Law Office of Aaron P. McAllister — Criminal Defense — Free Case Review 24/7 · (310) 881-2786

Charged with Assault in Los Angeles?

Many assault charges can be filed as either a misdemeanor or a felony — and that decision, often still open early on, changes everything after it. Talk to an experienced defense attorney while the first weeks still count.

Start your case review →→ 24/7 · (310) 881-2786

The charging decision is still open

Talk to us before you talk to anyone else.

The first conversation is free, confidential, and with Aaron — not an intake service. You will leave it knowing what you are facing, what happens next, and the flat fee in writing.

24/7 line: (310) 881-2786
Reply time: Within one business hour, 8am–10pm, seven days
Courts: Los Angeles County Superior Court — all districts
Fees: Flat, quoted in writing after the review

15+Years in practice

300+Cases defended

Criminal defenseExclusively — no other practice areas

LA County Superior CourtAll districts · trial ready

Super Lawyers®Selected 2025 · Rising Stars 2017–2024

Avvo 10.0 — SuperbTop score · State Bar of California, in good standing

What you’re facing

The worry, and what we do about it

These are the things people actually say on the first call. Each has an answer, and none of them require you to have decided anything yet.

I was defending myself.

Self-defense is a complete defense in California, and it is built from evidence: injuries, the sequence of events, who escalated, and what witnesses actually saw. That record is assembled early, while it still exists.

Misdemeanor or felony — who decides?

The prosecutor, and often not immediately. What is presented before and at the filing decision — context, injuries, history, witnesses — can shape how a wobbler is charged.

What about the ‘deadly weapon’ allegation?

What counts as a deadly weapon is argued, not assumed — it turns on the object and how it was actually used. The allegation is tested against the evidence like everything else.

Start your case review →→ Or call (310) 881-2786 · answered 24/7

Why this firm

One team. One standard. No hand-offs.

The lawyers you speak to on the phone are the lawyers who stand up in court. There is no intake centre between you and your representation, and no unknown associate you have never met.

You speak to the attorney, not a call centre

The first conversation is with Aaron. Four people work your file and you will know all of them by name — the same team from the first call through to resolution.

Criminal defense exclusively

No family law, no personal injury, no side practice. Over fifteen years spent in Los Angeles County courtrooms on criminal matters and nothing else.

A flat fee, in writing, before anything is filed

You know the number and the plan at the start. The strategy is agreed with you rather than presented to you, and nothing is agreed on your behalf without your say-so.

Answered day and night

The line is answered 24/7, and written case reviews are answered within one business hour between 8am and 10pm, seven days a week.

Start your case review →→ Or call (310) 881-2786 · answered 24/7

If you call today

Four steps, complete discretion.

From the first call to the last hearing you always know what is happening, why, and exactly where you stand.

01 You reach our team

Send the case review or call the line. The team who will argue your case is the team you speak to — not an intake service.

02 Confidential review

The charge is assessed, your exposure explained plainly and every option set out — including the ones that need no lawyer at all.

03 Defense strategy

Reports, body-cam, priors and procedure read in full. Strategy and a flat fee confirmed in writing before anything is filed.

04 Resolution

Motions, negotiation or trial — whichever the record supports. Nothing is agreed on your behalf without your say-so first.

In their own words

Client reviews

“Attorney McAllister goes above and beyond. It is clear he is very passionate about his work and getting justice and the most favorable outcome for his clients. I have hired him personally and referred him to family and friends.”

Al — hired attorney
Avvo review · March 2025

“Attorney McAllister exudes Professionalism and I felt as though I knew him personally starting on Day One. He listened intently and came up with a strategy to move forward and address our case.”

Hired attorney
Avvo review · November 2024

“Not only did he take me under his wing IMMEDIATELY and without hesitation after hearing my situation, he didn’t judge me, he was quick, and was the 1st attorney out of dozens whom I called, that didn’t interrupt me nor put me on the backburner.”

Christian — hired attorney
Avvo review · November 2021

“You can tell Aaron cares about his clients and will fight tooth and nail to get the best result. He explores every avenue in a defense looking for motions to file. I’m an attorney myself, Los Angeles native, and if any of my family members need help, I would trust them in Aaron’s hands.”

Givelle Lamano — criminal defense lawyer
Peer endorsement · Avvo

This testimonial or endorsement does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter. Reviews excerpted from the firm’s public Avvo profile; the peer endorsement is by a fellow attorney, as published on Avvo.

Why now

The first weeks can shape the charge itself.

Before the filing decision is made is often the most useful moment in an assault case. After it, the same arguments carry less weight.

Get in touch →→ (310) 881-2786 · answered 24/7

Common questions

Answers

01What is the difference between assault and battery?

In California, assault is an attempt or threat with the ability to carry it out; battery is actual unwanted physical contact. They are separate charges, often filed together, each with elements the prosecution must prove.

02Does self-defense really apply?

When the evidence supports it, self-defense is a complete defense. It turns on reasonableness and proportion, which is why the factual record built in the first weeks matters so much.

03What if the other person was not injured?

Injury is not an element of assault, but its presence or absence shapes the charging level and the realistic range of outcomes. It is one of the first things assessed.

04Is assault with a deadly weapon a strike?

It can be. Whether an assault conviction counts as a strike under California’s Three Strikes law turns on how the offence is charged and what allegations attach — which is precisely why the charging stage matters.

05What if the other person started it?

Who escalated is central. Self-defense and defense of others turn on the sequence of events and reasonableness, both of which are built from evidence gathered early.

06Can an assault charge be reduced?

Sometimes. A wobbler charged as a felony can be reduced to a misdemeanor, and the specific charge can change based on what the evidence supports. What is available depends entirely on the facts.

Want the full picture? Read the full guide to assault with a deadly weapon (PC 245) ↗

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