Battery is a serious crime in the state of Illinois, and it’s one that can land you behind bars. If you’ve been accused of battery in Rolling Meadows or the surrounding communities, including Chicago, your best bet is to talk to a Rolling Meadows battery defense lawyer as soon as possible. Your attorney can explain the entire court process to you, answer your questions, and ensure that you get the best possible outcome in your case.
What is Battery?
Under Illinois law (720 ILCS 5/12-3, to be specific), battery occurs if a person “knowingly without legal justification by any means (1) causes bodily harm to an individual or (2) makes physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with an individual.”
Typically, battery is a Class A misdemeanor. (It’s different from assault, too, despite the fact that the two terms are often used interchangeably.)
What is Aggravated Battery?
An ordinary battery charge can be escalated to aggravated battery if the person committing the crime:
- Causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement
- Causes severe and permanent disability, great bodily harm, or disfigurement by using a caustic or flammable substance, poisonous gas, deadly biological or chemical contaminants or agent, radioactive substance, a bomb, or an explosive compound
- Causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to a person with the defendant knows is a peace officer, community policing volunteer, firefighter, security guard, correctional institution employee, or Department of Human Services employee who is performing official duties
- Strangles another individual
- Causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to a person who is 60 years of age or older
- Causes great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement to a child under the age of 13 or to any person with a severe more profound intellectual disability
The charge can also be escalated to aggravated battery if the victim is:
- Pregnant
- Older than 60
- A teacher or school employee on school grounds
- A judge
- A utility worker
- An emergency management worker
- An emergency medical technician
- An officer or employee of the State of Illinois
- A transit employee or transit passenger
- A taxi driver on duty
- A merchant who detains the person for an alleged commission of retail theft
- A process server
- A nurse
The use of a firearm also escalates the charge to aggravated battery.
What to Do if You Are Accused of Battery in Rolling Meadows
If police accuse you of committing battery in Rolling Meadows or the surrounding communities, including Chicago, you may find it incredibly helpful to consult with a battery defense lawyer who can help you through this difficult time.
Call us at 847-920-4540 or contact us for a free battery case review right away. The sooner you get in touch with us, the sooner we can begin developing a strategy to get the best possible outcome in your case.
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