Notes from practice · D.C. Superior Court
Simple assault charge dismissed in D.C. Superior Court
Jamison Koehler
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09/21/2026
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The government recently dismissed a simple assault charge against a Koehler Law client in Washington, D.C. The dismissal came after the defense produced evidence supporting...
Burglary, robbery and assault charges dismissed in D.C. Superior Court
The government recently dismissed burglary, robbery, and assault charges against a Koehler Law client in D.C. Superior Court. The key to the case was investigation....
Resisting arrest charges dismissed in D.C.
Resisting arrest charges against a Koehler Law client were dismissed recently by the government. This was after our trusty investigator Robert Kapler secured surveillance recordings...
On “offensive touching” assault in D.C.
The defendant “poked” the complainant somewhere on the body after having been specifically admonished not to do so. Such an “offensive touching” constituted a criminal assault. ...
On the right to testify in Graves v. U.S.
Jamison Koehler
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03/01/2021
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It is reversible error for the trial judge to prohibit the defendant from testifying that he was acting in self-defense when the court had already...
“Touching” versus “feeling” in Augustin v. United States
For purposes of the misdemeanor sexual assault of minors statute, the D.C. Court of Appeals refused to limit the definition of “touch” to the act...
Good judge. Bad person.
A D.C. Superior Court judge — always one of my favorites — retires abruptly after being accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl....
“Intent-to-frighten” assault in D.C.
“Intent-to-frighten” assault is defined as threatening or menacing conduct that is intended to cause the victim to fear immediate bodily injury....
Is spitting on someone simple assault in D.C.?
Spitting on someone would satisfy the definition of an “offensive touching” provided that the government could prove that the defendant’s actions were intentional and not...
Excessive force is still the standard for self-defense in an APO case
The standard for asserting self-defense in an assault case involving a police officer is still whether or not the police officer used excessive force during...
Can I expunge a criminal record for simple assault?
A criminal record for simple assault in D.C. can be sealed either immediately on the grounds of actual innocence or after two years in the...
High v. U.S.: Cross Words and Police Officers
I tried to argue a while back that, when it comes to D.C.’s statute on Threats to do Bodily Harm, parking enforcement officers should be...
I wanted to hit the complainant myself
I wanted to hit him myself. This is what I tell my client after speaking with the complainant in a simple assault case. My client...
Teneyck v. U.S.: What is Significant Bodily Injury Under the Felony Assault Statute?
The D.C. Court of Appeals has issued a number of opinions over the last couple of years in which it has refined the definition of...
Gayden v. U.S.: Interpreting the “Resist” and “Intimidate” Provisions of D.C.’s APO Statute
In Cheeks v. United States, a case issued a couple of months ago, the D.C. Court of Appeals interpreted the “interfere” provision of D.C.’s Assault...