Criminal Threatening

Portland Criminal Threatening Defense Lawyer | Maine Criminal Defense

In Maine, criminal threatening is defined as the act of knowingly or intentionally putting another person in fear of bodily harm. Maine Law Title 17-A, §209 states that criminal threatening is a Class D crime, which makes it a misdemeanor. Even as a misdemeanor, this doesn’t mean that you should bypass hiring a Portland criminal threatening defense lawyer to represent you throughout the case. There are criminal penalties if convicted, and a criminal offense can lead to collateral consequences, such as issues passing background checks.

The Law Office of Richard Berne has extensive criminal defense experience. If you or a loved one is accused of making a criminal threat, you can have an experienced advocate helping you secure the best outcome in the case.

Domestic Violence And Criminal Threatening

Criminal threatening is common in domestic violence cases. In fact, it can be referred to as “domestic violence terrorizing.” If a person threatens their domestic partner or anyone within the household, then they can be charged with criminal threatening. Threats to stab, strangle, or hit a person is a criminal threat.

All it takes is a simple threat to result in a charge. There are different defense strategies that can be used in these cases. However, every detail must be used in conjunction with the law to build a solid defense.

Challenging Criminal Threatening Penalties

If convicted of criminal threatening, the penalty can be up to one year in jail and a fine of up to $2,000. The same penalty applies to domestic violence criminal threatening cases. A domestic violence case can also lead to up to two years of probation and mandatory enrollment in a Certified Batters Intervention Program that lasts 48 weeks.

In domestic cases, violating a protection order, violating probation, or committing the offense again can lead to probation revocation, which means the defendant, if convicted of a violation, is sent to jail for up to 118 days. Sometimes, a short sentence of 7 days is given as a warning.

It’s important to challenge these charges so that you can minimize the legal and collateral consequences. Your defense attorney will advocate for you, protect your rights, and advise you throughout the entire process.

Contact A Portland Criminal Threatening Defense Lawyer

If you or a loved one has been accused of criminal threatening, the representation of an experienced criminal attorney can make a difference in the outcome of the case. To learn more about how the Law Office of Richard Berne can help, call 207-871-7770 to request a free consultation.