Violent crimes are dealt with harshly by criminal law in Fort Bend County. If you are convicted of a violent crime, the penalties you face will be severe. These crimes cause serious harm or injury to members of the public, and because of this risk of harm, you can face mandatory minimum sentences in prison and a permanent criminal record if convicted.
You will need strong legal representation from an experienced criminal defense lawyer if you are facing violent criminal charges in Fort Bend County, Texas. A criminal defense lawyer who has experience dealing with violent crimes will investigate your case, examine evidence relating to your charges, and build a strong criminal defense on your behalf. The only way to get your charges dismissed or get a lower penalty is to have the backing of strong legal counsel.
The Fort Bend County violent crimes lawyers at The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC have the motivation and legal skills necessary to win your criminal case. Our lawyers have a wealth of experience dealing with criminal law cases and fighting the criminal justice system. Our managing partner, Leigh Love, has worked as a former prosecutor for the District Attorney’s Office in Atlanta, Georgia which means she has unique insight into the minds of the prosecutor for your case.
Our law firm gives equal importance to each case that comes through our door, and we will work hard to provide aggressive representation for your criminal case.
Contact us today to schedule a confidential consultation at 832-843-1691.
What Are Violent Crimes in Fort Bend County?
Violent crimes can be charged as both state and federal crimes. Criminal law defines crimes of a violent nature to include offenses that cause harm or personal injury to a victim or a crime that includes an element of threatened violence. An aggravated violent crime involves the use of a weapon or involves a vulnerable victim, such as a minor.
The following offenses are regarded as violent crimes under criminal law:
- Assault, including aggravated assault.
- Sexual assault.
- Theft crimes that involve violence or a threat of violence such as burglary and aggravated burglary.
- Kidnapping.
- Murder.
- Manslaughter.
- Domestic violence.
- Gang-related offenses, including drug crimes that involve violence.
- Hate crimes.
- Arson.
- Statutory rape.
Violent crimes are typically charged as felony charges because they cause injury or harm to the victims involved. For the most part, violent crimes are charged under state law in Fort Bend County, however, they may be charged as a federal crime if the federal court deems it serious enough to warrant federal charges, it occurred across multiple states, or involved a member of state or federal government.
Violent Sex Crimes
Forcible sex crimes are regarded as violent crimes under state and federal law. If you are convicted of a violent sex crime, you could be looking at serious penalties, such as a fine of up to $10,000, and anywhere from 2 years to life in prison. Being charged with a violent sex crime will also have further reaching consequences than other violent crimes. In addition to the criminal penalties, you will become a registered sex offender, which will seriously limit your ability to find employment, education, housing, and much more.
Some examples of violent sex crimes include:
- Sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault.
- Rape, including statutory rape.
- Violent crimes involving minors, including child pornography charges.
- Any sex crime that is violent or forceful in nature.
A violent sex crime may be charged as a federal crime if it involved minors, was committed across more than one state or was sufficiently serious to warrant a federal investigation. If you have been charged with a sex crime in Fort Bend County, you should seek help from an experienced criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible.
Penalties For Violent Crimes in Fort Bend County
The penalties for violent crimes vary depending on the level of harm caused to the victim, the seriousness of the crime, the criminal record of the accused, and whether there were any aggravating factors. Depending on the particular crime you are charged with and the sentencing guidelines for that crime, you could be charged with a third-degree, second-degree, first-degree, or capital felony.
- Third-degree felony – Maximum fines of $10,000 and 2 to 10 years in prison. Crimes in this category include assault and domestic violence.
- Second-degree felony – Maximum fines of $10,000 and 2 to 20 years in prison. Crimes in this category include aggravated assault and manslaughter.
- First-degree felony – Mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in prison which can be extended to 99 years. Crimes in this category include first-degree murder, burglary, and aggravated assault.
- Capital felony – Death sentence or life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Crimes in this category include mass murder, murder of a judge, and murder of an individual under the age of 15.
If your charges are brought at the federal level, the penalties you face can be even more severe. It is important to note that being convicted of a violent crime will result in a permanent criminal record. With a criminal record, you will face difficulties getting employed, applying for public housing, accessing child support, voting, and more.
What Can a Fort Bend County Criminal Defense Lawyer Do For Me?
When you hire a criminal defense lawyer in Fort Bend County, you want to ensure that you are getting the highest standard of representation possible, that your legal rights are being protected, and that you are getting good value for your money. Some things a criminal lawyer from our firm can do for you include:
- Investigate – It is crucial for a criminal lawyer to carry out independent research into your case. This includes examining the evidence presented by the prosecutor, bringing forward more favorable evidence, and trying to find holes in witness statements. Your Fort Bend County criminal lawyer should have strong investigation skills and experience dealing with evidence.
- Negotiate – At all stages of your case, your Texas criminal attorney will negotiate on your behalf to secure a lighter sentence, get evidence thrown out, or get motions passed by the judge. If a conviction is likely in your case, your criminal lawyer will negotiate a plea bargain on your behalf with the prosecutor to minimize your sentence and ensure that you do not face serious penalties.
- Build a strong defense strategy – The job of a criminal attorney is to build a strong defense strategy on your behalf that proves your innocence or diminishes your responsibility. Our lawyers will use the evidence and legal issues to build a strong defense strategy for your case.
- Fight in court – If your case goes to trial, your criminal defense lawyer will fight aggressively to ensure that you are found not guilty. It is important that you hire an attorney that has significant trial experience and knows how to cross-examine witnesses, put forward motions, and question the prosecutor on their case.
At The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC, our attorneys are highly experienced with all stages of the criminal legal system. Our lawyers have significant experience fighting cases at trial and have achieved numerous “not-guilty” verdicts. We know how stressful it is to come up against the criminal legal system, which is why we want to be your advocate and fight aggressively on your behalf.
Criminal Defense Strategies for Violent Criminal Cases
To come up against the criminal justice system, it is essential that you have a strong criminal defense, particularly for violent crimes. Prosecutors in Fort Bend County take a harsh approach toward violent crimes, and the only way to ensure that you do not face serious penalties or get your charges thrown out is to have a strong criminal defense.
A Fort Bend County criminal lawyer from our firm may use one of the following defenses for your case:
- Insufficient evidence – To be convicted of a violent crime in Fort Bend County, the prosecutor must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you are guilty of the crime. In the event that the prosecution does not have sufficient evidence for the charges, your criminal attorney can use this to your benefit to demonstrate that you are not guilty of the crime.
- Self-defense or defense of property – For some violent crimes such as assault, battery, murder, and domestic violence, it is possible to argue that you committed the act in self-defense. Our criminal defense lawyers can help you prove that you committed the violent crime because you felt real and imminent fear for your safety. It may also be possible to use this defense if you were defending your property, for example, if you assaulted someone who tried to rob your property.
- Involuntary intoxication – In some rare circumstances, in which you were intoxicated without your knowledge or by force of another person, and you committed an assault on another person, you can use the defense of involuntary intoxication. This defense is a form of ‘insanity’ defense in which you demonstrate that you had no knowledge you were committing a crime at the time.
- Illegal arrest warrant – Police officers are required to get a valid legal warrant before arresting a suspect. This means that they must have sufficient probable cause and enough legal reason to arrest you. If the police officer arrested you without a valid warrant, we can use this as a defense to get your charges dropped.
Call our law office today at 832-471-6904 to discuss what criminal defense one of our Fort Bend County violent crimes lawyers can use for your case.
Criminal Defense Lawyers at The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC
Criminal accusations have the power to ruin your reputation and future opportunities, particularly with serious accusations of violent crimes. If you have been charged with a crime in Fort Bend County, it is absolutely imperative that you have a strong criminal defense lawyer representing your case.
At The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC, our criminal defense lawyers are highly experienced at what they do and have won numerous awards for their dedication to cases, aggressive representation, and experience at trial. One of our managing attorneys, Leigh Love, who worked as a former prosecutor in Georgia, has won the “Atticus Finch” award and the Top Criminal Defense Attorney award on multiple occasions.
Our other managing attorney, Jeremy B. DuCote has over 18 years of experience fighting criminal defense cases in Texas courts. He has a consistently high score of 10.0 on the AVVO rating system and has won awards such as the “Clients Choice Award” and “Lawyers of Distinction”.
Our law firm has built up a strong attorney-client relationship throughout our years of practice, and we pride ourselves on our dedication to clients’ cases and our strong advocacy. We prioritize protecting your rights as an accused person and ensuring that you get the best outcome for your case.
Contact a Fort Bend County Violent Crimes Lawyer at The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC
Being convicted of a violent crime can be life-impacting. Such a charge can result in serious penalties on conviction, including time in prison, hefty fines, and a permanent criminal record. If you have been charged with a violent crime in Fort Bend County, you should seek help from an experienced criminal lawyer as soon as possible.
At The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC, we can help you beat your criminal charges by advising you on your best options, investigating your case, and building up an aggressive defense on your behalf. We assign a dedicated lawyer to every new client that comes into our law office and we ensure that the lawyer has unique experience dealing with cases similar to yours. From the get-go, we will ensure to protect your legal rights, listen to your needs, and build an aggressive defense on your behalf.
Our Fort Bend County violent crimes lawyers want to get the most favorable outcome possible for your case, whether it is to get your case dismissed or your charges reduced substantially.
Call us to schedule a consultation at 832-843-1691.
