Katy Aggravated Assault Defense Lawyer

If you’ve been accused of aggravated assault in Katy, TX, then it’s vital that you do not underestimate the severity of the criminal charges you face and the importance of seeking a Katy aggravated assault defense lawyer immediately.

While simple assault could result in either a misdemeanor or felony conviction, the nature of aggravated assault means that it almost always involves facing criminal charges that can lead to jail time.

A criminal record can make life much harder, especially as the criminal justice system ensures that these records rarely disappear.

Facing Assault Charges? Call an Experienced Aggravated Assault Defense Lawyer in Katy, TX Today!

If you have legal issues following a criminal charge, or even merely an arrest, you need legal representation.

At The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC, we represent clients actively and thoroughly. Your criminal defense lawyer will assess the case based on its specifics and work to ensure your legal rights are respected throughout the process. They will outline all your legal options and discuss all viable defense strategies.

Ultimately, our criminal defense lawyers work to ensure that even if you’re found guilty on criminal charges, you put up the best defense in pursuit of a lighter sentence or plea agreement.

Appointing a Katy aggravated assault defense lawyer at the earliest opportunity can make all the difference to your criminal case. It’s never too early to seek legal help for misdemeanor assault, aggravated assault, or other criminal charges.

Our office location means we’re accessible and experienced in the Katy area.

Most importantly, we’re committed to ensuring every defendant receives the best available representation in Texas, ensuring that criminal law isn’t a one-way street in favor of the prosecution.

No matter the charges, from domestic violence to sexual assault and anything else potentially involving aggravated assault, our law office is standing by to provide the most suitable criminal defense attorney Katy, TX has to offer.

When Does Assault Become Aggravated Assault?

A simple assault charge can arise even without physical contact. Threatening behavior alone is often enough for police to arrest someone on what will often ultimately become a misdemeanor crime.

Even in cases of physical violence, assault charges aren’t always considered aggravated.

In order to meet this definition, an assault must fulfill one of two criteria under Texas law:

Intentionally, knowingly or recklessly, causing serious bodily injury to another person
Intentionally or knowingly threatening another individual with imminent bodily injury using a deadly weapon

Deadly Weapons in Assault Cases

Some weapons, such as firearms and knives, are often made and wielded specifically to cause personal injury.

However, any item that could be used to cause serious injury can also apply, even if this is not its intended purpose. This could include anything from baseball bats and tools to ropes and broken bottles.

This ambiguity is yet another reason to ensure you enlist the assistance of a team of leading Katy criminal defense lawyers. A skilled Katy aggravated assault defense lawyer will ensure you have full and unrestricted access to all available legal help under Texas law, ensuring the defendant and prosecutor operate on a level playing field.

Penalties for Aggravated Assault in Katy, TX

If you’re convicted of assault in Katy, Texas, you should be aware that the conviction will appear on your criminal record, likely for the rest of your life. While this can apply to every crime, the level of a conviction and the nature of the offense committed can dictate how assault charges impact your future lifestyle.

Unfortunately, an aggravated assault charge is unlikely to qualify as a misdemeanor. While your attorney will be able to clarify how your case will be considered under criminal law, it’s likely to result in felony charges.

Second-Degree Felonies

Even without a prior felony conviction, the accused will often face a second-degree felony after being charged with aggravated assault.

This can lead to a fine of up to $10,000 and involves prison sentences of between two and twenty years.

First-Degree Felonies

If the defendant already has a felony on their record, Texas law enables the prosecution to upgrade the severity of the charge. Most second and subsequent aggravated assault charges will be automatically charged at the most severe level, although this doesn’t mean that a criminal lawyer will be unable to do anything about reducing charges.

Even without prior assault convictions, aggravated assault in Katy, Texas may be upgraded to a first-degree felony in the following cases:

Domestic violence where a deadly weapon is used or the assault results in serious bodily injury
Assault by a public servant acting in their official capacity
Assault on a public servant, either while the victim carries out official duties, or where the assault takes place as a result of their official duties
Premeditated firearm usage, such as in cases of drive-by shootings with reckless disregard for life or property occupancy
Retaliation against witnesses, informants, or anyone else involved in the prosecution of criminal cases related to the defendant
Causing personal injury to a security guard carrying out their duties

A first-degree felony is the most serious charge under Texas criminal law. A court can hand down sentencing spanning up to $10,000 in fines, together with between five and 99 years in prison, or even life in some cases.

How Your Katy Aggravated Assault Defense Lawyer Can Help

Our criminal defense lawyers at our Katy, TX law office have extensive experience in criminal cases involving threats and violence.

Your assault defense lawyer will begin the defense process by independently investigating the charges faced. This always involves checking the paperwork provided by the prosecutor but may extend further.

A criminal defense lawyer from The Love DuCote Law Firm, LLC, will, wherever possible, piece together everything that could aid in a successful defense. This may involve seeking out evidence or consulting witnesses.

Extenuating Circumstances

Your attorney will also consider any potential extenuating circumstances of the crime. Self-defense or the defense of property or even other people can potentially be used as a justification for committing any kind of assault.

Texas has a “stand your ground” law, giving residents the right to defend their property under criminal law. While it will not apply in all cases, your criminal lawyer will be able to determine whether the use of force was justified. This can result in charges being reduced, or in some cases, dropped altogether.

A Rapid Legal Response

Surprisingly few criminal cases in Katy, TX make it to court on the original charges. Indeed, the pre-indictment phase can be critical in Texas law. Here, criminal defense lawyers work to determine whether the alleged crime committed warrants heading to court at all.

Even when the case does proceed, it may be possible to have charges reduced before you and your lawyer ever encounter a judge or jury.

While the nature of the crime and the subsequent defense is always the priority, a Katy aggravated assault defense lawyer from our law office will always work to ensure your legal rights are upheld.

Violent crimes are prosecuted particularly aggressively, but your lawyer will ensure that the legal process is always followed correctly and that the defendant is never disadvantaged by the prosecutor within the confines of the law.

Hire The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC Today

If you need an experienced aggravated assault defense lawyer in Katy, Texas, then you need to look no further than The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC.

We work throughout Katy, TX, and surrounding areas like Harris County to ensure that anyone charged with a crime has access to attorneys that always have their best interests at heart.

Any charge of breaking criminal law can be stressful and debilitating, but our clients understand that the law works both ways and they deserve access to the same specialist knowledge and experience used by the prosecution in the courtroom.

As our attorneys will explain, there’s absolutely no need to sit back and watch things play out when arrested or charged with aggravated assault. Every defendant remains innocent until proven guilty, and criminal law permits them and their lawyers to defend the case every bit as aggressively as it’s being prosecuted.

An arrest or charge on a felony-level offense does not need to automatically alter your life for the worse, and a criminal lawyer from our law office will do all they can to the fullest extent of the law to ensure a fair process and advantageous outcome.

Our legal team is standing by to take your call, and we’re eager to put an aggravated assault defense lawyer on your case without delay.