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Virginia Beach Malicious Wounding Defense Attorneys

Malicious wounding involves injuring another person with malicious intent. A person may willfully inflict injuries on someone else in an attempt to seriously hurt or even kill the victim. When an act of violence against another person is willful, it is automatically considered to be malicious in nature. Malicious wounding may involve shooting, stabbing, cutting, beating, or otherwise causing physical harm to another person.

In Virginia, malicious wounding is classified as a Class 3 felony. A Class 3 felony is an extremely serious charge that could lead to significant jail time and massive fines. If the victim of the crime is seriously harmed and suffers significant, permanent physical impairment as a result of the offense, the perpetrator can be charged with a Class 2 felony for aggravated malicious wounding.

Needless to say, you have good reason to be worried if you have been charged with malicious wounding or aggravated malicious wounding. In addition to the penalties imposed by the justice system if you are convicted, you could also face long-lasting consequences in your everyday life. You might lose out on employment opportunities, and you could have trouble securing a loan or finding housing. If you plan to pursue higher education, you may be prevented from obtaining the financial aid you need to pay for school-related costs.

If you were arrested on malicious wounding charges in Virginia Beach, it is crucial to contact an experienced Virginia Beach malicious wounding attorney from Pincus Goodman, P.C., right away to discuss your options. We have the skills and resources to help you understand your rights and seek a favorable outcome in your case. Call us today at (757) 301-9634 for a confidential consultation.

Penalties for Malicious Wounding

A general malicious wounding charge is categorized as a Class 3 felony. According to the Virginia Code (§ 18.2-10), Class 3 felonies are punishable by a minimum prison sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 20 years, as well as up to $100,000 in fines. Aggravated malicious wounding is a Class 2 felony, which is punishable by 20 years to life in prison, plus a fine not exceeding $100,000.

If you are convicted of malicious wounding, you could be looking at decades in prison, not to mention tens of thousands of dollars in fines. You will need a skilled criminal defense lawyer who can build a strong challenge to the prosecution’s case. If you try to navigate the legal system on your own, without proper representation, you are far more likely to end up facing steep penalties.

Possible Defenses to a Malicious Wounding Charge

The Virginia Beach attorneys of Pincus Goodman, P.C., have successfully defended clients against malicious wounding and aggravated malicious wounding charges in Virginia. Some defenses we have used in the past include:

  • Mistaken identity – the victim misidentified the perpetrator
  • The act was not committed with malice – the victim provoked the defendant to attack, and the attack was not malicious in nature
  • The defendant lacked intent – the perpetrator has no plans to carry out the act in advance
  • Self-defense – the victim was physically harmed because the defendant felt as though they were in danger

These are just a few examples of potential arguments we could use to build a defense on your behalf. We will conduct a comprehensive investigation into the incident, identify and interview witnesses who may have seen the incident occur, and use the evidence we gather to demonstrate that you did not act maliciously.

Contact a Virginia Beach Malicious Wounding Defense Lawyer Today


If you have been charged with malicious wounding, contact the Virginia Beach attorneys of Pincus Goodman, P.C., today for a case evaluation. Our team has extensive experience helping clients who have been charged with malicious wounding get their charges reduced or even, in some cases, dropped. Call us at (757) 301-9634 to schedule an appointment.

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