Source: https://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/resources/criminal-offense/georgia-assault-battery-laws.htm
Timestamp: 2020-03-30 16:24:12
Document Index: 171663900

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 16', '§ 16', '§ 17', '§ 17', '§ 16', '§ 16']

Georgia Simple & Aggravated Assault and Battery Laws | CriminalDefenseLawyer.com
In Georgia, assault and battery crimes consist of simple assault, aggravated assault, simple battery, battery, and aggravated battery. Penalties vary for each vary.
The Georgia legislature also has criminalized, as a misdemeanor, any attempt to injure an unborn child. Exceptions include conduct related to an authorized abortion and medical treatment for the pregnant woman or unborn child. (Actually and intentionally harming an unborn child is classified as a battery offense that is also a misdemeanor and has equivalent exceptions.)
(Ga. Code Ann. §§ 16-5-28, 16-5-29).
(Ga. Code Ann. § § 16-5-20, 16-5-23, 16-5-23.1).
A person convicted of a misdemeanor faces the following penalties:
up to one year in jail or a fine up to $1000 or both
up to one year in a probation or diversion center
probation up to one year, and/or
(Ga. Code Ann. § 17-10-3).
Penalties for Aggravated Misdemeanors
The penalties for aggravated misdemeanor are:
up to one year in jail or a fine up to $5000 or both
(Ga. Code Ann. § 17-10-4).
Someone who is convicted of a second or subsequent battery against the same victim (for example, convicted of battery against a family member one year and then against the same family member again the next year) is subject to enhanced penalties. Eventually, after multiple convictions, that defendant could face a felony charge for a battery.
(Ga. Code. Ann. § 16-5-23.1).
For anyone who is convicted of a second or subsequent assault or simple battery against a family member, or battery against any victim, notice of the conviction must be published in a newspaper in the community in which the offender resides, along with the offender’s mug shot.
(Ga. Code Ann. § 16-5-26).
The court can impose probation instead of jail time for the entire sentence, or after the defendant has spent some time in jail. For instance, a judge in a simple battery case can sentence a defendant to thirty days in jail and eleven months on probation.
Anyone convicted of assault or battery in Georgia can be required to pay restitution, which means reimbursing the victim for any expenses resulting from the crime, such as the cost of medical treatment or counseling.
If you are facing a charge of assault or battery in Georgia, an attorney can investigate the case and determine if you were wrongfully charged or there are other reasons why the case should be dismissed before trial. If the charges are not dismissed, an attorney may be able to negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecutor on your behalf, or prepare a defense and represent you at trial if you believe you have been wrongly accused or if there are no reasonable plea options. Prosecutors often will negotiate and agree to let the defendant plead guilty to a different, less serious crime. Or, the prosecutor may agree to a lighter sentence, such as probation, in exchange for a plea of guilty to the charge.
A conviction for a misdemeanor becomes part of your permanent criminal record except in some circumstances. If you are convicted later of another crime, the court can consider your prior conviction and impose a harsher sentence in the new case. A criminal record—even a misdemeanor conviction, and particularly a conviction for a violent crime—can hurt you when you are looking for a job or applying to rent a house or apartment.