Do I Need a Lawyer for Domestic Assault?

November 16, 2019

By Criminal Defense Lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal

texasdefensefirm.com

(972) 369-0577

Absolutely.

Politicians in Austin frequently try to impress their constituents by getting tougher, and tougher, and tougher with these cases.  The result are laws which seem to get worse and worse and are filled with trap doors designed to punish people forever.

Machine-Type Prosecution

Prosecution in these types of cases tends to be delegated to a specific division of most larger DA’s offices. Their approach is often a one-size-fits-all and is dictated by policy and their theories about domestic violence rather than the facts of any specific case.  Some prosecutors will hear your side of the story out — and many others will pretend to hear you out.  What the prosecutor really needs to do is fear they will lose if you took the case to trial.  A person without a lawyer is definitely at a disadvantage.

The Law is Complex

Though the politicians in Austin and the prosecutors might feel as though everyone accused is guilty — the good news is the framers of the U.S. Constitution didn’t.  There are strong constitutional protections in Assault/ Family Violence “AFV” cases from your right to confront witnesses under the 6th Amendment.

Also, there are several common defense which often apply in the form of self-defense or consent.  Knowing how these defenses apply and work in a courtroom is not simple either.

Beware of Long-Term Trap Doors

AFV cases are laden with traps designed to ensnare those accused into pleading guilty.  The state normally tries to levy an “affirmative finding of family violence” even when someone gets the case reduced or takes deferred adjudication.  This finding can enhance future allegations to felonies, can prevent firearm ownership, and can even prevent future adoption… but not much of this is advertised on the front end.

Also – there are restrictions on hiding these cases from the public even where you’ve successfully completed a deferred adjudication which, again, can be very legally complex.

You Need A Lawyer

If you read the rest of my blog posts then you can see I’m not big on scare tactics.  There are probably cases here and there where you might not need a lawyer.  This isn’t one of them.  Domestic assault is one of several legislative flash-points in Austin.  Don’t do this alone!

*Jeremy Rosenthal is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.  He is a Licensed Attorney in the State of Texas.

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Is it a Crime to Threaten Someone?

May 22, 2018

By Criminal Defense Lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal

texasdefensefirm.com

(972) 369-0577

A threat is a crime in Texas under certain circumstances.  I’ll discuss the two most common.

Terroristic Threat

The first offense is labeled by the Penal Code as a “Terroristic Threat“.  It might be a touch aggressively named, but is committed when there is a threat of violence seeking a particular reaction listed under Texas Penal Code 22.07(a)(1).  Examples include trying to put another person in fear of imminent serious bodily injury, trying to interrupt public transportation, or trying to cause a reaction of an Emergency Organization.

Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon

The second is aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.  Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon can be committed several different ways — but for our discussion, it is committed where a person “uses or exhibits” a “deadly weapon” during an assault by threat.

A deadly weapon is legally defined by Texas Penal Code 1.07(a)(17) as a firearm or anything which has a use or intended use that is to inflict serious bodily injury or death.  Prosecutors can get pretty liberal with what is and isn’t a deadly weapon.  In general if someone is threatened with an object like a knife, bat, pipe or something like that — it will be an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

What About Freedom of Speech?

Any legal scholar will tell you there is a limitation to every right under the bill of rights.  You cannot run into a theater and yell, “fire!”  In fact, Terroristic Threat is the very crime you’d be committing by doing so.

*Jeremy Rosenthal is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas. Nothing in this article constitutes legal advice.  For legal advice about any situation you should contact an attorney directly.

 

 

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Posted by Jeremy Rosenthal, Esq.

What is Aggravated Assault in Texas?

June 26, 2010

By Collin County Criminal Defense Lawyer Jeremy Rosenthal

texasdefensefirm.com

(972) 369-0577

Aggravated assault can happen one of two ways.  For either way, an assault must be committed pursuant to Tex.Pen.C 22.01 AND one of the following two circumstances must have occurred:

1.  the person causes serious bodily injury to another, including the person’s spouse; or

2.  uses or exhibits a deadly weapon during the commission of the assault.

“Serious bodily injury” is defined by Texas Penal Code Section 1.07(46) as, “bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death or that causes death, serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ.”

Aggravated assault is a 2nd degree felony and carries with it a prison term of between 2 and 20 years in the Texas Department of Corrections and a fine not to exceed $10,000.

Aggravated assault can be a 1st degree felony where the accused utilizes a deadly weapon during the assault and causes bodily injury to a member of their family or someone they are in a dating relationship with.

Though there are obviously many factual variations of how an aggravated assault can take place, they usually occur when a normal assault under Penal Code 22.01(1) causes injury above and beyond ordinary bodily injury (hence rising to the level of serious bodily injury), or (2) is an instance where someone is threatened with immanent bodily injury (22.01(2)) — and a deadly weapon is used or exhibited when that person was threatened.

Another big issue in aggravated assault cases is often what constitutes a “deadly weapon.”  Under Texas Penal Code Section 1.07(17) as (A) a firearm or anything manifestly designed, made, or adapted for the purpose of inflicting death or serious bodily injury; or (B) anything that in the manner of its use or intended use is capable of causing death or serious bodily injury.

The first definition is somewhat clear as to what constitutes a deadly weapon, but the entire issue of an aggravated assault case often turns on the definition of subsection (B) above.  For example, a rock, candlestick, or any other object you can think of could be argued to qualify as a deadly weapon based on how it was being used at the time of the alleged assault.

In either event, an aggravated assault is an extremely serious charge and should never be taken lightly.  You should seek skilled legal representation.

*Jeremy Rosenthal is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas. Nothing in this article is intended to be legal advice.  For legal advice about any specific case you should consult with an attorney directly.

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