Criminal Defense Lawyer Serving Richardson Located at the northeast corner of Dallas, within the booming Telecom Corridor, the thriving city of Richardson is one of the nicest small cities in America. Ranked as one of the top-twenty best cities in nearly every way measurable, Richardson is an outstanding place to live, work, and raise a family.

According to Wikipedia’s long list of accolades for Richardson are these statistics:

5th happiest mid-sized city in America, 2014
17th Best City to Live In, 2014
#2 Boomtown, 2015

Even in a city as seemingly idyllic as this one, things happen. And should you find yourself on the receiving end of criminal charges or even an arrest, you need skillful representation right away.

That’s where the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter comes in. We have years of experience with a wide variety of criminal defense cases, and we want to help you, too. Call us at (214) 845-7007, or contact us online today for a free initial consultation to talk about your case and discuss your next best steps.

Table Of Contents

criminal with lawyer

Why Hire the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter?

Richardson was the obvious place for top trial lawyer Mark T. Lassiter to come and hang up his shingle. Mr. Lassiter, like his city, is an outstanding example of the legal profession, with top credentials in his field. Mr. Lassiter graduated from Texas A&M University with honors in Business Management and earned his J.D. from South Texas College of Law.

He began his career with the Dallas County Prosecutor’s Office before starting his own practice as a criminal defense attorney and an appellate attorney admitted to appear before the 5^th Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Lassiter has been recognized by his fellow attorneys and received honors from organizations including the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and the Dallas Bar Association.

Accolades are nice, but to get to the truth of the matter, you can review the results we’ve obtained for our clients. Included in those results are many instances of dismissed and reduced charges. And if that doesn’t convince you that the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter is right for you, go to our testimonials page and read what our past clients have to say.

Criminal Defense Practice Areas

Just because Richardson and Collin County are nice places with good people doesn’t mean that you will never need a defense attorney. Everyone makes mistakes and has problems, and being accused of a crime is a situation that needs the kind of help the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter can provide. We can help with:

DWI/Alcohol-Related Offenses. Being arrested while intoxicated covers a wide range of activities, including driving while intoxicated, boating while intoxicated, and more serious charges, such as assault or manslaughter. Even minor charges can result in heavy penalties, and multiple charges can lead to the loss of your license. These types of charges need legal defense.

Juvenile Offenses. We like to think that kids get to make one mistake without serious consequences. Sadly, that is no longer true. Juvenile arrests can follow a child throughout their life unless a good juvenile attorney is there from the beginning to make sure that all your child’s rights are protected at each step of the process. Since a minor can be transferred to adult court as early as age 14 in Texas, it’s important to obtain an attorney as soon as possible.

Sex Crimes. Being accused of a sex-related crime can be terrifying. Suddenly it seems as though everyone is against you. This is one time when an attorney may be your only friend. Whether the charge is solicitation of prostitution, public lewdness, or something worse, the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter attorneys will listen to your side of the story and do our best to get you the fair hearing you deserve.

Expunction and Record Sealing. After your sentence is over and the fines paid, it seems like you should be done. But the record of your crime can linger like the smell of a bad fish long after the party is over. This is where we step in and help you expunge your record. Expunction is a legal method that removes the record of your crime as if it had never happened. The process is complicated, and we can do the hard work for you.

We also have considerable experience in the following areas:

gavel and cuffs!

Why Should You Hire an Attorney?

Everyone hopes they will never need a lawyer. Then the blue lights flash in the rearview mirror, or sirens blare outside the bar, and you try to recall that jingle you heard on the radio that time. Unless you make a career of such behavior, however, you need not have an attorney on retainer.

Despite what you see on TV or in the movies, you are not guaranteed a right to an attorney the minute you get to the police station. In fact, if you can post your bond right away, you may not even need one. You don’t need an attorney unless the police begin asking you questions that you aren’t sure you should answer.

Once you are out of jail, then you need an attorney. An attorney will help you once the process begins and during the trial process.

Arraignment and subsequent appearances. One of the quickest ways to get more charges is not to commit more crimes but to miss your court hearing dates. If you have heard of “contempt of court,” that is where those charges come from. Having a lawyer to keep track of those dates and appear for you in court helps avoid those extra charges.
Reduce or dismiss charges. An attorney like Mark T. Lassiter, who knows the system from both sides, can negotiate with the prosecutor to attempt to have the charges against you reduced or dismissed before you go to trial. Depending on your history and the nature of the charges, your lawyer can work to have your case ended before it begins.
Reduce or dismiss the penalties. Fines, fees, and probation are all things an attorney uses as bargaining chips when discussing your case with the prosecutor and the judge. It’s always better to have someone at your side who knows what the penalty should be and how to convince the judge you deserve less than the maximum.

Call the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter Today

No attorney will make you a promise he can’t keep, but Mr. Lassiter has been practicing law in the Dallas area for 15 years. He knows criminal law from both sides and knows the courts and judges throughout Texas.

The attorneys at the Law Offices of Mark T. Lassiter are experienced and zealous advocates in the practice of criminal law and will be at your side throughout the court process and beyond. Whether you are facing a simple DUI or a more complicated criminal case, these are the attorneys you want to manage your case.

We offer a free, confidential consultation to evaluate your case. Call us at (214) 845-7007 for your criminal law needs in the Richardson area today.

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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