Domestic Violence Charges in Texas: Laws, Penalties, and What Happens After an Arrest

Legally reviewed by Chris Jeansonne, Criminal Defense Attorney, Dunham & Jones, Attorneys at Law, P.C. · Last reviewed: August 21, 2026

Domestic violence allegations can lead to immediate arrest, removal from the home, restrictions on contact with family members, and long-term consequences that extend far beyond the criminal courtroom. A person may also face protective orders, firearm restrictions, employment problems, immigration consequences, and complications in a divorce or child custody case.

Texas law generally uses the term family violence rather than domestic violence. However, “domestic violence” remains the phrase most people use when searching for information about violence involving spouses, dating partners, relatives, and members of the same household.

There is not one single criminal offense called domestic violence under the Texas Penal Code. Instead, a person may be charged with assault, aggravated assault, continuous violence against the family, violation of a protective order, or another criminal offense. The relationship between the accused person and the alleged victim may change the charge, increase the potential punishment, and create additional consequences.

An accusation is not the same as a conviction. Family violence cases often involve complicated relationships, conflicting accounts, limited physical evidence, self-defense claims, and statements made during highly emotional situations. Anyone accused of domestic violence should understand both the immediate court process and the possible long-term effects of the case.

What Is Family Violence Under Texas Law?

The Texas Family Code defines family violence broadly. It generally includes an act by one family or household member against another that is intended to cause physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault. It may also include a threat that reasonably places the other person in fear of imminent physical harm, bodily injury, assault, or sexual assault.

Texas law also recognizes dating violence. Dating violence may involve violence or threats committed against someone with whom the accused person has or previously had a dating relationship. The law considers the length and nature of the relationship, as well as how frequently and in what context the people interacted.

Family violence allegations may involve a current or former spouse, parents and children, brothers and sisters, grandparents and grandchildren, foster parents and foster children, people related by blood or marriage, current or former dating partners, people who live or previously lived in the same household, and roommates and other household members.

The people involved do not necessarily need to be married, related, or currently living together.

Is Domestic Battery the Same as Domestic Assault in Texas?

People frequently use the terms “assault” and “battery” as though they describe two separate crimes. In some states, assault generally refers to a threat or attempted attack, while battery refers to actual physical contact.

Texas does not follow that system. The Texas Penal Code does not create a separate general offense called battery. Conduct that people commonly call domestic battery is normally prosecuted as assault involving family violence.

Under Texas Penal Code Section 22.01, assault can occur in three primary ways:

• Intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causing bodily injury to another person
• Intentionally or knowingly threatening another person with imminent bodily injury
• Intentionally or knowingly causing physical contact when the accused knows or should reasonably believe that the other person will regard the contact as offensive or provocative

This means that an assault charge does not always require an injury. A threat or certain unwanted physical contact may be enough.

Threats Can Qualify as Assault

A person may be accused of assault based on a threat even when no punch was thrown and no physical contact occurred. The prosecution must generally prove that the accused intentionally or knowingly threatened another person with imminent bodily injury.

The word “imminent” is important. It generally means that the threatened injury is approaching or about to happen, rather than being a vague possibility at some unknown point in the future.

For example, a statement such as “I am going to hit you right now” may be treated differently from a vague statement about something that might happen months later. The words must still be evaluated in context. Tone, proximity, gestures, access to a weapon, prior events, and the relationship between the people may all matter.

Can a Verbal Threat Be Assault?

Yes. A spoken threat may support an assault charge if it communicates an imminent threat of bodily injury and the other legal requirements are met.

The prosecution may rely on testimony from the alleged victim, a 911 recording, police body-camera footage, home security recordings, audio recordings, phone video recordings, voicemails, admissions by the accused or statements made during a recorded jail call.

The absence of a physical injury does not prevent prosecutors from pursuing a threat-based assault case.

Can a Written or Texted Threat Be Assault?

A written threat may also lead to criminal charges. Text messages, direct messages, emails, notes, and social media communications can all become evidence.

Whether a written message amounts to assault depends partly on whether it threatens imminent bodily injury. A text sent by someone waiting outside the recipient’s home may be viewed differently from a general statement about possible future harm.

A written statement that does not meet the requirements for assault could potentially be investigated under another law, depending on its content and circumstances. Possible charges may include terroristic threat, stalking, or harassment.

Deleting a message does not necessarily eliminate it. The recipient may have taken screenshots, forwarded the conversation, backed it up to cloud storage, or provided the device to law enforcement.

Could you already have a warrant for your arrest? Check now!

Can a Written, Texted, or Social Media Threat Be Assault?

A threat does not have to be spoken face-to-face. Text messages, emails, direct messages, comments, social media posts, videos, livestreams, and other electronic communications may all become evidence in a Texas assault investigation.

For a written or online statement to qualify as assault by threat, prosecutors generally must prove that the accused intentionally or knowingly threatened another person with imminent bodily injury. The word “imminent” remains important even when the communication occurs online. It refers to harm that appears to be approaching or about to occur, rather than a vague possibility at an unknown time in the future.

A message stating, “I am outside your house and I am coming in to hurt you,” may suggest an immediate ability and intention to carry out the threat. A general post stating that someone will “pay someday” may be less likely to establish imminent bodily injury, although it could still be investigated under another Texas law depending on the words, context, and surrounding conduct.

Courts and investigators may consider factors such as:

• Whether the message was sent directly to the alleged victim
• Whether the alleged victim was tagged or clearly identified
• Whether the accused intended for the message to reach that person
• Whether the post described a specific act of violence
• Whether it included a time, place, weapon, or plan
• Whether the accused knew the alleged victim’s home, workplace, or current location
• Whether the accused claimed to be nearby or traveling toward the person
• Whether there was a history of violence, stalking, threats, or unwanted contact
• Whether the accused appeared to have the present ability to carry out the threat
• Whether another person was asked to deliver or help carry out the threat

A public social media post can potentially be relevant even if it was not sent directly to the alleged victim. For example, a person might post a threat while tagging the target, identifying the target by name, or directing mutual friends to show the message to that person. The prosecution would still need to establish the required elements of the charged offense.

Does Physical Distance Affect Whether an Online Threat Is Imminent?

Physical distance may be important, but it does not create an automatic rule.

A threat made by someone who lives nearby, is waiting outside, knows the recipient’s location, or states that they are traveling toward the recipient may appear more immediate than a vague threat made by someone thousands of miles away.

However, distance alone does not necessarily eliminate imminence. A person across the country may know the recipient’s real-time location, have immediate travel plans, direct another person to act, or make a specific threat that can be carried out remotely or through an accomplice.

The opposite is also true. Merely living in the same city does not automatically transform an angry or offensive post into assault. Prosecutors must still prove an intentional or knowing threat of imminent bodily injury.

The analysis is highly dependent on context. Investigators may review location data, travel records, timestamps, prior messages, photographs, weapon references, tagged locations, and communications with third parties.

Does It Matter Whether the People Know Each Other?

Yes, particularly when determining whether the incident constitutes domestic or family violence.

A threatening social media post may potentially support an assault or another criminal charge regardless of whether the sender and recipient know each other. However, for the allegation to receive a family violence or dating violence designation, the people generally must have a qualifying relationship under Texas law, such as current or former spouses, family members, current or former household members, or current or former dating partners.

A threat from a local stranger may be frightening and potentially criminal, but it ordinarily would not become a domestic violence case merely because the stranger lives nearby.

By contrast, a threat from a former dating partner may potentially fall within Texas dating violence law even when that person now lives in another state. The relationship may satisfy the domestic violence component, while the wording, timing, distance, and ability to act affect whether the communication amounts to assault by threat.

What if the Online Threat Is Not Imminent?

A statement that does not satisfy the requirements for assault by threat is not necessarily lawful or harmless. Depending on what was communicated, why it was communicated, and whether the conduct was repeated, authorities may consider other offenses such as terroristic threat, harassment, stalking, violation of a protective order, or violation of a family violence bond condition.

These offenses have different legal elements. For example, certain terroristic-threat allegations involve threats of violence intended to place someone in fear of imminent serious bodily injury or to cause particular public or emergency responses. Harassment and stalking laws may apply to repeated electronic communications or a continuing course of conduct rather than one isolated threat.

Deleting a post or message does not necessarily destroy the evidence. Other users may have taken screenshots, recorded a livestream, downloaded a video, forwarded the communication, or preserved notification records. Social media platforms and electronic devices may also contain information about timestamps, accounts, locations, edits, and deleted communications.

Do Third-Person Threats or Rumors Count?

A rumor that one person supposedly threatened another does not automatically establish assault. The state must prove that the accused intentionally or knowingly made a threat that satisfies the statute.

However, a threat does not necessarily have to be delivered face-to-face. A person may communicate a threat through another individual with the intention that it reach the target. For example, telling a mutual acquaintance, “Tell her I am coming over now to hurt her,” may create serious criminal exposure if the surrounding facts support an imminent threat.

The analysis becomes less clear when a third person independently repeats, exaggerates, or invents a statement. Questions may include:

• What did the accused actually say?
• Did the accused intend for the statement to reach the alleged victim?
• Was the threat about imminent bodily injury?
• Did the intermediary accurately repeat it?
• Was the statement a serious threat, a conditional remark, or protected expression?
• Is there a recording, message, or reliable witness?

A secondhand rumor without reliable evidence is not the same as proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Even so, alleged threats communicated through friends, relatives, children, coworkers, or social media can become part of a family violence investigation.

What Types of Conduct Can Lead to Domestic Violence Charges?

Family violence cases can arise from a wide range of alleged conduct, including hitting, punching, kicking or slapping, pushing or shoving, grabbing someone’s clothing, hair, arms or body, throwing an object at someone, striking someone with an object, blocking someone’s breathing or blood circulation, threatening immediate physical harm, displaying or using a weapon, spitting on someone, making offensive or provocative physical contact, repeated assaults occurring within a 12-month period, and violating a protective order or family violence bond condition.

The criminal charge depends on more than whether physical contact occurred. Prosecutors consider the alleged injury, the accused person’s mental state, the relationship between the parties, prior convictions, the use of a weapon, and whether the conduct involved a child, elderly person, or disabled person.

Does the Severity of the Violence Affect the Charge?

Yes.

Texas law distinguishes between offensive contact, bodily injury, serious bodily injury, strangulation, repeated violence, and violence involving a deadly weapon.

A relatively minor contact may be charged differently from an attack that causes hospitalization, permanent impairment, or a substantial risk of death.

Offensive or Provocative Contact

Assault by offensive or provocative contact generally does not require bodily injury. Examples might include an unwanted shove, poking someone during an argument, or another intentional contact that the accused knew or should have known would be considered offensive or provocative.

This form of assault is usually a Class C misdemeanor, although the classification can change under certain circumstances.

Assault Causing Bodily Injury

Texas defines bodily injury broadly. It includes physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical condition. A visible bruise, broken bone, or hospital visit is not always required.

Allegations involving slapping, punching, pushing, grabbing, or twisting an arm can support a bodily-injury assault charge if the alleged victim reports pain.

When the alleged victim is a family member, household member, or dating partner, assault causing bodily injury is commonly charged as a Class A misdemeanor for a first offense, subject to the specific facts and criminal history.

Serious Bodily Injury

Serious bodily injury is a much higher legal threshold. It generally includes an injury that creates a substantial risk of death, causes death, causes serious permanent disfigurement, or causes a protracted loss or impairment of a bodily member or organ.

An allegation that a person punched an adult once and caused temporary pain may be treated very differently from an allegation that someone attacked an elderly relative and caused injuries requiring intensive care.

When an assault causes serious bodily injury, the person may face aggravated assault charges.

Use of a Deadly Weapon

Assault can also become aggravated assault when the accused allegedly uses or exhibits a deadly weapon during the offense.

A deadly weapon may include a firearm or another item designed, made, or adapted to cause death or serious bodily injury. An ordinary object may also be treated as a deadly weapon based on the manner in which it was allegedly used.

Depending on the circumstances, knives, vehicles, heavy household objects, tools, and other items may be alleged as deadly weapons.

Does the Identity of the Alleged Victim Affect the Charge?

Yes. The relationship between the parties determines whether the allegation is classified as family or dating violence. The age and vulnerability of the alleged victim may also affect the available charges and punishment.

Assault Against an Elderly or Disabled Person

Texas law provides separate criminal penalties for injury to a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual. Under Texas law, an elderly individual is generally a person who is 65 years of age or older.

An allegation involving an elderly or disabled family member may be prosecuted under the injury-to-a-child, elderly-individual, or disabled-individual statute rather than as an ordinary misdemeanor assault. The offense level may depend on the accused person’s mental state and the seriousness of the injury.

For that reason, putting an elderly relative in intensive care is not simply treated as a more serious version of a minor domestic argument. The conduct may expose the accused person to significant felony charges.

Assault Against a Child

Violence against a child can also lead to charges under statutes beyond ordinary assault. Depending on the facts, the accused may face an Injury to Child charge, a child endangerment investigation, or involvement from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

The criminal case may also affect custody, visitation, and the accused person’s ability to return to the family home.

Children Who Witness Domestic Violence

A child does not need to be physically struck to be seriously affected by a domestic violence incident. When children are present, law enforcement officers commonly document where they were, what they saw or heard, and whether they appeared frightened or injured.

A child’s presence does not automatically transform every assault into a separate felony. However, it can still have major consequences.

Children who witness alleged family violence may lead to a report to Child Protective Services, a child welfare investigation, emergency changes in custody or visitation, restrictions on unsupervised contact, protective-order provisions involving the children, use of the child’s statements as evidence, more restrictive bond conditions or arguments that the incident placed the child in danger.

Parents should be especially careful about discussing the case with a child. Attempts to influence what a child says may create additional legal problems and may harm both the criminal defense and any related family law case.

What Is Assault by Strangulation in Texas?

Texas law treats strangulation allegations much more seriously than many other forms of bodily-injury assault.

A family violence assault may become a third-degree felony when the accused allegedly impedes the normal breathing or circulation of the blood of the alleged victim by applying pressure to the person’s throat or neck or by blocking the person’s nose or mouth.

The statute may apply when the alleged victim is a family member, household member, or person with whom the accused has or previously had a dating relationship.

The term “strangulation” is generally more accurate than “choking” in this context. Choking usually refers to an internal airway obstruction, such as food becoming lodged in the throat. Strangulation involves external pressure or the blocking of airflow.

Why Texas Treats Strangulation So Seriously

Strangulation can cause death or severe internal injury without producing dramatic external bruising. The absence of visible marks does not mean that the event was medically harmless.

Pressure on the neck can interfere with airflow to the lungs, blood flow to the brain, blood returning from the brain, the structure of the airway, nerves and blood vessels in the neck.

Possible symptoms may include difficulty breathing, difficulty swallowing, hoarseness or voice changes, neck pain or swelling, dizziness, confusion, memory loss, headache, vision changes, loss of consciousness, vomiting, seizure, weakness or numbness, and small red dots around the eyes and face, often referred to as petechiae.

Some complications may not be immediately obvious. A person may initially appear stable but later experience swelling, vascular injury, neurological problems, or other serious complications.

Anyone who may have experienced strangulation should consider prompt medical evaluation, particularly when there was loss of consciousness, trouble breathing, voice changes, difficulty swallowing, confusion, weakness, severe headache, or worsening symptoms.

Strangulation and the Risk of Future Lethal Violence

Strangulation is also recognized as an important warning sign in intimate-partner violence.

A frequently cited peer-reviewed study examined women who had experienced intimate-partner violence. Researchers found that a prior nonfatal strangulation incident was associated with approximately 6.7 times the odds of later attempted homicide and 7.5 times the odds of completed homicide, compared with abused women in the control group.

This finding is sometimes shortened online to the statement that a strangulation victim is “750 percent more likely to be murdered.” That phrasing can be misleading because the study reported odds ratios, not a simple prediction that any particular victim will be killed.

The responsible takeaway is that prior strangulation is a major risk indicator that should be taken seriously. It does not mean that homicide is inevitable, but it may signal a substantial escalation in danger.

Continuous Violence Against the Family

Texas has a separate felony offense called continuous violence against the family.

A person may be charged when the state alleges that, during a period of 12 months or less, the person committed assault causing bodily injury against a family member, household member, or current or former dating partner two or more times.

The state does not need to prove that the defendant was previously arrested or convicted for either incident. Jurors also do not have to agree unanimously about the exact date of each assault, as long as they unanimously find that the defendant committed the required number of qualifying assaults during the relevant period.

Continuous violence against the family is a third-degree felony.

This charge can arise when police investigate a new allegation and the alleged victim reports prior incidents that were never reported to law enforcement.

Aggravated Assault Involving Family Violence

A person commits aggravated assault when an assault causes serious bodily injury, or involves the use or exhibition of a deadly weapon.

Aggravated assault is ordinarily a second-degree felony. In some family violence situations, however, it can become a first-degree felony.

For example, first-degree felony treatment may apply when the accused allegedly uses a deadly weapon during the assault and causes serious bodily injury to a spouse, dating partner, or qualifying family or household member. The precise offense level depends on the statutory requirements and the proven facts.

Penalties for Domestic Violence Offenses in Texas

The potential punishment depends on the specific charge, criminal history, alleged victim, injury, and other circumstances.

Enhancements may apply based on prior convictions, strangulation allegations, weapon use, serious bodily injury, the identity of the victim, or the violation of a court order.

Can Police Make an Arrest Without Seeing the Assault?

Yes. An officer does not need to personally witness the alleged assault before making an arrest.

Police may consider statements from the people involved, visible injuries, reports of pain, damage inside the home, witness accounts, 911 calls, security footage, text messages, photographs, prior incident reports, statements by children, and the apparent emotional condition of the parties.

Texas law gives officers significant authority to make warrantless arrests in certain family violence situations. Once police arrive, the alleged victim does not necessarily control whether an arrest occurs.

What Happens After a Domestic Violence Arrest?

The precise process varies by county, but a family violence arrest commonly involves the following steps:

1. Booking: The accused is photographed, fingerprinted, searched, and entered into the jail system.
2. Magistration: A magistrate informs the accused of the charge and constitutional rights and may set bail.
3. Bond conditions: The court may prohibit contact with the alleged victim, possession of firearms, alcohol use, return to the home, or travel.
4. Emergency protective order: A magistrate may issue an order restricting contact, communication, proximity to protected locations, and firearm possession. Texas law provides specific procedures for magistrate’s orders for emergency protection.
5. Charging decision: Prosecutors review police reports, recordings, photographs, witness statements, and other evidence.
6. Court proceedings: The case may proceed through arraignment, discovery, motions, negotiations, and potentially trial.

Violating a no-contact condition or protective order can result in a separate criminal charge, even when the alleged victim initiated the communication.

Can the Alleged Victim Drop Domestic Violence Charges?

No. The alleged victim does not have the legal authority to dismiss a criminal charge.

Once police and prosecutors become involved, the State of Texas controls the case. The alleged victim may tell the prosecutor that they do not want the case pursued, but the prosecutor decides whether to continue.

This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of family violence cases.

A prosecutor may proceed using evidence such as the 911 call, police body-camera recordings, photographs, medical records, witness testimony, text messages, statements made at the scene, recorded jail calls and prior inconsistent statements.

A victim’s reluctance to participate does not automatically require dismissal.

What Is an Affidavit of Non-Prosecution?

An affidavit of non-prosecution is a written statement in which the alleged victim asks the prosecutor not to pursue the case or explains that the original accusation was inaccurate.

The affidavit may be considered, but it does not bind the prosecutor. Prosecutors know that alleged victims may change their position for many reasons, including reconciliation, financial dependence, family pressure, fear, or concern about the accused person’s future.

An alleged victim should not be pressured, threatened, paid, or coached into signing an affidavit. Conduct intended to influence testimony or prevent participation may lead to allegations of witness tampering, retaliation, obstruction, or violation of bond conditions.

Protective Orders in Texas Family Violence Cases

A protective order is a civil court order intended to prevent future violence, threats, harassment, or contact. It is separate from the criminal prosecution, although the same allegations may be involved in both proceedings.

Common orders include:

Magistrate’s Order for Emergency Protection

This order, often referred to as an EPO, may be issued shortly after an arrest. It can restrict communication, exclude the accused from a residence, and prohibit approaching protected people or locations. Emergency Protective Orders can remain in place from 30 – 90 days following arrest.

Temporary Ex Parte Protective Order

A court may issue temporary restrictions before a full hearing when the legal requirements are met.

Final Protective Order

A longer-term protective order may be entered after notice and a hearing. It may address contact, residence, firearm possession, children, property, and other safety concerns.

Violating a protective order or qualifying bond condition may be prosecuted under Texas Penal Code Section 25.07. Certain repeat violations or violations involving assault or stalking can receive enhanced felony treatment.

Domestic Violence and Firearm Rights

Family violence cases can create serious firearm consequences under both Texas and federal law.

Federal law generally prohibits firearm and ammunition possession by a person convicted of a qualifying misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. It also restricts firearm possession by certain individuals who are subject to qualifying protective orders.

A felony conviction creates additional firearm restrictions.

Firearm consequences can be especially significant for members of the military, law enforcement officers, armed security personnel, corrections officers, federal employees and people whose jobs require access to weapons.

A person should not assume that a misdemeanor disposition automatically preserves firearm rights. The wording of the judgment, relationship between the parties, elements of the offense, and applicable federal law all matter.

Immigration Consequences

A domestic violence conviction may have serious consequences for a person who is not a United States citizen.

Depending on the offense, immigration status, and record of conviction, possible consequences may include removal proceedings, inadmissibility, denial of naturalization, problems renewing immigration status or loss of eligibility for certain forms of relief.

Criminal and immigration law use different definitions. A plea that appears favorable in state court may still cause severe immigration consequences. Noncitizens should seek advice from counsel familiar with both criminal defense and immigration law before entering a plea.

Employment, Licensing, and Security Clearance Consequences

A family violence conviction or even a pending accusation may affect professional licenses, government employment, military service, security clearances, teaching and childcare jobs, healthcare employment, commercial driving, housing applications, volunteer positions and background checks.

Employers and licensing boards may view a family violence finding differently from an ordinary assault case.

Can a Domestic Violence Charge Be Expunged or Sealed?

The answer depends on how the case ends.

An arrest may qualify for expunction in some circumstances, such as when charges are dismissed and the statutory requirements are met. A person who is convicted generally cannot obtain an expunction of that conviction.

Deferred adjudication does not automatically erase a case. Some deferred cases may qualify for an order of nondisclosure, but Texas law places important restrictions on nondisclosure when a case involves family violence.

A person should have the exact court disposition reviewed before assuming that a record can be cleared or sealed.

Common Defenses to Domestic Violence Charges

The appropriate defense depends on the facts and available evidence. Common issues include:

Self-Defense

Texas law allows a person to use reasonable force when the person reasonably believes it is immediately necessary to protect against another person’s use or attempted use of unlawful force.

Defense of Another Person

A person may have acted to protect a child, relative, partner, or another individual from an immediate threat.

False or Exaggerated Allegations

Family violence allegations sometimes arise during divorces, breakups, custody disputes, or arguments. Motive alone does not prove that an allegation is false, but inconsistencies and outside evidence may be important.

Accident

An injury may have occurred accidentally rather than intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly.

No Bodily Injury

The evidence may not establish pain, illness, or physical impairment. This defense depends heavily on the type of assault alleged.

No Imminent Threat

In a threat-based case, the statement may have been vague, conditional, misunderstood, or directed toward possible future conduct rather than imminent bodily injury.

Unreliable Third-Person Account

A person repeating a rumor may have misunderstood, altered, or fabricated the alleged threat.

Mutual Physical Conduct

Both people may have used force. This does not automatically prevent prosecution, but it can affect self-defense claims, witness credibility, and the state’s ability to prove who committed an unlawful assault.

Lack of Proof Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

The prosecution must prove every element of the charged offense. Conflicting accounts, missing recordings, unreliable witnesses, unclear photographs, and incomplete medical evidence may create reasonable doubt.

Evidence Commonly Used in Family Violence Cases

Family violence prosecutions often depend on evidence created during or shortly after the incident.

Common evidence includes 911 recordings, police body-camera footage, photographs, medical records, text messages and social media communications, security camera recordings, witness statements, statements made by children, prior police reports, recorded jail calls, location records, damaged property, and statements made by the accused.

People accused of an offense should avoid discussing the case in recorded jail calls, text messages, social media posts, or communications sent through friends and relatives.

Why Family Violence Cases Are Different From Other Assault Cases

Family violence prosecutions often continue even after the people reconcile. Prosecutors may believe that a recantation or request for dismissal resulted from pressure, fear, financial concerns, or the dynamics of an abusive relationship.

These cases may also involve several overlapping legal systems such as criminal court, protective-order court, divorce court, child custody proceedings, Child Protective Services, immigration proceedings or professional licensing boards.

A decision made in one proceeding may affect another. A family violence charge therefore requires attention not only to possible jail or prison time, but also to housing, employment, children, immigration, firearms, and the person’s permanent record.

Speak With a Texas Domestic Violence Defense Attorney

A domestic violence accusation can change a person’s living arrangements, access to children, firearm rights, employment, and reputation before the criminal case reaches a final resolution.

The state may continue prosecuting even when the alleged victim requests dismissal. Statements made during the initial investigation, 911 recordings, body-camera footage, medical records, and electronic communications may all become evidence.

Anyone arrested or investigated for family violence should take the charge seriously, comply carefully with all bond and protective-order conditions, preserve relevant evidence, and avoid contacting witnesses in a way that could be viewed as pressure or intimidation.

An experienced Texas domestic violence defense attorney can review the allegations, determine the correct offense level, examine possible defenses, challenge unreliable evidence, and address the criminal and collateral consequences of the case.

Frequently Asked Questions

This article provides general information and is not legal advice. Every case depends on its particular facts, charges, criminal history, court orders, and applicable law.