If you are facing charges for solicitation, prostitution, or another sex crime in Fort Worth, the consequences can be severe — life-changing, in fact — for most people. Even what appears to be a minor offense can be anything but in Texas.

It is critical that you understand the charges filed against you and what the potential consequences of a conviction may be. A prostitution & sex crimes lawyer in Fort Worth can protect your rights under the law and help you understand your options.

Call the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg today to get started: 214-696-9253.

How does Texas law define prostitution and sex crimes?

The Texas Penal Code defines prostitution and sex crimes in Title 9, Chapter 43:

Prostitution/Solicitation

Chapter 43 addresses both prostitution and solicitation. Knowingly engaging in sexual conduct or agreeing to engage in sexual conduct for a fee constitutes both prostitution and solicitation under Texas law. So does offering to engage in sexual conduct for a fee. Money does not have to change hands; an agreement is enough to warrant prostitution or solicitation charges.

It is important to note that the statute does not define “the fee” as currency. You may face charges if you engage in or agree to engage in sexual contact in exchange for any item of value.

Promoting Prostitution

Promoting prostitution, commonly referred to as “pimping,” involves sharing in the proceeds of an act of prostitution.

Other sex crimes established in the statutes include the following offenses:

• Indecent exposure
• Public lewdness
• Disorderly conduct

The circumstances of your arrest will determine the severity of your charges. A sex crimes lawyer at the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg can help you understand the charges pending against you and the potential consequences of each one.

What are the penalties for prostitution and other related sex crimes?

Most prostitution and solicitation crimes qualify as Class B misdemeanors. However, you may face Class A misdemeanor or even felony charges if you have prior convictions or if you solicit a minor (a person younger than 18 years old).

Promoting prostitution is a Class A misdemeanor unless the charges allege the promotion of a minor or of two or more prostitutes (i.e., a “prostitution enterprise”). The promotion of a minor is a state jail felony. The statute defines a prostitution enterprise as a third-degree felony. If any of the prostitutes is a minor, however, this becomes a first-degree felony.

To determine what penalties you might face, consult the list below.

Class B Misdemeanor: $2,000 fine and up to 6 months in jail

Class A Misdemeanor: $4,000 fine and up to 1 year in jail

State Jail Felony: $10,000 fine and 6 months to 2 years in state jail or prison

Third-Degree Felony: $10,000 fine and 2 to 10 years in prison

Second-Degree Felony: $10,000 fine and 2 to 20 years in prison

First-Degree Felony: $10,000 fine and 5 to 99 years or life in prison

Does a conviction mean I must register as a sex offender?

It depends on the offense. In the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Chapter 62 contains the state’s sex offender registry provisions. The Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS) maintains a searchable database of the Registry that anyone can access.

The requirements for registering a prostitution or sex crimes conviction are complex, based on three tiers of “threat level.” You must register if your crime was deemed “reportable” in the statutes. The minimum time you must stay active in the sex crimes registry is 10 years. However, many offenses require that you register for life.

Level One Sex Offender

A level one sex offender poses a low level of risk in the community with minimal risk of re-offending.

Level Two Sex Offender

A moderate risk to the community, moderate risk of re-offending

Level Three Sex Offender

High level of risk to the community, likely to re-offend

To assess your level of risk, the TxDPS may subject you to a risk assessment. This involves appearing before a seven-person review committee and answering whatever questions they may pose.

Note: Although the Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD) does not maintain its own registry, the Department does publish local registrant information in local newspapers.

What does a prostitution or sex crime conviction mean for my future?

In addition to any applicable monetary fines and jail (or prison) time, you must register with TxDPS (or the governing authority wherever you may later live) as a sex offender in most cases.

This may be true even if you did not have sexual contact with another person, such as an indecent exposure conviction — a crime you may face for doing nothing more than urinating in public.

It is extremely difficult today for registered sex offenders to secure housing or get a job. Sex offenders do not receive protection under federal Fair Housing standards, which allows landlords and property managers to discriminate against them. Likewise, many employers have legal policies in place allowing them to refuse employment based on sex crime convictions.

Socially, you may face uncomfortable questions and embarrassing or humiliating encounters in your own community.

Why should I have a sex crime lawyer assist me?

The only way to avoid dealing with the horrors of a prostitution or sex crimes conviction is to fight the charges.

Many innocent people face sex crimes or prostitution charges — and convictions — because they were too embarrassed to seek help or fight their charges in court. Contacting a prostitution and sex crimes lawyer is often the best way to protect your legal rights and ensure the best possible outcome in your case.

Although you may fear the social stigma that accompanies these charges, pleading guilty may not be in your best interest in the long run.

A Fort Worth prostitution lawyer can offer you a number of viable options. These include:

• Having the charges dropped
• Negotiating for a lesser charge
• Fighting your charges in court

A solicitation and sex crimes attorney from the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg can help you understand the charges and the potential penalties they carry. This allows you to make an informed choice that will best benefit your future.

We will examine your case and exploit any weaknesses in the prosecution’s case. Randall was both a state district judge and a chief felony prosecutor so he knows how the other side thinks, which gives him a leg up over the prosecution.

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Where can I find a prostitution and sex crimes attorney in Fort Worth?

To find the right prostitution lawyer for you, look for a law firm that will not shame or pass judgment on you, no matter what your circumstances may be.

In Fort Worth, you can find that all-important support and understanding at the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg. We understand the seriousness of these charges and understand how frightening and intimidating this situation can be.

That is why we offer a free consultation and case review for people charged with solicitation, prostitution, and sex crimes. Contact our office today to speak with a prostitution and sex crimes lawyer in Fort Worth: 214-696-9253.

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In Texas, a DWI involving a wreck or an injury can land you behind bars for years. A conviction for a drunk driving accident, especially if the crash causes a serious injury or death, carries some of the state’s harshest criminal penalties. Facing a first offense or second offense DWI without a lawyer is risky. Attempting to fight a drunk driving charge involving property damage or injury can affect the rest of your life. If you’ve been charged with a DWI involving an accident, wreck, or injury, our criminal defense lawyers in Fort Worth can help.

We can ensure that you understand the charges pending against you, as well as the potential penalties that come with a conviction. But, even more importantly, we can identify possible strategies to fight the charges or successfully negotiate with the prosecutor in your case. Call the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg today to schedule a free consultation: 214-696-9253.

How Is a DWI with an Accident or Injury Defined under Texas Law?

You can read the full text of the Fort Worth drunk driving laws in the Texas Penal Code, Chapter 49. However, we should first discuss how these laws define intoxication.

Texas law defines legal intoxication as a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 or above. However, even if you do not take a breathalyzer or blood test, the arresting officer can deem you to be impaired based on your behavior alone.

To obtain a DWI conviction, the prosecutor must prove three elements:

1. You operated a motor vehicle
2. You were in a public place
3. You were legally intoxicated.

Once the prosecutor has proven you were intoxicated while operating a vehicle in a public place, she must then prove that your intoxication caused an accident or injury.

What If I Damage Property in a DWI Accident?

Texas takes any incidence of drunk driving seriously. If your DWI involves an accident with property damage, you can expect additional penalties.

In addition to the standard drunk driving fines, jail time, and driver’s license suspension, the nature of the property damage will determine what extra or enhanced charges you can expect.

In the best-case scenario, you will face a misdemeanor charge with mandatory jail time, fines, and court costs. You will also lose your driver’s license for up to two years. Upon conviction, the judge may include community service and addiction counseling. Your sentence may also include monitored probation or community supervision. A DWI accident injury lawyer in Fort Worth can help you to mitigate the consequences of the trial and even to win in front of the accusations brought.

You will likely face a charge for reckless damage or destruction, which is a Class C Misdemeanor. If the damage was more extensive or carried a high monetary value, you may face criminal mischief charges. This offense can carry misdemeanor or felony charges.

What Penalties Might I Face for Intoxication Assault Charges?

When a Fort Worth DWI involves an accident or wreck that injures one or more people, you will face a charge called intoxication assault. This offense is a third-degree felony.

However, if the injured person was a law enforcement officer, emergency responder, or firefighter, the prosecution can press second-degree felony charges against you.

For your DWI to warrant intoxication assault charges, the resulting injuries must meet the requirements for serious bodily harm. Serious bodily harm means that the injured person(s) faces the prospect of long-term or permanent disability. Intoxication assault charges are likely if the victim’s injury was life-threatening.

Upon conviction for intoxication assault in Texas, you face:

• A prison sentence ranging between 2 and 10 years (20 if the victim was a first responder)
• Fines up to $10,000 plus court costs and fees
• Community service, supervised probation and substance abuse counseling

The Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS) will suspend your driver’s license for up to 2 years. You may also have to install an ignition interlock device on every vehicle you own. The judge may also order you to complete a substance abuse education or rehab program.

Depending on the circumstances, we might be able to plead down to a simple DWI if the injuries were minor or if the victim’s injuries resulted from her own negligence (e.g., not wearing a seat belt).

What If Someone Died in My DWI Accident?

If you cause a fatal accident while driving drunk, the prosecutor will charge you with intoxication manslaughter. If the accident killed a law enforcement officer or another type of first-responder, you will face a first-degree felony charge, which carries a potential 99-year prison sentence and fines up to $10,000.

An intoxication manslaughter conviction also carries community service and supervised probation. You will lose your driver’s license for up to 2 years and have to install an ignition interlock device on your vehicles.

An intoxication manslaughter charge is difficult to fight but we will investigate the accident and exploit any flaws in the prosecution’s case.

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How Can I Fight a DWI Involving an Accident, Wreck, or Injury?

Based on the seriousness of a DWI accident or injury conviction, fighting your charges will likely offer you the best hope of staying out of prison.

If you enter a guilty plea, you place yourself at the mercy of the judge’s discretion for sentencing. Because the Texas court system takes a harsh stance on drunk driving – especially intoxicated driving that results in accidents and injuries – do not expect the judge to go easy on you.

This is where having a Dallas – Fort Worth, TX DWI lawyer on your side can help.

A DWI accident injury attorney can assist you through every step of the process, providing support and helping you understand your legal rights. Your lawyer can examine the prosecution’s evidence against you and look for potential areas of weakness.

For example, the arresting officer in a DWI must follow established protocols, even when the incident includes an accident or injury. If, for example, the officer failed to conduct field sobriety testing in accordance National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) standards, it may call into question the officer’s probable cause for ordering chemical tests.

Likewise, if BAC chemical testing failed to follow the established standards, the prosecution may be unable to establish intoxication or impairment.

In either case, you will likely still face charges for your accident. However, if your lawyer can successfully negotiate with the prosecution for a reduction in the charges pending against you, it can significantly reduce the penalties you face.

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Call Randall B. Isenberg today.

Because your future depends on the outcome of your case, do not delay in finding a Fort Worth DWI attorney to represent you. The sooner we start working on your behalf, the better your chances will be of a more favorable outcome.

The Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg provides free consultations and case reviews. Contact us today to speak with a Fort Worth DWI accident injury lawyer: 214-696-9253.

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Texas drunk driving laws are some of the harshest in the United States. In Fort Worth, a second offense DWI charge carries much higher fines and more time behind bars than a first conviction. You will also lose your license for an extended period. And, of course, your permanent criminal record will reflect your status as a repeat offender.

Protecting your legal rights is more important now than ever before. Seeking the services of a second offense DWI lawyer in Fort Worth can be the best way to ensure that you understand all your options and that you make the right choices for your future. Your attorney at the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg will help protect your legal rights and build a strong defense on your behalf.

Call us today for a free consultation: 214-696-9253.

What are the penalties for a second DWI in Texas?

While facing charges for a second drunk driving offense, you may recall how severe the penalties were for your first conviction.

While a first DWI in Texas carries Class B misdemeanor charges, a second offense carries Class A misdemeanor charges, which essentially doubles the penalties that accompany a conviction. Texas DWI penalties have no look-back period, so these charges will apply no matter how long ago your first offense DWI took place.

Consult the table below to compare the penalties for a first and second DWI conviction.

If any aggravating factors (e.g., you caused an accident and someone was injured) apply, the prosecutor may elect to pursue felony charges in your case.

Can I keep my driver’s license after a second DWI in Texas?

Just like your first DWI, your second drunk driving charge will involve the administrative suspension of your driver’s license by the Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS). This is a civil action that proceeds independently from your court case, through the Administrative License Revocation (ALR) hearing process.

At the time of your arrest, an officer will take your license. Within 15 days, you or your DWI lawyer must request an ALR hearing. This hearing will provide your attorney with the opportunity to review the prosecution’s evidence against you. Your attorney will also likely have the chance to question the officer who arrested you.

This insight is critical for building your case and for helping you choose the best course of action in your criminal case.

What are my legal options for a second offense DWI?

Similar to your first drunk driving conviction, you can choose to plead guilty or elect to fight the charges filed against you. Because a second Texas DWI conviction carries significantly more serious consequences, however, your choices will have a strong negative effect for the rest of your life.

A Fort Worth second offense DWI lawyer can help you understand your options and how each one may affect your future. You have three options, aside from pleading guilty:

Case dismissal: This is our goal, as it guarantees that you will avoid having a second DWI conviction on your record. We will pursue this option first.

Accept a plea bargain: Although this option is less desirable than a dismissal of the charges pending against you, it is preferable to a guilty plea for most second offense DWI clients. If we believe that the evidence against will stand up in court, we might decide that negotiating for a lesser charge in exchange for your guilty plea will be the best option.

Go to trial: If we cannot negotiate for a lesser charge, you can pursue your case in court. To improve your chances at trial, your lawyer must assemble as much evidence as possible to build your case.

How can a second offense DWI attorney help you?

A Dallas-Fort Worth DWI attorney can provide invaluable support and help protect your legal rights in every aspect of the process. More importantly, your lawyer can identify potential weaknesses in the prosecutor’s case against you.

For example, if the arresting officer lacked probable cause for stopping you or failed to follow National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) protocol in the administration of field sobriety tests, the resulting evidence may be inadmissible in court.

If blood or breath testing in your case did not follow the required testing procedures from NHTSA or Texas BAC testing regulations, or if the technician lacked proper certification, that evidence may be invalid as well.

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Contact a Fort Worth second offense DWI lawyer now.

A repeat drunk driving conviction can disrupt your life and derail your future. In Fort Worth, the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg offers free case reviews for repeat drunk driving charges. Contact our office today to schedule your consultation with a second offense DWI lawyer in Fort Worth: 214-696-9253.

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Having a criminal charge on your record can affect many aspects of your life, including influencing decisions from apartment managers or potential employers. Texas allows you to protect your reputation and improve your chances of getting a job or new home through expunction or nondisclosure in some cases. To learn more about your options for clearing your criminal record, you need to discuss your situation with an expunction & non-disclosure lawyer in Dallas-Fort Worth.

At the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg, we regularly file for record expunction or petition for nondisclosure for our clients. We can help you explore the best route to clear your record and mitigate the effects of a previous arrest in Fort Worth. Call us today at 214-696-9253 to schedule a time to discuss your options.

Who qualifies for expunction in Fort Worth?

Expunction erases all traces of a criminal charge from your record. If we file paperwork to expunge your record and the court approves it, there will be no record of your arrest when a potential employer or apartment complex runs a background check. If you need to clear your record for state licensing or even an employment application, expungement may be your best option.

Texas law only allows expungement in certain situations. The state limits this option for clearing your record to cases where the court dismissed charges or found you not guilty. There is an exception to this rule, allowing those who received a conviction to expunge their record. However, this is only possible if you first receive a pardon for the crime. This is not common in Texas, but we can help you clear your record if you find yourself in this situation.

In most cases, our clients who qualify for expunction:

• Never received charges for a crime;
• Completed pre-trial diversion;
• Were found not guilty;
• Had their case dismissed after filing charges; or
• Received a no-bill, meaning the court decided to forgo prosecution

Even if you fall into one of these categories, there are some situations where the court will not grant you an expunction. We can examine your case carefully and determine if you are likely to receive approval. Some reasons you might not be eligible include if you:

• Received deferred adjudication or probation for the charge in question
• Have a felony conviction within five years of the arrest
• Have pending charges from another crime during the same incident
• Received a conviction for another crime that occurred during the same incident
• Have not yet reached the end of the statute of limitations for the charge

We are knowledgeable about the laws and processes that make expunctions possible. Contact us today and let us review your case to determine if you may qualify. We can help you understand your options, and answer any questions you may have about your rights.

How is nondisclosure different?

If you do not qualify for expunction, we may be able to seal your criminal records from potential employers and others through a nondisclosure action. Unlike expunction, nondisclosure does not clear your record. It simply hides the charge from public view. Law enforcement and state agencies can still see the full record, but most employers, apartment managers, universities, and others cannot. We can use this type of relief if you received a deferred adjudication in your case.

This type of petition also differs quite a bit from expunction, because the judge has much more discretion in granting or denying approval. It is completely up to the judge to determine the outcome of a nondisclosure petition, although we can present a strong case as to why sealing your records is an appropriate action.

The rules surrounding who can petition for nondisclosure are complicated and vary somewhat depending on when the offense occurred. A new law went into effect on September 1, 2015, so the nondisclosure rules are different for charges before that date. When we evaluate your case, we can help you understand which laws apply to you and what that means for your chances for nondisclosure.

In general, you may qualify as long as you have not faced another arrest since the charge in question and you were not convicted or granted deferred adjudication for certain serious criminal offenses. This includes:

• Domestic violence/family violence offenses
• Sex-related offenses that require offender registry
• Stalking
• Murder
• Aggravated kidnapping
• Human trafficking
• Injuring minors, seniors, or the disabled
• Child abandonment
• Child endangerment

We can evaluate your situation and determine if nondisclosure is the best option to hide past mistakes from your criminal record. If so, we file a petition with the court and present the judge with a strong argument as to why nondisclosure is in the best interest of justice in your case.

How can a criminal lawyer help me with expunction & nondisclosure?

You can read more about expunction and nondisclosure in Fort Worth at the Texas State Law Library website, but we advise you to give us a call as soon as possible. We can answer your questions and, depending on the circumstances, may be able to petition the court to erase any record of your arrest, or at least allow you to legally deny the charge when you apply for an apartment or a job.

Once we secure an expunction or nondisclosure in your case, we follow up to ensure the Texas Criminal Information Center receives updated records. This is key because if the courts do not properly implement the expungement or nondisclosure orders, others can still see the charges on your criminal record.

Call Randall B. Isenberg about expunging your record today.

At the Law Offices of Randall B. Isenberg, we understand how important it is to clear your record after facing false charges or completing the terms of a deferred adjudication. We understand the complicated Texas laws outlining expunction and nondisclosure and can help you navigate these processes.

Call us today at 214-696-9253 to schedule a case analysis and get started.

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