A Dallas family violence lawyer from the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg could represent you and navigate the criminal justice process on your behalf if you are accused of threatening or harming a family member. Under Texas law, many crimes may fall under the wide auspice of “family violence.” In many cases, the potential penalties for these crimes are much more significant than if the victim was an unknown individual.
If you face allegations or charges of a family violence offense in Dallas, a member of our Dallas criminal defense team can advise you on your rights, your legal options, the strength of your defense, and the possibilities for building a solid strategy to get an outcome that minimizes the damage to your reputation, career, and future.
How does Texas Define Family Violence?
The term “family violence” may be used to describe several actions and crimes when the victim and alleged perpetrator have a certain type of relationship. In general, Texas Family Code § 71.004 describes family violence as falling into one of the following categories:
- An act between related people “intended to result in physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault”
- A threat that “reasonably places the member in fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault”
- Abuse perpetrated by a related person against a related child
- Dating violence, as defined by Texas Family Code § 71.0021
This family code falls under Penal Code Chapter 22, which defines the relationships covered by these laws. It is important to understand who is considered “family” or who Texas deems you have a “domestic” relationship with. When one of the above acts or threats occurs between you and one of the following, the charges may be elevated because of your relationship, and a seemingly minor incident could lead to an arrest and significant consequences.
You must have one of the following relationships with the party you are accused of committing family violence against for these charges to be accurate:
- Are related by natural birth or adoption
- Are current or former spouses
- Are current or former romantic partners
- Are roommates or otherwise live in the same household
- Are related through marriage, such as a mother-in-law or brother-in-law
- Are parents of the same child
- Share another connection through a child, such as a parent, stepparent, foster parent, guardian, or adoptive parent
If you face allegations, arrest, or charges related to a family violence situation, you do not have to try to fight for your reputation and future on your own. The team from the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg will discuss your rights and next steps with you today.
We are here for you and understand how these circumstances can happen. Whether you are falsely accused, believe the situation was blown out of proportion, or lost your temper and made a mistake, we are here not to judge but to help you get a better outcome in your case.
What Are the Consequences of a Dallas Family Violence Conviction?
At the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg, our goal is to help you avoid the worst consequences associated with a serious family violence conviction. We may be able to take steps to convince prosecutors not to press charges, get evidence barred and charges dropped, reduce the severity of the charges you face, lessen the penalties, or handle other steps to get a more positive outcome for you.
However, we also ensure every client understands how serious family violence accusations can be. We will assess your case and explain the possible consequences based on the circumstances of your arrest, any aggravating circumstances, the most common penalties, sentencing guidelines, and other factors.
Crimes based on family violence incidents may be charged as:
- Class C misdemeanor
- First-degree felony
- Any severity of charge in between
What this means is that the details of your case will be imperative in determining if you face fines, incarceration, community supervision, or other penalties if convicted. Our team can investigate exactly what happened and develop a defense strategy to try to help you avoid the worst possible consequences of the crime you are accused of committing.
It is imperative to remember that a conviction will also affect you financially, professionally, and personally. You could lose your job, occupational licenses, custody of your children, your rental apartment or house, and more. We will fight to help you avoid a felony conviction to prevent these losses, as well.
What Will the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg Do for Me?
As your criminal defense lawyer, a Dallas attorney from the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg will navigate the criminal justice system for you and protect your rights along the way. We have deep knowledge and an understanding of Texas’ family code and family violence statutes.
Firm founder Randall B. Isenberg has seen these cases from all angles. Not only has he served as a criminal defense attorney but as a senior chief felony prosecutor and state district trial judge. This helps every member of our team understand how the prosecutors and judge may act and how we can build a solid defense for our clients.
Clients can expect our attorneys to:
- Meet with you to interview you about what happened, listen to your side of the story, and build a case based on that
- Help you understand the severity of your case and the possible consequences
- Answer any questions you have as they arise
- Be there for you during questioning and every court appearance
- Gather and analyze all evidence in your case
- Interview police officers and others involved so that we can learn more
- Seek out flaws in the prosecutors’ case to determine if they can help us get a better outcome for you
- Pursue a settlement with the prosecutor and judge when this fits our strategy
- Protect your rights while you navigate the criminal justice process
Call Us for Help from a Dallas Criminal Defense Attorney Today
You can talk to a team member from the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg about your case today for free. We may be able to go to work representing you if you were arrested or charged in Dallas. Reach out to our team as soon as you can and let us help.
