We Fight to Protect Your Rights

After a long week at work, it sometimes feels good to kick back with your buddies and hit a few bars. Everyone is having fun, trading stories and having some laughs.
But sometimes, a fun night out with friends can go wrong. It may be a perceived insult or a misunderstanding. Before you know it, fists are thrown, and your night out ends as a night in jail.
What can trigger a criminal charge?
It may seem like a minor scuffle, but bar fights can lead to charges ranging from misdemeanors to felonies, depending on several factors, including:

The severity of the injuries: If the fight resulted in only a few bruises and scrapes, misdemeanor charges may be considered. However, if someone sustained serious injuries, such as broken bones or a traumatic brain injury, the charge could become a felony.
Use of weapons: Weapons don’t just refer to guns or knives. It could be anything used to inflict harm, such as a beer bottle or pool cue. Even if no one is hurt, using a weapon could result in a felony charge.
Intent: Did you mean to hurt someone, or was it just a bad situation that escalated? Prosecutors will look to see if your actions were intentional or just a result of excess alcohol and heightened emotions.
Criminal history: If the prosecutor sees that you have been in similar situations before, they could argue that it’s part of a pattern and seek harsher penalties.

However, there are several potential defenses for your predicament, such as:

Someone attacked you first, and you used reasonable force to protect yourself.
You stepped in to protect someone else.
The incident was accidental, such as you bumped into someone in a crowded space, which sparked a confrontation.
It wasn’t you. The scene was chaotic, and a witness misidentified who was involved in the fight.

If you’ve been arrested for a bar fight, you should seek legal guidance. This can help you review the situation and build a strong defense. Your life shouldn’t be ruined because a night out with friends went wrong.