Heated debates or arguments can lead to a lot of things. Heartbreak, stress, break-ups, and even lost sleep. While it is not uncommon for someone to get frustrated while in a heated debate, it is very common that these altercations lead to physical abuse of some sort. In these cases, self defense is often used as a defense strategy. Now, self defense may come in many forms. You may defend yourself in a situation with family, friends, or even a stranger. An example of self defense may be when someone approaches you in a bar. To get your attention, they may grab your arm. While this may seem innocent, when you pull away they get upset so they push you. You are unsure of what this person is capable of and are slightly fearful. When they push you, you strike them causing their nose or lip to bleed and walk away. If the cops were called and all factual details of the incident were shared, a law enforcement officer as well as any witnesses may simply say you were defending yourself, and therefore no arrest may be made on you. The more extreme the actions are, the trickier it may get to use self defense as a defense. You will need a criminal defense attorney that can dissect the details of the case and can clearly express who actually committed a crime and who was simply defending themselves.
There comes a time where calling the cops is just not enough. Sometimes, there are no police officers around to save the day, and unfortunately situations escalate and cause civilians to take matters into their own hands. This does not mean they must commit a crime, but if you wait too long you may seriously get hurt or even worse, killed. Do also keep in mind that just because someone started an altercation with you, does not mean every action you take in retaliation is justified and can be considered self defense. To use self defense as a defense in your criminal case there must almost always be an immediate threat to you or the person you. This means, if you or someone you know has been in an abusive relationship with their spouse for years and one night the argument was so intensive and physically painful that the victim decided to wait for a weak moment, maybe while the abuser was asleep or in the shower, to attack; this is not an example of self defense and unfortunately the individual that was once considered a victim will be seen as a suspect.
Self defense can be a very tricky defense used, but if you or someone you know feels they have acted in self defense and may be facing criminal charges because of it, speak with a skilled criminal defense attorney in Decatur, GA, like the office of The Lynch Law Group as soon as possible.