Felony assault in Rhode Island carries serious penalties, including a prison term that can reach up to 20 years for the most serious cases under the state's felony assault law. The actual sentence depends on the facts, such as the severity of the injury, whether a weapon was used, the defendant's record, and the circumstances of the incident. Beyond incarceration, a felony assault conviction brings the lasting consequences of any felony, including the loss of certain civil rights, barriers to employment and housing, and a permanent record that cannot be expunged as easily as a lesser offense. Because the exposure is this high and the collateral effects follow you long after any sentence ends, felony assault is a charge where the outcome you reach in court matters for years to come.
