Are you looking for an assault lawyer in New Hampshire?
At Becker Legal, we provide assault representation grounded in 8 years of work on behalf of clients in New Hampshire.
If you’ve been charged with assault in New Hampshire, the case usually comes down to two people’s accounts of the same few seconds. Police tend to arrest based on the first account they hear. Our New Hampshire assault lawyer makes sure the second account gets a full hearing, with the witnesses, video, and records that support it.
Becker Legal has defended assault charges across the state for 8 years, from simple assault complaints in the district division to felony cases in superior court. We charge flat fees, with payment arrangements available. We’re glad to sit down with you and go through the charge.
Assault Lawyer New Hampshire
An assault attorney represents people accused of causing or threatening physical harm to another person. In New Hampshire, that covers a wide range, from a shove during an argument to a felony charge involving serious injury. The lawyer’s job is to hold the state to its proof, present the defense side of what happened, and protect the client from consequences that reach well beyond the sentence.
New Hampshire police agencies reported 865 aggravated assaults in 2024, according to state crime statistics compiled by the Department of Safety, and about 61 percent of those cases were cleared, most often by an arrest. Simple assault charges are filed far more often. An assault lawyer in New Hampshire handles both ends of that range, and the approach differs depending on where a case falls.
Types of Assault Cases We Handle in New Hampshire
New Hampshire’s assault laws sort charges by the harm alleged, the mental state involved, and the relationship between the people. Our New Hampshire assault attorneys handle every classification, and we take the misdemeanors as seriously as the felonies because a first conviction shapes everything that follows.
- Simple assault. Unwanted physical contact or minor injury, typically charged as a misdemeanor. Many of these cases begin with a disagreement that got physical, and the question of who started it is often unresolved when police arrive.
- Second-degree assault. A felony involving serious bodily injury, reckless conduct that causes injury, or certain acts like choking. The state has to prove both the injury and the mental state, and both can be contested.
- First-degree assault. The most serious assault classification, reserved for cases involving intentional serious injury or a deadly weapon. These cases go to superior court and require a defense built for a jury.
- Domestic violence. An assault against a family or household member or an intimate partner carries added consequences, including bail conditions, protective orders, and restrictions on firearms. We handle the criminal case and the related civil proceedings together.
- Criminal threatening. A threat of violence, made in words or by conduct, can be charged even when no one was touched. Context is everything in these cases, and we make sure it’s in front of the court.
- Reckless conduct. Placing someone at risk of serious injury, whether or not anyone was hurt, is a separate charge that often accompanies an assault count.
- Assault with a weapon. Using or displaying a weapon during an alleged assault raises the classification and may bring firearm charges alongside it. These cases are treated as felonies and defended accordingly.
- Self-defense cases. When our client was the one under attack, the defense is built around establishing that the force used was reasonable. That means gathering evidence early, before the state’s version of events hardens.
Why Choose Becker Legal as my Assault Lawyer in New Hampshire?
Experience on Both Sides of Domestic Violence Cases
Leif Becker has volunteered with the New Hampshire DOVE Project, representing survivors of domestic violence at protective order hearings, and HAVEN NH gave him its Life Changer Award in 2020 for that work. The New Hampshire Bar Association followed with its Pro Bono Rising Star Award in 2021. He has also defended people accused of domestic assault for 8 years.
That combination matters in practice. Mr. Becker knows how a petition for a protective order is put together and what the court is weighing when it decides one. He knows what evidence advocates gather and how it’s presented. When the person on the other side of a case is our client, that understanding shapes the defense.
Statewide Representation From the Seacoast
Clients hire Becker Legal as their criminal defense lawyer in New Hampshire for assault charges of every classification, from a first simple assault complaint to a felony case headed for superior court. Our practice is based in Portsmouth, but the cases come from across the state, and the courts we appear in run from the Seacoast to the western counties. Clients who have trusted us with assault charges have described what that representation looked like for them.
We work on flat fees so the cost of the defense is known from the start.
Understanding Assault Cases
What Is The Assault Case Timeline?
An assault case in New Hampshire begins with an arrest or a summons and moves through the courts on a schedule set by the charge level. Misdemeanors stay in the circuit court district division. Felonies go to the county superior court.
- Arrest and bail, where a bail commissioner or judge sets conditions, often including no contact with the alleged victim
- Arraignment, where the charge is read and a plea is entered
- Discovery, when the police reports, witness statements, photographs, and any video are turned over
- Motions, if the arrest, the statements, or the evidence give us grounds to challenge the case
- Trial or resolution, whether by dismissal, a negotiated plea, a bench trial in district court, or a jury trial in superior court
Misdemeanor assault cases often resolve within a few months. Felony cases, which require indictment, usually take longer. A related protective order case in the family or district division runs on its own schedule and can be decided before the criminal case is resolved.
Charges, Penalties, and Defense Strategies for Assault Cases
New Hampshire classifies assault by the seriousness of the injury and the state of mind of the person accused. Simple assault is generally a misdemeanor. Second-degree and first-degree assault are felonies. Each level carries its own range of penalties, and every conviction creates a record that employers, landlords, and licensing boards can see. Assault convictions involving a family or household member also carry firearms consequences under federal law.
Defense strategies depend on the facts, but most assault cases raise one of these questions.
- Whether the contact happened the way the complaint describes. Witnesses, surveillance footage, and phone records often tell a different story than the first 911 call.
- Whether the injury supports the charge. What counts as bodily harm affects the classification, and medical records don’t always match the allegation.
- Whether our client was defending themselves or someone else. New Hampshire recognizes the right to use reasonable force, and a well-documented self-defense claim can end a case.
- Whether the mental state can be proven. Purposeful, knowing, and reckless conduct are different things, and the difference can move a charge from a felony to a misdemeanor.
When the evidence is strong, mitigation and negotiation become the focus. A reduced charge or an agreed sentence can protect a job, a professional license, or a custody arrangement in ways a trial verdict can’t guarantee.
What Are Important Aspects of an Assault Case?
A few things shape assault cases more than most people expect, and they tend to come up in the first days after the arrest.
- Bail conditions. A no-contact order can prevent you from going home or seeing your children. We address these conditions early, and we make sure clients understand that violating one is a separate charge.
- The alleged victim’s role. The state brings the case, not the other person. A complaining witness who wants to drop the charges can’t do that alone, but their position still matters and has to be handled carefully.
- Protective orders. A civil petition often follows a domestic assault arrest. The hearing comes quickly, the standard of proof is lower, and the result affects the criminal case. A protective order also brings its own restrictions.
- Statements. What you say to police, to the other person, or on social media becomes evidence. The best time to stop talking about the case is immediately.
What Should You Bring to Your Assault Consultation?
Whatever paperwork and evidence you already have will help, and we can request the rest from the court and the police.
- The complaint, bail order, and any court date notices
- Any protective order petition or hearing notice you’ve received
- Names and contact information for anyone who saw what happened
- Photographs of any injuries you have, and of the scene if you took any
- Text messages, call logs, or social media exchanges with the other person
At the consultation we’ll walk through what happened and explain where the charge could end up. You’ll get a flat-fee quote before you leave, and our New Hampshire assault attorney will tell you which parts of the state’s case look strongest and which look weakest.
New Hampshire Courthouses and Local Criminal Justice Resources
Where an assault case is heard depends on the charge and the county where the incident happened. Misdemeanors go to the circuit court district division for that area; felonies go to the county’s superior court.
- How the courts work in New Hampshire, from the Judicial Branch, explaining which cases the circuit, superior, and supreme courts handle.
- Court locations statewide, listing every district division and superior court with addresses, hours, and directions.
- Criminal case jurisdiction for the district division, including misdemeanor and violation-level offenses.
- Protective order guides from the Judicial Branch, written for both the person filing a petition and the person responding to one.
These resources are listed for reference only. Becker Legal is not affiliated with these agencies and does not endorse any outside organization.
Reach Out to Becker Legal to Schedule a Consultation
The days right after an assault arrest are when the most useful evidence still exists and the fewest mistakes have been made. Our New Hampshire assault lawyers work on a flat fee with payment arrangements available, and the total is agreed in advance. When you contact us, we’ll set a time to go through what happened and explain your options. You’ll hear back from us quickly, whether the arrest was yesterday or the trial is next month. Contact us to schedule a consultation about your assault charge.