What is the law on Battery in Shawnee Municipal Court?
Shawnee has adopted the Uniform Public Code for Kansas Municipalities.
The Uniform Code is a set of laws that all cities have the choice to adopt as their laws. It is a body of ordinances that criminalize many different types of behaviors. You might ask, "Why would a city adopt a set of laws written by people not from their own city?" The reason that many cities adopt the Uniform code is to save time, effort, and resources that would be expended in writing and passing a complete set of criminal laws for the city. The cities that adopt and incorporate the Uniform Code are still free to tweak the code or add to the code as they wish. The Code that the city of Shawnee has adopted for battery is below:
Sec. 3.1. Battery.
Battery is:
Knowingly or recklessly causing bodily harm to another person; or
Knowingly causing physical contact with another person when done in a rude, insulting or angry manner.
Battery is a Class B violation. (K.S.A. 21-5413)
Possible Punishment
*Class B Violations are punishable by up to 180 days in the Johnson County Jail, however, most Class B Violations are eligible for probation
So what do you do if you've been charged with Battery in the Shawnee Municipal Court?
First off you're already on the right track, researching what the law is. Anytime you find yourself in unfamiliar territory it makes sense to begin by finding out the rules and getting the lay of the land. If you've never been in trouble before and now are charged with Battery it can be scary and confusing, beginning your education on the subject with looking at the law is a good start. Reading the law, especially on a Battery case, can often lead you to more questions than answers. If you'd like to take a deeper dive as to Battery law in Kansas and some commonly asked questions click this link of a complete guide to battery in Kansas. After you've read the law, taken a look at the commonly asked questions on Battery, it's time to set up a meeting with a lawyer that has extensive experience with Battery cases and the Shawnee Municipal Court. When you meet with your prospective lawyer ask questions you have about the law but focus the majority of your time on that lawyer's experience in the Shawnee Municipal Court. Ask your lawyer how these cases are generally addressed in Shawnee, as well as, what are the people and personalities involved in the case. The people involved in handling your case is often as important as the facts in your case.