Chapter 9 - THE ASSAULT CASE
Claire had bruising along her shoulder, upper arm, and side.
No fracture.
No head injury.
No hospitalization.
The medical documentation matched her account.
Daniel and Ashley were both charged in connection with the assault.
No attempted murder.
No fantasy felony escalation.
Daniel’s attorney argued:
mutual family confrontation,
high emotion,
Claire grabbed Ashley’s ankle.
The prosecutor looked at sequence.
Claire grabbed the ankle after being kicked while down.
Context mattered.
Both Daniel and Ashley eventually accepted negotiated misdemeanor assault resolutions involving:
probation,
anger-management requirements,
restitution for medical expenses,
and no-contact provisions while the divorce proceeded.
Robert was not charged.
He had not joined the assault.
His failure was moral, not automatically criminal.
May you like
Claire appreciated that distinction even while angry with him.
Law did not exist to translate every disappointment into a charge.
