battery lawyers right away. With over 60 years of combined experience, our attorneys at Gibbons & Gibbons have the experience you need to get the best possible defense. The sooner you call, the more time we will have to obtain evidence and find the right way to defend you.

Call (562) 802-3602 now to get started. We service clients in Los Angeles and the other surrounding communities of Cerritos, Whittier, Bellflower, Downey, Hawaiian Gardens, Long Beach, South Gate, Bell, Bell Gardens, Paramount, La Mirada, Artesia, Pico Rivera, Montebello.