Defense of others is one of several justifications recognized by courts in assault cases in New Jersey.
Similarly to self-defense, defense of others is an argument that force was required to protect another from the threat of serious injury or death.
As with self-defense, the law requires that you were not the initial aggressor in the altercation, that your use of force was proportional to the threat to the party you defended, and that there were no viable options to fulfill the “duty to retreat” requirement.
Self-defense and defense of others are both powerful arguments against an assault charge when properly employed.
An experienced New Jersey criminal defense attorney can develop a robust defense when you took action to protect another person from harm.
Call Matthew Reisig at 732-625-9661 today to talk to an experienced New Jersey assault attorney and fight back against improper charges against you.