Domestic violence and family assault cases are growing in the Houston area and has been referred to as an epidemic by a professional from a local women’s center as quoted by the Houston Chronicle.
Domestic Assault Cases
A Focus of Houston Law Enforcement
With hundreds of annual fatalities stemming from familial violence incidents, and 10’s of thousands of domestic assault cases annually, the Houston Police Department has formed a Family Violence Unit (FVU) charged with investigating family assault cases and making referrals to the Harris County District Attorney’s Office for criminal charges.
When the police are called to a domestic violence scene, someone almost always goes to jail, regardless of who called the authorities.
Local police agencies, HPD and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office in particular, will usually arrest, detain, and jail someone when they’re called into a domestic dispute – if only to remove them from the scene to deescalate the situation.
You’ll Need Experience on Your Side
Family Violence Is A Harshly Prosecuted Offense
If you were charged with a domestic violence offense in Harris County, TX the odds are not in your favor. In fact, the stakes are higher if you have a related criminal history.
Attorney Emily Detoto, a professional criminal-defense attorney that holds a Board Certification in Criminal-Law, is among the best experienced attorneys in Houston for difficult cases like this.
If you’re ready to fight back, lawfully, contact The Law Office of Emily Detoto immediately by calling 713-227-2244.
Domestic Violence & Texas Law
Know the Ramifications of Family Assault
If you’re charged with domestic violence in Houston the Harris County District Attorney’s Office will consider a number of factors when determining the criminal classification of your case. Some of the factors include the manner of the assault and any previous domestic assault charges in your history and/or evidence of continuous family violence.
How is Family Defined?
Also, the definition of “family”, as far as the law is concerned, can include someone you’re in a relationship with, that may or may not live with you, a person that you were formally in a relationship with, or a family member or other person who you share residency with.
Criminal Charges for Family Violence
A defendant can be prosecuted in the State of Texas for family violence under 3 specific charges, Domestic Assault, Aggravated Domestic Assault, and Continuous violence against the family.
Domestic Assault: A Class A Misdemeanor for 1st time offenders.
Aggravated Domestic Assault: Generally classified as a 2nd Degree Felony, if the incident involved the use of a weapon, or if serious bodily harm was caused upon the victim, 1st Degree Felony charges may be pursued by the Harris County DA’s Office.
Continuous Family Violence: In most cases, this offense is charged and classified as a 3rd Degree felony and only comes into play if the defendant had 2 previous family violence “incidents” within a one year period from the current charge.
Defend Yourself Against the State of Texas
Contact Emily Detoto, Texas Warrior Lawyer
Our legal team is led by Board Certified® criminal-law Attorney Emily Detoto, a decorated and highly experienced professional who is usually called upon for the tough cases. Since 1996 Attorney Emily Detoto has remained a shining example of the best that the Texas Criminal-Defense Bar has to offer.
If you’re facing serious felony charges for domestic violence, and you’re looking for a dedicated lawyer that will listen to the 911 tapes, comb over the evidence, and examine the data collected by police, you’ve found the right lawyer.
To contact our The Law Office of Emily Detoto to schedule your free initial consultation, contact us today by calling 713-227-2244.