U.S. Capitol building

Attempted Battery Assault in D.C. is a “Specific Intent” Offense

Jamison KoehlerAssault, Legal Concepts/Principles, Opinions/Cases

In law school and in preparing for the Bar Exam, we were taught the distinction between general intent and specific intent crimes. If it is a general intent offense, the government must prove only that the defendant intended to take the physical action that resulted in the harm; that is, that the defendant’s actions were not the result of a …

U.S. Capitol Building

Self-Defense in a D.C. Assault Case

Jamison KoehlerAssault, Defenses to Criminal Charges, Law Practice, Legal Concepts/Principles

Self-defense is an affirmative defense to simple assault and other assault charges in D.C. Self-defense is the use of force to protect oneself, one’s family or one’s property from a real or threatened attack.  It is an affirmative defense, meaning that the defendant has the initial burden of raising it. In D.C., once the defendant has been able to introduce …