Q: Options for minor's assault charge after school fight in Washington.
My 17-year-old niece is being charged with assault in the fourth degree as an adult, based on an incident that occurred in October 2024 at her school. She was responding to verbal harassment and threats from a 14-year-old student and 'fought back'. The charges were filed after a delay of six months. She has been offered deferred sentencing but we are considering pushing to have the charges reduced to minor charges and pursuing a deferred disposition. She has spoken with prosecutors and has witnesses who can attest to her side of the story, though there were issues during discussions with the prosecutor due to the mother's intervention. What avenues do we have to fight or defer this charge, and should we consider accepting the deferred sentencing?
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