Chicago Assault & Battery Lawyer

Anyone can get angry. You may shake your fist at someone or say things you otherwise regret when you feel enraged, but most people never actually mean it when they threaten violence. They’re just expressing the intense emotion they feel at the moment and then they cool down. However, under the wrong circumstances, when you threaten, shove, or hit someone in the heat of an argument you may find yourself charged with assault, battery, or domestic violence in Illinois. These are serious criminal charges that can result in jail time and costly fines. In some cases, they may be felonies with life-altering effects in which working alongside a Chicago assault and battery lawyer may be your strongest defense.

Whether a misdemeanor or a felony, being found guilty of assault, battery, or domestic violence in Illinois can have many serious consequences, including:

  • You may have to serve a jail or prison sentence
  • You may have to pay thousands of dollars in fines, court fees, and restitution to the victim
  • You may have to serve supervised probation and face additional consequences if you violate any terms of your probation
  • You may be ordered to perform community service
  • You will have a permanent criminal record that can show up on a background check for a job or rental housing application
  • You may lose custody of your children or be denied visitation rights
  • You may have a restraining order placed against you that limits who you can contact and the places you can go
  • You may lose or be denied a license to practice law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, teaching or another licensed profession
  • You may lose your immigration visa or work permit, be denied citizenship application, or be deported if you’re a non-citizen

If you’ve been charged with assault, battery, or domestic violence, it may be the case that your actions were misunderstood or misinterpreted. Or you may not have done anything at all and may have been falsely accused because someone else was feeling hurt or angry, or perhaps you were legally justified in your actions such as defending yourself from being harmed. There are two sides — sometimes more — to the story of every assault, battery, or domestic violence charge.

Illinois criminal defense lawyer Michael O’Meara is here to listen to your side of the story and help ensure that it’s heard by police and prosecutors — and a judge or jury, if necessary. When all of the facts are revealed, you may have options for fighting your assault charge and getting it dismissed or reduced so that the consequences of this type of offense don’t follow you for years to come.

Skilled Defense for Your Illinois Assault Charge

Michael O’Meara is a skilled and experienced Chicago criminal defense attorney who has been in practice for more than 20 years, including prior experience as a prosecutor in Cook County. He has taken countless criminal cases to trial and has a proven track record of successfully defending people charged with these types of crimes.

He understands every facet of the criminal justice system in Illinois — including how to build successful arguments for the defense of your criminal charge. He is skilled at analyzing the facts and evidence in criminal cases, finding the flaws in the case against you, and helping you to achieve the best possible resolution of your criminal charge.

When you hire Michael O’Meara, you’ll get a dedicated Illinois criminal defense attorney who provides personal service to each client that includes straightforward and consistent communication about your case and the legal process, and an honest explanation of your options and possible outcomes.

You’ll also get an attorney who is passionate about justice and who understands what is at stake for you when you’re charged with a crime. He’ll fight to protect and preserve your rights through police investigations and the criminal court process — and to help you avoid or reduce the potential consequences that an assault, battery, or domestic violence charge can have on your future.

Contact an Experienced Chicago Assault & Battery Lawyer

Chicago criminal defense lawyer Michael O’Meara has extensive experience successfully handling a wide variety of Illinois criminal charges, including:

  • Assault — In Illinois, you may be charged with assault when you behave in a way that you know makes someone else afraid that you’ll commit violence against them. An example of a criminal assault in Illinois may include shaking your fist at someone and telling them you’re going to punch them, if they reasonably fear that you’ll follow through on the threat of violence. Assault can be a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the circumstances of the offense.
  • Aggravated Assault — Additionally, if there were factors that heightened the seriousness of an assault, such acting aggressively towards someone in a public place, assaulting a protected person, or brandishing a weapon then you may be charged with aggravated assault. Depending on the unique circumstances, aggravated assault can be considered a felony or a misdemeanor and is punishable by some very harsh penalties including substantial fines and possible jail time.
  • Battery — You may be charged with battery in Illinois when you cause another person physical harm or make physical contact with them that is provoking or insulting. Battery could include throwing a punch, but also could include grabbing someone’s shirt in a fit of rage, if the action is considered provoking or insulting. Battery can be a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the circumstances of the offense.
  • Aggravated Battery — If factors exist that enhance a battery case, the severity of the offense, and in turn, the possible penalties can intensify. The aggravating factor might be the manner in which you allegedly harmed the victim, the victim’s protected status, or the place where the alleged battery took place.
  • Domestic Violence — You may be charged with the crime of domestic battery when the offense is committed against a member of your family or household, such as a romantic partner with whom you live or even a platonic roommate. Like other forms of battery, domestic battery can be a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the circumstances of the offense.

If you have been charged with assault, battery, or domestic violence in Chicago or the surrounding area, call O’Meara Law LLC today at 312-909-0706 to schedule a consultation about your case and to hear your options for fighting your criminal charge.

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O’Meara Law LLC and this website are owned and controlled by Michael S. O’Meara, a licensed attorney in the State of Illinois. The information and visual assets on this website are for informational purposes only, are not legal advice or opinion, and do not create an attorney client relationship at anytime. Photos and videos on this website contain portrayals of clients by non-clients, re-enactment of scenes, pictures and persons which are not actual or authentic and depictions which are a dramatization. The information is not intended to create, and any receipt thereof does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship, nor does your use of any part of this website create or constitute an attorney-client privilege. No person or organization should act upon any information on this site without first seeking professional legal counsel, nor is it a substitute for the professional judgment of an attorney. O’Meara Law LLC cannot and does not represent you until after the client intake process is completed, and we reserve the right to accept or decline representing any person or organization in any matter. Do not send us any confidential information about any matter until you receive a notice from us advising you that we represent you.