If you were arrested for assault with a dangerous weapon in Michigan and you acted to protect yourself, you need a defense attorney who treats self-defense as a case to be proven, not a line to be mentioned once and dropped. The Law Office of Kevin Bessant & Associates defends people charged with felonious assault across Detroit and Michigan, and we investigate the moments before you ever raised a hand. This page explains what the charge means, how self-defense works in Michigan, what we do on your case, and how to reach us.
Who should you call if you were arrested for assault with a dangerous weapon in Michigan?
Call The Law Office of Kevin Bessant & Associates at 313-658-8159. We are a Detroit criminal defense firm that has handled Michigan assault and violent crime cases since 2006, and we take self-defense claims seriously enough to build them the way the law requires. Kevin Bessant has been licensed by the State Bar of Michigan since 2006, which is roughly 20 years defending clients in exactly the courts where your case will be heard.
Here is the problem with how many firms handle a case like yours. They see “felonious assault,” they assume a plea is coming, and they never do the work to show you were defending yourself. A self-defense case lives or dies on evidence gathered early: who struck first, what the other person was doing, what witnesses saw, what your phone and the scene can prove. We treat your account of the incident as the starting point of an investigation, then we go find what backs it up.
What is assault with a dangerous weapon in Michigan, and how does self-defense apply?
Assault with a dangerous weapon, often called felonious assault, is a felony in Michigan that can carry a prison term, probation, fines, and a permanent record that follows you into every job application and background check. The “dangerous weapon” does not have to be a gun. A knife, a bottle, a vehicle, or an everyday object used in a threatening way can all qualify. If you want to understand exactly what counts as assault with a dangerous weapon, the definition is broader than most people assume, which is one reason self-defense matters so much.
Self-defense is a full legal defense in Michigan, not an excuse. Under Michigan’s Self-Defense Act, there is no duty to retreat before using force when you are somewhere you have a legal right to be, a point confirmed in Michigan’s own statute. The force you used has to be reasonable for the threat you honestly and reasonably believed you faced. That standard sounds simple, but prosecutors pick it apart, so the way we prove self-defense in Michigan is by reconstructing the threat you faced, not just asserting it.
What happens when we take your self-defense case?
The first thing we do is sit down with you and get the full sequence of events while it is fresh. We want the time, the place, who was there, what was said, and what the other person did with their hands or any weapon. From there, the work runs on a few tracks at once:
- We request and review the police report, 911 recordings, body-camera and surveillance video, and any medical records that show who was injured and how.
- We identify and interview witnesses before memories fade or stories get coached.
- We examine the scene and the physical evidence to test whether the prosecution’s version actually holds up.
- We file the right motions, including motions to suppress evidence that was obtained improperly, and we press the prosecutor on whether they can meet their burden at all.
Timelines depend on your court and whether the case is a felony headed to circuit court, but criminal matters in Michigan commonly move over several months from arraignment through pretrial conferences to resolution or trial. We schedule your consultation within 24 hours of hearing from you, because the early window is when evidence is still recoverable and your decisions carry the most weight.
We do not treat trial as a bluff. Some firms market an aggressive posture and then fold at the first plea offer. If your case should be fought, we prepare it to be won in front of a jury, and prosecutors know the difference between a lawyer who files for trial and one who never has.
What does it cost, and how do you pay?
Legal fees for a felonious assault defense depend on the facts, the court, and whether the case goes to trial, so we give you a clear quote after we understand your situation rather than a number that means nothing. The fee structure is based upon the degree and seriousness of the assault charge itself. We accept cash, credit card, check, and electronic payment, and we offer payment plans so that cost is not the reason you go into a serious felony without real representation.
A public defender may be appointed if you qualify, but their caseloads are heavy and the individual attention a self-defense case needs is hard to give under that load. When your freedom and your record are on the line, the depth of the investigation is what changes the outcome.
Why choose The Law Office of Kevin Bessant & Associates?
We have defended Michigan clients against criminal charges since 2006, and Kevin Bessant has been a licensed member of the State Bar of Michigan for that entire time. That tenure means we know the Detroit-area judges, the prosecutors, and how felony assault cases actually move through these courtrooms. The legal system is adversarial by design: the prosecutor wants a conviction, and the judge is not there to look out for you. We are the one party in that room whose job is you.
What sets our work apart on a self-defense case is the investigation. Naming self-defense is easy. Proving that your belief of danger was honest and reasonable, that your response was proportionate, and that the other person was the aggressor takes evidence, witnesses, and a lawyer who will do that legwork. That is the standard we hold ourselves to. A recent 2026 client with an Assault with intent to Murder case was not found guilty at trial due to a successful self-defense claim that was thoroughly argued before the jury on his behalf.
Where do you serve?
We represent people charged with assault with a dangerous weapon in Detroit and throughout the surrounding metro Detroit area, and we handle criminal cases in courts across Michigan. If you were arrested anywhere in the region and your charge involves a claimed self-defense situation, call us to confirm we can appear in your specific court.
How do you book?
Call 313-658-8159 or request a consultation through our consultation request form. We respond within 24 hours. The sooner you reach us after an arrest, the more we can do to protect the evidence that supports your self-defense claim.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a self-defense lawyer cost for a felonious assault charge in Michigan?
The cost depends on the facts of your case, the court, and whether it goes to trial, so we give you a firm quote after reviewing your situation. We accept cash, credit card, check, and electronic payment, and we offer payment plans. If you qualify financially, a court may appoint a public defender, but their caseloads limit the individual attention a self-defense case needs.
Is there a duty to retreat before using force in Michigan?
No. Under Michigan’s Self-Defense Act, there is no duty to retreat when you are in a place you have a legal right to be, as stated in the Michigan statute. The force you use still has to be reasonable for the threat you honestly and reasonably believed you faced, which is exactly what we work to prove.
How soon can I speak to an attorney after being arrested?
We schedule consultations within 24 hours of hearing from you. Call 313-658-8159 or use our consultation request form. Reaching out quickly matters, because video, witness accounts, and other evidence that support self-defense can disappear fast.
Does a dangerous weapon have to be a gun?
No. A knife, a bottle, a vehicle, or an ordinary object used in a threatening way can all count as a dangerous weapon under Michigan law. The broad definition is one reason a strong self-defense investigation is so important, and we assess which category your case falls into early.
Where do you handle assault with a dangerous weapon cases?
We serve Detroit and the surrounding metro Detroit area and take criminal cases in courts across Michigan. Call us at 313-658-8159 to confirm we can represent you in the specific court where your case is filed.
About the author
Attorney Kevin Bessant is a criminal defense attorney in Detroit, Michigan licensed to practice law in Michigan since 2007 and has over 20 years of trial experience in felony and misdemeanor criminal cases.