zlacker

> Assault charges but not physical violence?

Physical violence is battery.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/assault_and_battery

"Assault refers to the wrong act of causing someone to reasonably fear imminent harm. This means that the fear must be something a reasonable person would foresee as threatening to them. Battery refers to the actual wrong act of physically harming someone."

>>ceejay+(OP)
Not always. For example: oregon doesn't have battery, it is all assault. Just varies in degree (4th->1st).

>>ceejay+(OP)
Regardless, it's pretty brutal to have such poor legal representation that an act with no real physical attack couldn't be pled down to a misdemeanor.

>>nsxwol+1e
Misdemeanor is still a criminal record.

>>whidde+pB
The impact is absolutely nothing like a felony conviction.