About Charges of Battery Under Massachusetts Law

If you are convicted of assault, or assault and battery, you can be sentenced for up to 2-1/2 years in prison and subject to a fine of up to $1,000. If you are convicted of causing bodily harm to someone who has a restraining order against you, you could be facing up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.

It’s relatively rare for a person in the state of Massachusetts to be charged with simple battery, the legal term for the act of physically contacting another person without his or her consent. Most often, the alleged perpetrator of an act of violent physical contact will be charged with assault and battery, the  “assault”  part referring to the intent to commit violence and the “battery” part to the violence itself.

Without the assault (i.e., the intent), an act of battery can often be construed as a simple accident—say, swinging your arm without being aware that another person was walking behind you.

Even so, simple battery is a serious charge, especially if the alleged victim is a child or spouse. If you’ve been charged with battery, with or without an accompanying charge of assault, the attorneys at the Law Offices of Gerald J. Noonan can help to establish whether you were indeed culpable for the act, or if it was simply an accident. Our attorneys may also be able to convince the judge or district attorney to drop all charges, with no stain on your permanent record that would otherwise make it difficult to obtain a mortgage or find a job.

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Our knowledgeable and experienced Brockton criminal defense law attorneys at The Law Offices of Gerald J. Noonan are available to assist clients throughout all of Southeast Massachusetts, including but not limited to Brockton, Taunton, Bridgewater, Weymouth, Hingham, Quincy, Plymouth, Marshfield, Attleboro, Canton, Stoughton and all smaller cities and rural areas in Southern Massachusetts. We also serve the counties of Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol, Massachusetts.

No matter where you are located, we are just a phone call away. Call us to schedule a free no-obligation case review and consultation at (508) 588-0422 and you will have taken your first step to find out how best to confront this important matter. You can also click here to use our Free Case Evaluation Form.

Our knowledgeable and experienced Greater Boston Drug Offense Lawyers at The Law Offices of Gerald J. Noonan are available to assist clients throughout all of Southeast Massachusetts, including but not limited to Brockton, Taunton, Bridgewater, Easton, Norton, Randolp, Holbrock, Abington, Hingham, Quincy, Plymouth, Marshfield, Attleboro, Braintree, Rockland, Hanover, Duxbury,Whitman, Hanson, Halifax, Middleborough, Raynham, Mansfield, Avon, Canton, Stoughton and all smaller cities and rural areas in Southern Massachusetts. We also serve the counties of Plymouth, Norfolk, Bristol, Massachusetts.