Q: If charged with second degree assault would it be good to take anger management classes before going to court?
A: I certainly would not hurt, but it is not necessarily the best option as many jurisdictions have specific programs they will require the defendant to enroll in as part of any deal or term of probation, so you may end up spending time and money twice and without real benefit. This is particularly true for domestic violence related assaults. Hire a lawyer and let the lawyer review the facts and circumstances in private, and make the appropriate recommendations to guide you and represent your best interests. There are many ways to address these types of cases, but the goal is to come out of this with no guilty finding and no conviction, and keeping your record clean. An experienced lawyer will be your best chance of reaching those goals.
Stephen P. Shepard agrees with this answer
A: Unless you are absolutely sure that you will be found not guilty, I would highly recommend anger management classes to you if you were my client and facing an assault charge. Many people do not realize this, but anger management classes can be taken online. You no longer have to sit through a boring class with other people. Most, if not all, of my clients, prefer the online class method. However, some online classes are more reputable than others. That is one way in which an experienced criminal defense attorney can be of great assistance to you.
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