Practice
Assault and theft
Assault and theft charges often come down to one person's account against another's. We find the rest of the story: the video, the witnesses, the receipts.
Assault
From a fight outside a bar to a charge of first-degree assault, we look at who started it, who was hurt and how, and whether you were defending yourself or someone else.
Theft and shoplifting
Theft charges climb with the value alleged. We check how that value was counted, what the store's video actually shows, and whether a civil demand letter you've received has anything to do with the criminal case.
Your job and your record
A theft or assault conviction can follow you into every job application. Where the case allows it, we work toward an outcome that can be cleared from public records later.
Sample matters
Where these cases turn
Not guilty
Self-defense is a defense.
Second-degree assault, jury trial. Our client had been cornered in a parking garage.
Charges reduced
Value is a number someone has to prove.
Felony theft, reduced to a misdemeanor when the store's figure didn't hold up.
Sample matters, shown as illustrations. Every case is different, and past results don't guarantee a similar outcome.
Questions about assault and theft charges
The other person started it. Why was I charged?
Police often charge whoever is still there, or whoever is less hurt. Self-defense has to be raised and proved in court, and we gather what supports it.
I got a letter from the store asking for money. Do I pay it?
Talk to us first. A civil demand is separate from the criminal case, and paying it doesn't make the charge go away.
Can the charge be dropped if the other person doesn't want to go ahead?
Sometimes, but the prosecutor decides, not the complaining witness. Don't contact them about the case yourself.