Last Updated on: 1st August 2023, 01:29 am

Reckless Endangerment Overview

We all have a responsibility to behave in a way that is considerate and mindful of the well-being of our fellow citizens. When we behave recklessly, injury or even death can happen to other people. In the crime of reckless endangerment, someone commits acts that create “a substantial risk of serious physical injury to another person,” (see full definition here.

Under the law, the person doesn’t have to be able to FORESEE that their acts might create injury or death. If injury and death happens because of the acts, then it’s reckless endangerment. The reckless nature of the actions are enough so that even if the person didn’t mean to cause harm to anyone, they should have known that those actions alone could cause death or injury to another human being. This crime is especially serious when children are the victims of those actions. And when a weapon is involved, reckless endangerment can even rise to the status of a felony offense, though this is rarer.

Legal Penalties For Reckless Endangerment

A misdemeanor reckless endangerment charge will always carry only up to a year in jail and a fine. There may also be some court ordered education classes involved, such as in a case where someone’s anger caused them to behave recklessly and they are now ordered to attend anger management courses conducted by court programs. A felony reckless endangerment charge might include someone who used a weapon in a situation where it was negligent and dangerous, causing major injury or even death to a peer or child. In this case, the prosecutors are more likely to file felony reckless endangerment charges.

Possible penalties might include:

– Prison time
– Fines
– Court ordered classes to educate someone on behaving more responsibly in the future
– Restitution to the victims
– Probation program

Reckless Endangerment Defenses

There are plenty of defenses for reckless endangerment. There are as many defenses as there are ways to commit a reckless endangerment offense. A full overview of potential reckless endangerment scenarios will give you a few examples of what might constitute reckless endangerment. It happens on roadways, homes, and work sites, and lawyers who have been in legal practice for awhile will see more than a few of these cases.

We’ve been laying out defenses for reckless endangerment for combined years of experience, so we’ve seen a little bit of everything. Not only have we seen it, we’ve successfully defended it. It doesn’t matter what the circumstances behind your case are, we can find a way to defend you against your charges. Reckless endangerment defenses can range from not having committed the act you’re accused of in the first place to having committed the act but having done so in self-defense or some other very good reason. Just because prosecutors say you’re guilty of committing this act doesn’t mean that you are, and we can definitely step into a court of law and prove that you are not guilty of these charges.

If you desire, we can also work vigorously for non-jail solutions such as court ordered classes, community service, and probationary programs that give you a chance to stay out of jail and living a productive life.

How We Can Help You

We know that your greatest desire right now is to put the charge of reckless endangerment behind you. Whether you’ve been unfairly accused and need a lawyer to prove that you are not responsible for what prosecutors claim you are, or you actually did commit this offense and want to have your best chance to avoid jail, we have a lawyer who can meet your needs and help you get your most desirable outcome.

We offer free consultations to anyone who is accused of reckless endangerment. We’ll look over the facts of your case, talk to you in-depth about the circumstances that led to the charges, and speak with any witnesses who can testify on your behalf. We go to any lengths necessary to help our clients achieve their desired outcome. If you’re ready to get top notch legal representation and put these charges behind you, today is the best day to call us.