When people hear the term “assault,” they often imagine a scenario where one person punches another person causing physical harm, but you don’t actually need to physically hurt someone to be convicted of assault. Under Minnesota law, a person commits assault if they commit an act that intentionally inflicts or attempts to inflict bodily harm on another person, or they commit an act with the intent to cause fear of immediate bodily harm or death. This means that you can be charged with assault for threatening someone with physical violence.
But what kind of penalties could you face if you are arrested and charged with assault? We explore five potential penalties in today’s blog.
Potential Assault Penalties
Here are five possible penalties you’ll face if convicted of assault in Minnesota:
1. Jail Time – Jail is certainly a possibility if you’re convicted of assault. If it’s your first offense and you are only charged with a misdemeanor, you can probably avoid spending any time in jail, but if you have multiple convictions on your record, or you cause substantial bodily harm, odds are you’ll be spending some time in jail. Depending on your situation, a plea deal may be your best bet if your ultimate goal is to stay out of jail.
2. Fines – A fine is probably the most common consequence you’ll face in the wake of an assault charge. A misdemeanor assault charge carries a fine of no more than $1,000, while a gross misdemeanor carries a potential fine of up to $3,000. A felony carries an even higher possible fine, and there’s always the chance the victim could pursue damages in civil court.
3. Probation – You may also be placed on probation in the wake of an assault charge. Probation can include many different rules and regulations, but essentially it requires the person to stay out of trouble for a set period of time, or they can face harsher consequences.
4. Counseling – Depending on the circumstances of your assault arrest, you may also be ordered to undergo some sort of counseling after your assault conviction. This may be in the form of anger management courses, or if alcohol played a role in your crime, alcohol and substance counseling may be ordered by the court.
5. Community Service – Judges like to impose penalties that better the community, so community service is a common sentencing agreement. Sometimes the judge orders a specific task be completed for community service, while other times they only order a set amount of hours that need to be completed.
