Assault Defense in Utah County
Simple and aggravated assault charges, defended by an attorney who has evaluated hundreds of these cases from the prosecution side.
If you were arrested or cited for assault anywhere in Utah County, call (435) 294-6806 and say it's urgent. Same-day callbacks for time-sensitive matters.
Assault is one of the broadest charges in the Utah criminal code — broader than most people expect. It doesn't require an injury, and it doesn't even require physical contact. A shove that never lands, a raised fist accompanied by a threat, or a fight where both people threw punches can all lead to an assault charge, and the specific facts of what actually happened usually matter far more than what's written in the initial police report.
What Utah's assault statute actually says
Utah Code § 76-5-102 defines assault as an attempt, with unlawful force or violence, to injure another person; a threat accompanied by a show of immediate force or violence; or an act that causes bodily injury or creates a substantial risk of bodily injury to someone else. Simple assault is a class B misdemeanor, which becomes a class A misdemeanor if the alleged victim suffered substantial bodily injury, or was pregnant and the accused knew it. Aggravated assault — involving a dangerous weapon or force likely to cause serious injury or death — is charged separately under § 76-5-103 and carries felony-level exposure.
What a conviction costs you
A class B misdemeanor carries up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000; a class A misdemeanor carries up to a year and a fine of up to $2,500. Beyond the criminal penalty, an assault conviction — particularly one involving a cohabitant, which triggers Utah's domestic violence procedures — can affect firearm rights, professional licensing, and custody matters well beyond the sentence itself.
Common defenses
Because the statute covers threats and attempts as well as actual contact, a lot of assault cases turn on witness credibility and the sequence of events rather than physical evidence. Self-defense is a recognized defense under Utah law where the force used was reasonable and proportional to a genuine threat — a common scenario in mutual altercations where it isn't obvious from the outside who actually started things. Other common defenses include mistaken identity in a chaotic scene, lack of intent, and challenging whether the alleged injury actually meets the statutory threshold for a class A misdemeanor enhancement. Dallin's experience reviewing these cases as a prosecutor gives him a clear sense of which police narratives hold up under scrutiny and which ones don't.
How to get in touch
If you're facing an assault charge in Utah County, call (435) 294-6806 or email Assistant@LittlefieldLegal.com to schedule a free 30-minute consultation.
Assault questions.
Is assault a felony in Utah?
Simple assault under Utah Code 76-5-102 is always a misdemeanor — a class B misdemeanor generally, or a class A misdemeanor if the victim suffered substantial bodily injury or was pregnant and the person knew it. Aggravated assault, involving a weapon or force likely to cause serious injury, is a separate felony-level charge.
Do you have to actually touch someone to be charged with assault in Utah?
No. Utah's assault statute covers an attempt to cause bodily injury, a threat accompanied by a show of immediate force, or an act that creates a substantial risk of bodily injury — not just actual contact. Many assault charges in Utah involve no physical injury at all.
Is self-defense a valid defense to assault in Utah?
Yes, self-defense is a recognized defense in Utah when the force used was reasonable and proportional to a genuine threat. Whether it applies depends heavily on the specific facts, including who acted first and how much force was actually used.
Charged with assault? Let's talk it through.
The first 30 minutes are free, no obligation. We'll go over what happened and what's realistic.
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