Dallas Criminal Defense Attorney
Misdemeanor Crime in Texas
Misdemeanors are crimes that are less serious than felonies. Although legal punishments are relatively minor in comparison with felony crimes, a misdemeanor can hurt you in other ways: it can damage your reputation, disrupt the life of you and your family, and potentially result in the loss of your job.
Misdemeanor crime classifications and penalties in Texas
While punishments for misdemeanor crimes are not as severe as they are for felony crimes, they still include significant fines and jail time under Texas criminal law. In Dallas and throughout Texas, misdemeanor crimes are classified as follows:
- Class A misdemeanor—Punishable by a one-year jail sentence, a fine of up to $4,000, or both. Crimes classified as such include: unlawful restraint, assault resulting in bodily injury, deadly conduct and harboring a runaway child.
- Class B misdemeanor—Punishable by a six-month jail sentence, a fine of up to $2,000, or both. Crimes classified as such include: threatening assault, terroristic threat and intentional property damage of property valued between $50 and $500.
- Class C misdemeanor—Punishable by a fine of up to $500. Crimes classified as such include: assault-related crimes, leaving a child in a motor vehicle for more than five minutes, intentional damage of property worth less than $50, and graffiti.
What should I do if I have been arrested and charged with a misdemeanor?
If you have been arrested, no matter what the reason, your first act should be to invoke your Miranda rights. Miranda rights include the right to remain silent, the right to a criminal defense attorney, and the right to a court-appointed attorney if you cannot afford one.
Dallas criminal defense attorneys recommend that you request the presence of an attorney as soon as you are able. Police are trained to get you talking, but are legally obligated to stop your interrogation if you request a lawyer.
Once you have been formally charged with a misdemeanor, you may want to consider having your criminal defense attorney negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecutor. In exchange for pleading guilty, the prosecutor will reduce the charges, drop some of the charges, or reduce potential jail time and fines.
Contact a Dallas criminal defense attorney
Even minor crimes deserve the attention of a qualified and experienced lawyer. If you have been charged with a misdemeanor in Dallas, contact the criminal defense attorneys at the Law Office of Alan C. Kazdoy online or by phone at (214) 272-0043.
