How a Conviction for Aggravated Assault Affects Your Criminal Record and Future
Facing a charge for aggravated assault is a serious matter. If that charge becomes a conviction, the consequences can last a lifetime. A conviction not only becomes part of your permanent criminal record, but it can also shape how others view you, from potential employers and landlords to law enforcement and society at large.
If you or someone you love is dealing with this kind of charge, understanding what's at stake is crucial, and my Tennessee criminal defense firm can help.
What Is Aggravated Assault in Tennessee?
Under Tennessee law, aggravated assault is considered a more serious form of assault. It typically involves additional factors that make the offense more dangerous or harmful. Some factors that can elevate a regular assault to an aggravated assault include:
Causing serious bodily injury to another person
Using or displaying a deadly weapon
Strangulation or attempted strangulation
Assaulting a public servant, such as a police officer or firefighter
Aggravated assault is classified as either a Class C or Class D felony, depending on the circumstances. That means if you're convicted, you're looking at felony consequences, not just a slap on the wrist.
Transitioning From Charge to Criminal Record
Once someone is convicted of aggravated assault, the charge becomes a permanent part of their criminal record. This record is accessible to a wide range of parties and can influence many aspects of life. Let’s look closer at how that criminal record follows you through different parts of life.
How It Impacts Your Criminal Record
A conviction for aggravated assault has a lasting mark on your criminal record, and that record affects more than just your standing with the court. Ways it affects your criminal record include:
Permanent felony status: In Tennessee, felony convictions can’t be expunged in most cases. This means it stays on your record for life.
Visible to background checks: Employers, landlords, schools, and even volunteer organizations can see your felony conviction during a background check.
Influence on future charges: If you face future charges, a prior felony can result in more severe penalties due to your criminal history.
Loss of rights: A felony conviction often includes losing rights such as voting, owning firearms, and holding public office.
These record-related consequences set the stage for broader, long-term problems that go far beyond the initial conviction.
Employment and Career Challenges
One of the biggest hurdles after an aggravated assault conviction is finding and keeping a job. Many employers hesitate to hire individuals with violent felony convictions. How your career may be affected:
Limited job opportunities: Many industries, especially those involving security, healthcare, and education, won’t hire individuals with a violent criminal history.
Professional licensing issues: If your profession requires a license (like nursing or real estate), a felony conviction may prevent you from getting or renewing that license.
Job loss: If you're already employed when you're convicted, your employer may terminate you due to the conviction.
Background checks: Nearly all employers conduct background checks, and a felony conviction often disqualifies applicants before they ever get an interview.
Having a criminal defense attorney during your case can sometimes help mitigate these consequences through plea deals or alternative sentencing, but the risk to your livelihood remains significant.
Housing and Financial Roadblocks
Finding a place to live or securing a loan can become harder once you have a felony on your record. Ways it can affect your housing and finances:
Rental denials: Landlords often conduct criminal background checks and may refuse to rent to someone with a violent felony.
Loan difficulties: Banks and lenders may be hesitant to provide mortgages, car loans, or business funding to individuals with a felony history.
Public housing restrictions: Many public housing programs automatically disqualify applicants with felony convictions.
Increased insurance rates: Some insurance providers may increase your rates or deny coverage based on a felony record.
Even if you've moved past the criminal process, these barriers can keep cropping up in your everyday life. For more information, contact me, Zak Newman, Attorney at Law.
Family and Social Impact
A conviction for aggravated assault can also take a toll on your relationships and social standing. People often make assumptions about someone with a criminal record, especially a violent one. Here are some ways it affects personal life:
Child custody issues: Courts may take your criminal record into account when determining custody or visitation rights.
Loss of trust: Friends, family members, and partners may find it hard to trust you again.
Social stigma: A violent felony conviction can carry a strong social stigma, making it difficult to form new relationships or participate in community activities.
Isolation: You might find yourself excluded from events or organizations that don’t allow people with criminal records to participate.
Working with a dedicated criminal defense group can sometimes help soften these outcomes, but they often continue well after the legal process ends.
Education and Future Opportunities
Education is often a stepping stone to getting life back on track, but a felony conviction can close that door too. Ways it may affect your educational goals:
Loss of financial aid: Some felony convictions may disqualify you from receiving federal student aid.
Denied admission: Colleges and vocational schools often ask about criminal history and may deny admission based on that.
Limited campus access: Even if you're accepted, you may be barred from living on campus or participating in certain activities.
Scholarship ineligibility: Private and public scholarships often have eligibility requirements that exclude individuals with felony convictions.
For those hoping to start fresh, these roadblocks can make it even harder to move forward.
Voting and Civil Rights
Felony convictions in Tennessee come with the loss of several civil rights, including the right to vote. Regaining those rights isn’t automatic. Here are some of the civil rights you may lose:
Voting: A felony conviction means losing your right to vote unless and until those rights are restored.
Serving on a jury: Convicted felons are typically disqualified from jury service.
Holding public office: You're often barred from holding elected positions.
Gun ownership: Tennessee law prohibits most felons from possessing firearms.
Restoring your rights usually involves a separate legal process, which can take time and doesn’t always promise success.
The Importance of Criminal Defense
All of these consequences make one thing clear: fighting an aggravated assault charge is about more than staying out of jail. It’s about protecting your future. Working with an experienced criminal defense attorney gives you the greatest shot at reducing the damage or avoiding a conviction altogether. Benefits of working with a criminal defense attorney:
Thorough case evaluation: A good defense lawyer will examine every piece of evidence, looking for weaknesses in the prosecution's case.
Negotiating alternatives: An attorney can often negotiate plea deals or alternative sentencing, like diversion programs.
Courtroom advocacy: If your case goes to trial, your attorney will present your side clearly and effectively.
Protecting your eights: From arrest to sentencing, your lawyer helps protect your constitutional rights.
Whether it's your first offense or you're facing multiple charges, having the right criminal defense strategy can dramatically alter the outcome.
Reach Out Today
A conviction for aggravated assault in Tennessee is more than a legal issue—it's a life-altering event that can ripple through every part of your life. The importance of a strong criminal defense can't be overstated. If you're facing this kind of charge, don't wait to get help. I’m proud to serve the people in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and anywhere in Hamilton County, including Red Bank, East Ridge, or Collegedale. Call Zak Newman Attorney at Law today.