Houston Domestic Violence Defense Attorneys

Criminal Defense Lawyers for Greater Houston

Domestic violence assault is the act of causing bodily injury or threatening to cause bodily injury to a family member, such as a spouse or former spouse, or a person you live with, parent of a child you have in common, or someone with whom you have a romantic relationship. Technically, it doesn't take much to be charged with simple assault in a domestic situation. If a weapon is used or if there is a serious injury to the victim, however, you can be charged with aggravated assault. If you have been charged with a domestic violence crime, it is important to seek professional legal help. We urge you to contact a Houston domestic violence defense attorney at our firm for a consultation about your case. Our criminal defense attorneys are well-versed in the laws pertaining to these offenses and in all aspects of domestic violence defense strategies.

Domestic Violence Cases

The charge of assault against a family member is generally handled more harshly than other types of assault. The charge of assault (bodily injury) to a family member is punishable by up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $4000. If a person has a prior conviction of assault on a family member, the punishment is up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

When a person is charged with assault on a family member, the Court will often order the accused family member to stay away from and have no contact with the alleged victim.  This order is usually in place for 60 days.  Violation of this order can lead to arrest and the revocation of bond on the original assault charge.  Because of this, defendants must listen carefully to their Houston criminal defense lawyer about how to avoid trouble with this order.

Complaining witnesses in family assault cases often want to drop the charges. The witness is required to sign an affidavit (a sworn statement of facts). In some cases this will be successful, but these cases are rare. If the assault involved serious injury, or if the accused has a prior record of assault, it is least likely to be dismissed at the request of the alleged victim.  Since legally the State is the victim of all criminal offenses, the desire of the complaining witness not to pursue the charge is not binding on the prosecutor. This sentiment is common in family assault cases, and the prosecutors are accustomed to pursuing these cases without the complainant's cooperation. In Harris County, special prosecutors exist who handle cases where the complainant does not want to cooperate. These prosecutors are trained and practiced in arguing assault cases when complaining witnesses do not cooperate.  Because of this, it is vital that you have a competent domestic violence defense attorney who has the knowledge and skills to provide an aggressive defense on your behalf.  

Consult a Houston Domestic Violence Defense Lawyer

We urge you to consult with a Houston domestic violence defense lawyer at our firm as early as possible so that we may begin investigating and building your defense. Our firm serves the greater Houston area, Harris County, and the surrounding Texas counties of Montgomery, Liberty, Chambers, Galveston, Brazoria, Fort Bend, and Waller.