Our client faced a charge of Assault in the Fourth Degree arising from a domestic violence allegation, carrying a potential jail sentence of up to 364 days. Attorney Alexandria Stanton-Campos waived jury and secured a full Not Guilty verdict.

The facts were that our client was attempting to leave a room when the alleged victim physically blocked the doorway and refused to allow our client to exit. Our client struck the alleged victim with a coat hanger in order to leave. The alleged victim sustained a bleeding head wound, and criminal charges followed.

Ms. Stanton-Campos presented two lines of defense at trial. First, she argued that our client acted in self-defense — that being physically prevented from leaving a room justified the use of force to exit. Second, and ultimately decisive, she challenged whether the prosecution had proven the existence of "physical injury" as defined under Oregon law — a required element of Assault in the Fourth Degree. Physical injury under Oregon law is not simply any harm or bleeding; it must satisfy one of two specific legal tests. Alexandria demonstrated that the prosecution had failed to meet either test.

The judge agreed, finding that despite the visible injury to the alleged victim, the prosecution had not proven physical injury to the legal standard required, and returned a Not Guilty verdict.

This case illustrates that criminal charges — even serious ones involving visible harm — require the prosecution to prove every specific legal element beyond a reasonable doubt. Alexandria Stanton-Campos identified a critical gap in the prosecution's case and used it to secure a complete victory for our client.