Charged With a Child Sex Offense in Frisco? Talk With a Defense Lawyer Now.

A child sex offense accusation in Texas can turn a family’s life upside down overnight. If you’re comparing a child sex crimes defense lawyer with a general attorney, this page explains what a criminal law focus can change. It also explains what it cannot change.

How does a criminal law practice differ from a general practice attorney when handling child sex offense cases?

A criminal law practice puts most of its work into cases like this one. A general practice spreads its time across many areas of law, so a child sex offense case may be one matter among many. That difference is about focus, not a promise of any result.

The gap shows up in how a case is investigated, charged and negotiated. A lawyer who regularly handles Texas child offenses knows which records to request early. That lawyer also knows which bond and protective-order terms need attention first.

Barbieri Law Firm is a criminal defense firm based in Frisco, Texas. Its work covers Collin County, Dallas-Fort Worth and Texas. No lawyer can promise an outcome, so judge the fit by the lawyer’s actual focus and experience. The firm will explain its own background when you talk with it.

What are common child sex abuse charges in Texas?

The charge depends on the alleged conduct, the child’s age and the circumstances described.

Indecency with a child covers a child younger than 17. Sexual contact under that section is a second-degree felony. Exposure is a third-degree felony. The statute also lists an affirmative defense tied to the age gap and other facts, so those details matter.

Sexual assault defines a child as a person younger than 17. Aggravated sexual assault is a first-degree felony. It carries a 25-year minimum term in certain cases involving a young victim.

Continuous sexual abuse requires two or more acts during a period of 30 days or more. The actor must be 17 or older, and the victim must be younger than 14 or a disabled individual. Jurors need not agree on each specific act, but they must agree that two or more occurred. TDCAA explains the framework.

A charge label in an accusation is not final until the case is reviewed.

What does Texas board certification in criminal law mean, and what does it not mean?

Texas Board of Legal Specialization certification is a credential a lawyer earns under the board’s standards. It does not promise any result. The certification is stated here for one lawyer only: Heather Jean Barbieri, Board Certified, Criminal Law — Texas Board of Legal Specialization.

Certification belongs to that lawyer alone. It is not a statement about the firm as a whole. It tells you the lawyer met the board’s standards in criminal law. It does not tell you how any single case will end.

Treat certification as one factor. Weigh it with the lawyer’s day-to-day focus on these offenses and how clearly the lawyer explains your options. Those points often tell you more about the fit than a title does.

How does defending a child sex offense case differ in practice?

A criminal law practice reviews the evidence before it picks a strategy. In child sex offense cases, that often means the forensic interview recording, the police report, and any medical or records evidence. It may also include phone or online account data.

Early review of how the interview was conducted can shape later steps. So can a look at what records exist and when they were made. The lawyer examines these items, but no one can say in advance what they will show.

Collateral issues need early attention. A conviction of or placement on deferred adjudication community supervision for an offense listed in Article 7B.001(a)(1) or (2) constitutes reasonable grounds under art. 7B.003(c). Under Penal Code § 25.07, a person commits an offense if he or she knowingly or intentionally commits one of the acts the statute lists. The act must violate either a court order the statute covers, such as an order issued under Chapter 85 of the Family Code or under Article 17.292 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, or a condition of bond that was set in a family violence, sexual assault or abuse, indecent assault, stalking, or trafficking case and that relates to the safety of a victim or the community. Listed acts include communicating a threat to a protected individual, going to a protected individual’s residence or place of employment, possessing a firearm, and harming, threatening, or interfering with the care, custody, or control of a pet, companion animal, or assistance animal possessed by a protected person.

Registration can also apply. For some sexually violent offenses, Texas law provides that the duty to register lasts until death, subject to exceptions in the statute. A petition for an exemption may be available where registration results from a single reportable conviction and the court entered an affirmative finding under Article 42.017 or 42A.105(c) under art. 62.301.

Our firm handles these Penal Code offenses. Familiarity with them is part of how we approach the early steps.

What should you bring to a first consultation about a child sex offense accusation?

Bring the charging papers or any notice of charges. Add your bond paperwork and any letters from police or the court. A written timeline of what you’ve been told, and when, helps the lawyer start quickly.

Share your notes with the lawyer, not with others. Don’t discuss the allegation with the accuser, with family members who may be witnesses, or on social media. Statements made in those places can affect the case.

Bring a list of questions. Ask how the lawyer would review the recording, the records and the charge. Ask what options exist at each step. The consultation is a chance to hear how the lawyer thinks through the case.

Keep copies of every document you bring. Keep the originals with you.

Talk with Barbieri Law Firm about your situation

If a child sex offense accusation has your family facing choices no one expected, you don’t have to sort them out alone. Early decisions about bond, protective orders and statements often matter. You can read more on our child sex crimes defense page.

Call (972) 424-1902 or send your case details through the contact form. The firm offers a free initial consultation — confidential, with no obligation to continue.

Attorney responsible for this site: Heather Barbieri, Barbieri Law Firm, Frisco, Texas.

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