Austin Domestic Violence Lawyers
Assault Family Violence Defense in Travis County
Domestic violence, also known as assault family violence, is one of the most serious misdemeanor charges you can face in Texas. A conviction can severely impact your professional and personal reputation, as well as your relationships with family and loved ones. Additionally, domestic violence charges often come with restraining orders, protective orders, or orders to move out of your home, all of which significantly restrict your freedoms.
These legal measures not only limit your actions but also add emotional stress to an already challenging situation. While most criminal charges are financially taxing, a domestic violence charge brings an added layer of emotional turmoil, making it a uniquely difficult experience.
Assault Family Violence Charges in Texas
There are three different types of assault family violence offenses in Texas:
- Domestic assault
- Aggravated domestic assault
- Continuous violence against the family
If you are charged with an assault family violence crime, contact an Austin domestic violence attorney immediately. Do not speak to the police, the complaining witness, or anyone other than your attorney. Any statement you make may be used against you.
Contact Our Austin Family Violence Attorneys Today
The State of Texas aggressively prosecutes cases involving alleged victims, making it essential to mount a robust defense. When the State is working against you, you need someone working for you. The lawyers at Smith & Vinson Law Firm can fight on your behalf. We represent clients accused of assault family violence in Austin, Georgetown, San Marcos, Round Rock, Temple, Cedar Park, and throughout the Central Texas area.
Contact our Austin domestic violence attorneys at (512) 359-3743 for a free consultation. We are here 24/7 to help.
A Proven Track Record
Check Out Our Recent Case Results
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Deferred Adjudication Aggravated Assault Family Violence w/ Serious Bodily Injury
Our client was involved in a domestic altercation that resulted in one of the parties sustaining a very serious life -altering injury that required serious medical intervention. We took the case and approached our defense with heavy strong willed negotiations with the State.
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Case Dismissed Aggravated Assault w/ Deadly Weapon
Our client, a veteran with no criminal history, allegedly got into an altercation at a gas station after an argument about politics that started verbal turned physical. The client drove away before the other parties called police. Police caught up to him and arrested him, not only for the alleged altercation, but on suspicion of Driving While Intoxicated.
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Charges Avoided Assault
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Charges Rejected Assault Bodily Injury Family Violence
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Charges Dismissed Assault Bodily Injury Family Violence
Domestic Assault Charges in Texas
In Texas, domestic assault is an offense committed against a family or household member.
A domestic/family violence assault occurs when a person:
- Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes bodily injury to another person
- Intentionally or knowingly threatens another person with imminent bodily injury; or
- Intentionally or knowingly causes physical contact with another that the offender knows or reasonably should know the complainant will find provocative or offensive.
Domestic assault is a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense. If the domestic assault has been committed in the past or the assault involves choking, strangling, or blocking breathing, it becomes a third-degree felony. If a domestic assault has been committed before and the new charge involved choking, strangulation, or blocking breathing, it is a second-degree felony.
To be considered domestic violence in the state of Texas, both the complainant and the assailant must be a member of the same family or household. The term “household” is defined under Texas Family Code Sec. 71.005 as a unit composed of persons living together in the same dwelling, without regard to whether they are related to each other. Current dating partners are considered “family members,” even if you do not live together.
Penalties for Domestic Assault
- Class C Misdemeanor: Fines Up to $500
- Class A Misdemeanor: Jail for Up to 1 Year & Fines of $4,000
- Third-Degree Felony: Prison for 2 to 10 Years & Fines of $10,000