If you are charged with an assault crime or domestic violence, our firm may be able to assert that you acted in self-defense and are not guilty. In Michigan, under certain circumstances it is a defense to the crime of assault or domestic violence if you acted in self-defense. Michigan laws recognize that you can claim self-defense if you are charged with simple misdemeanor assault or a more serious crime, such as felony assault with intent to do great bodily harm.

Self Defense

The test for self-defense is whether a defendant honestly and reasonably believed he or she was in danger of imminent death or serious bodily harm and used only the amount of force that appeared immediately necessary to protect against that danger. The test of honest belief means only that a defendant's conduct should be judged from the circumstances as they appeared to him at the time. The right of self-defense commences when necessity, real or apparent, begins, and ends when it ceases.

Our criminal defense lawyers are alert to situations where our clients may have acted to protect themselves or to restrain someone who is aggressive. It may even be a situation where a gun or weapon was used in self-defense.

Case Result In Macomb County Circuit Court: Our client was charged with "assault with intent to murder" after hitting someone over the head with a shotgun at a nighttime gathering. The person hit with the gun was seriously injured and required numerous sutures to close the gruesome head wound. At trial we argued self-defense on behalf of our client because the other person was acting irrationally, combative and lunged towards our client. Our client was found not guilty. The court ruled that the defendant had every reason to believe that serious injury would result to himself if he did not act in self-defense.

The ABDO LAW FIRM has effectively defended clients charged with domestic violence or assault crimes in all Macomb County courts. We have obtained dismissals in criminal assault cases where the evidence supports self-defense.