Calgary Criminal Lawyer David Chow

Calgary Assault Lawyer

(403) 452-8018

assault LAWYER | CALGARY

DEFENDING assault CASES in calgary since 1999

FREE CONSULTATION: (403) 452-8018

calgary assault lawyer


In criminal law “assault” is any direct or indirect intentional and non-consensual physical touching of another person.  The concepts of “direct” and “indirect” physical touching are important because to commit an assault a person need not actually (or directly) touch the complainant.  An assaultive gesture may constitute an indirect assault.  With this in mind, it is important to understand that a criminal assault does not require a degree of force.

There are a variety of types of assault.  The most basic kind of assault is often called a “common assault”.  This kind of assault usually attracts the lightest type of sentences.  More serious kinds of assault are those that involve weapons and/or bodily injury.  Accordingly, there are separate charges for “assault with a weapon”, “assault causing bodily harm” and “aggravated assault”.  The elements to each of these aggravated versions speak for themselves.  For example, assault with a weapon entails the use of a weapon. Assault causing bodily harm results in injury that is neither trivial nor transitory. Aggravated assault involves reasonable foreseeability that the assault will “wound”, “maim” or “disfigure”.

As the seriousness of the assault increases, the sanction or sentence attracted increases.  
The importance of defending an assault charge is obvious. If convicted you will likely have a criminal record.  Since assault is a crime of violence, there is some possibility that your ability to travel abroad may be restricted.

Defending an assault involves consideration of a myriad of defences: self defence, consent, identification, de minimus, mens rea and actus reus.

I understand all of the available defences.  I have researched the law relating to all types of assaults and have experience cross-examining complainants regarding their role in the altercation.  I routinely successfully defend assault allegations and regularly obtain favourable results without having to litigate the charge(s) at trial.

For a Calgary criminal lawyer who defends assault, uttering threats and all crimes of violence call 403.452.8018.  

David Chow defends cases in Calgary, Lethbridge, Brooks, Cochrane and throughout Alberta.

Practice Areas

Recent Case Results

R. v. L.D.L.

R. v. L.D.L.

(Calgary, P. C. - Assault Causing Bodily Harm). In Canada, there are several kinds of assault. Common assault (sometimes referred to as "simple assault") is defined as a non-consensual touching of another.  Proof of a degree of force is not required to prove an assault. ...
R. v. N.B.B.

R. v. N.B.B.

(Medicine Hat, P. C. - Domestic Assault). Assault is a commonly charged criminal offence. Domestic assault is likely one of the most prevalent offences dealt with by criminal law courts today. For approximately the last two-decades, criminal law courts in Alberta have had courtrooms dedicated specifically to cases of domestic violence. ...
R. v. L.K.

R. v. L.K.

(Cochrane, P. C. - Domestic Assault). The practice of criminal law is not only about the law and procedure, it is often a practice between people who have a genuine interest in responding to a situation without making things worse by way of the imposition of a criminal record. LK's case was precisely this type of case. L. K. ...
R. v. K.K.A

R. v. K.K.A

(Calgary, P. C. - Assault Causing Bodily Harm). KKA was charged with assault causing bodily harm arising from an alleged attack in a parking lot in Calgary. The police investigation consisted of a video depicting an assault. Notwithstanding the video, KKA had a plethora of defences, including "identification". ...
R. v. K.D.

R. v. K.D.

(Okotoks, P. C. - Assault Causing Bodily Harm). KD was charged with assault causing bodily harm arising from a physical altercation with a family member. The trial was heard in Okotoks by an experienced and erudite Provincial Court Judge. The issues in KD revolved around self defence and credibility. ...
R. v. I.L.

R. v. I.L.

(Calgary, P. C. - Assault). There are generally 4 paths to defending an assault or assault type allegation: (1) did not occur, (2) identification, (3) self defence or (4) consensual fight. Had the case of IL going to trial, it is likely that three of four defences would have applied. ...
R. v. M.D.D.

R. v. M.D.D.

(Calgary, P. C. - Aggravated Assault). MDD was charged with aggravated assault arising from a one-punch incident that occurred outside of a downtown nightclub in Calgary, Alberta. MDD was found "not guilty" after trial after the judge agreed that MDD acted in "self defence". Self defence is a "defence of justification". ...
R. v. T.C.C

R. v. T.C.C

(Red Deer, P. C. - Assault Causing Bodily Harm).  In any assault case a competent criminal defence lawyer will immediately evaluate the defences of justification: consensual fight and self defence. TCC was charged with assault causing bodily harm. Both defences of justification had an air of reality. ...
R. v. D.L.L.

R. v. D.L.L.

(Calgary, P. C. - Assault/Child Abuse). DLL was charged with assaulting  a child. DLL was not only "not guilty", DLL was innocent. The evidence to support the case against DLL came from a self serving witness and a medical practitioner who offered arguably unreasonable opinions. ...