Domestic Violence Attorney in Dallas

The possible consequences of a domestic violence conviction can be life-changing. Dallas prosecutors will be likely to take an aggressive stance against you. That’s why it’s critical to do everything in your power to defend your rights and protect your future. Whatever the particulars of your charges, our Dallas legal team can help you make informed decisions. We’ll guide you through the course of action best suited to your defense.

At the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter, our Dallas domestic violence attorneys understand how much will be at stake in your case. We fight to maintain your rights and protect your future from the potential consequences of a conviction. Contact us today by calling (214) 845-7007 and schedule a free consultation with our criminal defense attorneys.

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Domestic Violence Charges in Dallas

The term “domestic violence” describes any act of violence between occupants of a shared home. This includes parents and their children and married spouses. Domestic violence charges can include the following:

The potential consequences of these charges are severe. But you still have an opportunity to present your case and defend yourself in court if you face domestic violence charges.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Domestic Violence

Listed below are a few of the frequently asked questions we receive about domestic violence cases:

Does an alleged victim have the power to drop criminal charges?

Not on their own. Only a prosecutor can dismiss criminal charges. Prosecutors are sometimes willing to proceed with criminal cases even when victims don’t cooperate. An alleged victim could submit an affidavit of non-prosecution. This is a legal document in which an alleged victim expresses their desire for prosecutors to dismiss a criminal case. While an affidavit of non-prosecution can be helpful, there is no guarantee that the prosecutor will abandon the criminal case.

How does a domestic violence conviction impact my firearm rights?

Texas law bans firearm possession for people convicted of Class A misdemeanor or felony domestic violence. This ban lasts for five years after release from prison or community supervision.

Who is considered a family member in Texas?

Under Texas law, family members include:

Former spouses of each other and their children
Married or unmarried individuals who are the parents of the same child
Foster parents and foster children (whether they reside together or not)
Grandparents
Grandchildren
Aunts
Uncles
Nieces
Nephews
Cousins
Adopted children and their adoptive parents
Two people who are dating or have dated

What can a court do in a protection order?

Protection orders can spell out any number of requirements for the protection of an alleged victim. A protection order can make an alleged offender avoid contact with an alleged victim. It could also require someone to stay away from the alleged victim’s home or workplace and relinquish possession of firearms.

Can I seal or expunge my record if I am convicted of family violence?

No. Family violence offenses cannot be expunged or excluded from public disclosure.

Dallas Domestic Violence Statistics

Dallas Domestic Violence Attorneys The Annual Summary Report: 2016-2017 for the City of Dallas Domestic Violence Task Force by the Institute for Urban Policy Research (IUPR) at the University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) found the Dallas Police Department received 15,566 domestic violence offenses in 2016. Tragically, almost 8,000 victims were turned away from shelters due to a lack of space.

In 2017, 15,347 domestic violence-related offenses were reported to the Dallas Police Department. And 13,378 victims got turned away from shelters because of a lack of space.

The Domestic Violence Task Force Annual Report published in October 2018 reported 32 homicides by intimate partners between 2014 and 2018. Seventy-five percent of the homicide victims were killed in their homes. Seventy-one percent of the homicide victims were killed with a firearm. Dallas had an average of 19 domestic violence arrests a day during the same timeframe.

Additionally, the report stated 219 protection order violations between June 1, 2017, to May 31, 2018.

The report also stated there were 1,283 aggravating factors in criminal cases for domestic violence in 2017-2018. This was a decrease from the 1,366 aggravation factors in domestic violence criminal cases for 2016-2017.

The numbers for aggravating factors in domestic violence cases for 2017-18 include:

96 for continuous family violence,
581 for impeding breathing, strangulation, or suffocation
438 for assault
28 for stalking
68 for misdemeanor violation of protection order
72 for felony violation of protection order

Families to Freedom, Inc. reported that the 29,905 family violence calls to the Dallas Police in 2015-2016 were the highest in five years. There were also 2,029 felony domestic violence cases before a Grand Jury and 4,011 domestic violence cases filed in Dallas.

According to Families to Freedom, Inc., Dallas also saw 178 violations of protective orders. More than 150 women also died of domestic violence during that same period.

Consult with a Domestic Violence Attorney in Dallas

Facing domestic violence charges in Dallas? You should speak with one of the Dallas assault and battery attorneys at the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter. Our attorneys can begin developing a comprehensive legal defense immediately. Discuss the particulars of your case with one of our Dallas criminal defense attorneys by calling (214) 845-7007 today.

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TESTIMONIALS

Recommendation for Mark LassiterI am pleased to write a letter of recommendation. I highly recommend Mark Lassiter to others who are seeking such assistance. His representation allowed me to do very little in my case. It was Mark’s proven expertise and his legal knowledge that was valuable in getting my case dismissed. In short, I recommend Mark enthusiastically without reservation and I do believe he would be a valuable asset to you.

- Name Redacted

dear Markplease accept this letter on my and Susan’s behalf. there is a powerful message and testimony we would like to share with you for the first time.for over a year the weight of what happened to Reid was heavy on our souls. at first we held great anger, resentment and disgust toward Angel (the passenger). it became evident after turning 21 the Angel has a severe alcohol problem which my son nor us fully understood. The arrest also brought us great disappointment, frustration and disheartenment toward Reid.We have found that God often surprises us with his answers to our prayers. Prior to the arrest was had been in prayer that God help turn Reid away from selfishness, childishness and destructive ways. We prayed that God move to change him toward everlasting values and better choices in his life. We believe that God answered that prayer with the arrest. We blamed ourselves for bringing this calamity but understood it would take something this powerful to reach him. There is no doubt in our minds this ordeal has placed a permanent imprint on his soul.during the many delays associated with this case we were able to put forgiveness in our hearts toward Angel. Also during the many delays the full weight of the case in our and Reid’s mind triggered conversations pertaining to life decisions and direction. Time allowed us the opportunity to be rid of the noise and cloudiness of our emotions. We believe this to be a part of the master plan that God was overseeing.Only today did the full story become revealed. During this case with all the odds against us can we say without question that God was in it. How else could the series of events occurred within the judicial process that could put the opportunity in to your mind that there was a way to victory. The entire morning Susan and i were in fervent prayer even after your told us we had only a 25% chance of winning.Grace is the receipt of a blessing that is undeserved. Reid did not deserve to win today. We all are eternally marked by the message of grace given to us and you were the instrument that brought the gift to our house. Thank you from bottom of our souls and may God bless and keep you all of your days.

- Name Redacted

Dear Mr. Lassiter,Today you saved my son’s life. When he received a DWI, it broke my heart because I knew it would be on his record forever. It would limit his options in life. He would be paying for his stupid mistake for the rest of his life. At 21 years of age he was overwhelmed with the depth of the problem he created for himself.I decided to find him the best lawyer in Dallas, and I did. I researched lawyers for two days, and then I found you. I knew from the moment I read about you that you were the one we needed. When I met you, I knew instantly that I had complete confidence in you. Even if the result had ended with my son being guilty, I would have had peace knowing that he had had THE BEST lawyer.Listening to you “own” the courtroom today was amazing. You told us in the morning that we only had about 25% chance to win; however, by the middle of the afternoon the case was over before the prosecutors even finished, and we won! What an incredible lawyer you are!I will be grateful forever to you. Your work has given my son a second chance. He left the courtroom today with a whole new perspective on life…thanks to you!Very sincerely,

- Susan Ellis

unless you are already a petty criminal with countless B and C misdemeanors and a misdemeanor A pending, a DWI charge might not really matter much – for all the others counts: Fight it with all you got – get the best professional to your side you can find!Why should you? A simple google search “Texas DWI penalties” will give you an idea what you are looking at: prison, probation, fines, classes, ignition interlock, insurance rate skyrockets and a criminal record for life (yes – this can happen even for a first time DWI in Texas) Now if you read until this point you probably are charged with a DWI (or simply board) and you are shopping for a lawyer – so some basic guidance:a) Same as in real life: You want to be surrounded by people who know what they are talking about. Nobody likes people who constantly brag around, through around the usual business buzz words which doesn’t mean anything. So: Get somebody who is specialized in this field, means if 50% or more of his work is in the field of defending DWI’s that’s probably a good indicator– Mark is one of them – talk to him you will see!b) Educate yourself – thanks to a wonderful innovation by DARPA (which you are using in this moment) you can read all about it: What happened the night before, what’s a SFT, what is a legal stop, how does an Intoxilyzer 5000 work and what flaws does it have, possible plea bargain options (not so tempting ones in TX anyway) – read the stuff, it’s out there and discuss it with your attorney – if he doesn’t want or can’t answer your questions, that’s a pretty good indicator that your sitting in the wrong office, run!– Mark WILL answer your questions – and I’m convinced you cannot surprise him with a question in your case that he can’t answer or will find an answer for you!c) Your lawyer should – more or less – from the beginning be willing to take your case to Trial, all the way. What do you have to lose? If you are a BAC 0.28 candidate and you plea it down to a misdemeanor B it technically looks better on paper – but it will still follow you for life (most employers wouldn’t even consider the difference or know it – a DWI is a DWI…) If you are a BAC 0.09 candidate your chances are even better – (did you know the Intoxilyzer 5000 gives himself a +-0.02 calibration margin? What now, is a BAC 0.09 and hour after driving now under the legal limit? Guess what, the state will state “off course NOT! The magic machine proved he’s Intoxicated and guilty!” That’s why you need a lawyer on your side who is willing to take it to trial!– Mark is a trial lawyer – those people don’t want to plea out, they need the courtroom as their stage, that’s what they love to do, that’s what they are good at – so let him do it for you!d) Money / Costs – completely neglect. This is not the time for price comparison. You are not out there to shop for new hardwood floor for your living room – you are out there to get the best possible outcome in a situation which initial will hurt you if convicted pretty bad (financially), possible cost you your job, destroy your reputation and will follow you around for the rest of your natural life.– Mark will not overcharge you for his service, in my opinion you are getting a great deal. If you have the feeling you cannot afford a lawyer like Mark put it into perspective: if you hire a $500 lawyer and plead guilty maybe to a DWI misdemeanor B, you will pay much more over the years in court costs, classes, probation fees, DPS surcharges, insurance and and and… But if you hire Mark, you have one of the best at your side, you have a real chance – off course Mark isn’t a magic wizard who can make everything go away in a moment’s notice, but 5,10,20 years down the road you don’t want to think “oh boy, I wish I would have fought this thing more aggressively back then…” I was already a bit into my case when I met Mark. Mark has a can do attitude, does not try to beat around the bush and most importantly: He looks at things, tries different avenues, seeks out weaknesses in the case base on the evidence presented – if you meet him, you will have the same experience. During our meetings we discussed alternatives and other options e.g. expert witnesses, jury trial, bench trial, plea agreement (even if he didn’t like that – Mark doesn’t want to plea, he wants to win for his clients)And here is the outcome:A clear acquittal – NOT GUILTY(even better than a dismissal which technically can be reopened by the DA within the statute of limitations – if I understood that right – Not guilty means you are not guilty, case expunged – that’s the end of it!)Mark’s services helped me to get the best possible outcome you can expect when you are charged with a (DWI / DUI) crime and I hope I will never see him again….. (under such circumstances J ) –

- Daniel

I would never use or recommend anyone else for anybody else for a criminal manner.

- Cory M.

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