Texas Assault Crimes – Felony & Misdemeanor Offenses
If you’ve been arrested and charged with an offense relating to an alleged assault crime, you need a competent attorney that can help you navigate through the complex criminal justice system and most importantly, the State’s evidence which they will intend to use against you in a court of law. The Santos Law Firm, PLLC takes an aggressive approach immediately by demanding that your legal right to be presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, granted to you by the United States Constitution, be respected.
Under the laws of the State of Texas, a person commits an assault offense if the State can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person:
(1) intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes bodily injury to another, including the person’s spouse;
(2) intentionally or knowingly threatens another with imminent bodily injury, including the person’s spouse; or
(3) intentionally or knowingly causes physical contact with another when the person knows or should reasonably believe that the other will regard the contact as offensive or provocative.
Typically, an assault offense in Houston, Texas will be classified as a class A misdemeanor unless there are certain facts and circumstances that may cause such offense to be enhanced and classified as a felony. The punishment range for a class A misdemeanor may consist of a monetary fine not to exceed $4,000.00 and/or confinement in the Harris County Jail for a term not to exceed one (1) year. If you’ve been charged with an assault crime that has been categorized as a felony, please visit our criminal defense page to determine the punishment range.
Formal Criminal Charges of Assault Crimes
Generally, after a criminal investigation is conducted and probable cause is determined to exist, officers will forward your case facts and circumstances to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office or to the local district attorney’s office for review by an assistant district attorney (prosecutor). Upon review, a prosecutor may accept the case immediately by proceeding to file formal criminal charges. In some instances, the intake prosecutor may decide to inquire about more case information before making a decision as to whether to deny or accept.
If the case is that you have been formally charged, you will be required to appear in court to confront the allegations. At this juncture, the best advice is to immediately contact an experienced attorney to assist you with obtaining the State’s evidence against you, analyzing whether any of your legal rights were violated, and/or preparing a proper and adequate defense.
Defenses for Texas Assault Crimes
Under the laws of the State of Texas, a variety of defenses exist for an alleged assault crime such as self-defense, defense of others, defense of property, duress, and necessity. These defenses may or may not apply to your case facts and circumstances.
Call our office to obtain a free initial consultation on your case. At The Santos Law Firm, PLLC we understand that each and every criminal case is a serious matter that requires serious representation immediately. Our mission is to efficiently accumulate the extent of the State’s evidence, analyze offense reports, dissect witness or complainant witness’ statements, review video or digital evidence. Such careful attention to the evidence and client’s version of the events will help determine what best legal route to take on your case. At every step of the criminal case, we want to make sure the client is well-informed of where their case stands.
Don’t wait until it’s too late, take immediate action and call now for a free consultation – (832) 930-2922.
