Defending People Accused of Violent Crimes in Ellis County and Dallas-Fort Worth

A violent crime charge in Ellis County is decided under Texas law, and the exact offense matters most. People searching for Ellis County violent crime lawyers usually want to know one thing first: what the charge means and what happens next. This guide explains the three assaultive offense categories Barbieri Law Firm defends: aggravated assault, family violence and aggravated sexual assault.

Violent Crime Charges in Ellis County: Where Barbieri Law Firm Fits

Barbieri Law Firm defends aggravated assault, family violence and aggravated sexual assault charges. The firm also defends online sex crimes allegations. “Violent crime” is a broad label. It can describe a threat, an injury, a shooting or a sexual offense. Texas law sorts each of these into a specific offense, and each offense has its own elements and punishment range.

The label on a police report is not the final charge. A case that sounds minor can become a felony when one fact changes, such as who the alleged victim is or whether a weapon was involved. That is why the first step is always the exact charge and the facts that support it.

The firm represents clients in Collin County, Dallas-Fort Worth and across Texas. Charges filed in Ellis County are governed by the same Texas statutes. For a broader view of sex crimes and assault defense, read the firm’s online sex crimes defense overview.

Aggravated Assault Charges in Texas

Aggravated assault is an assault that causes serious bodily injury or involves a deadly weapon. Under Texas Penal Code § 22.02, a person commits aggravated assault when they commit an assault as defined in Section 22.01 and either cause serious bodily injury to another, including the person’s spouse, or use or exhibit a deadly weapon during the commission of the assault.

Plain assault is simpler. A serious injury or a weapon changes the case.

The degree matters. Aggravated assault is generally a second-degree felony. It becomes a first-degree felony in listed circumstances, such as using a deadly weapon and causing serious bodily injury to a person in a family, household or dating relationship. A second-degree felony carries 2 to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. A first-degree felony carries life or 5 to 99 years and the same fine limit.

When the firm reviews an aggravated assault charge, it asks several questions. What did the complainant report, and when? What does the injury evidence show? What do witnesses say? Is there body-camera or surveillance footage? Does the client claim self-defense? The firm reviews the evidence and explains your options. No lawyer can promise a particular outcome.

Family Violence Assault Charges

Family violence is an act by a family or household member that is intended to cause physical harm, bodily injury, assault or sexual assault. It also covers a threat that reasonably places the member in fear of imminent harm. It excludes defensive measures taken to protect yourself.

The relationship is the first thing to check. Family violence also includes dating violence. Texas looks at the length of the relationship, its nature, and how often and how the people interacted. A casual acquaintance or ordinary social or business contact does not count as a dating relationship.

An assault charge can also be enhanced. An assault against a person in a family or dating relationship with the defendant is a second-degree felony under Texas Penal Code § 22.01(b-3) only if all of that subsection’s conditions are met, and a prior qualifying conviction is one of those conditions; under Texas Family Code § 71.0021(b), a dating relationship means a relationship between individuals who have or have had a continuing relationship of a romantic or intimate nature, and its existence is determined based on the length of the relationship, the nature of the relationship, and the frequency and type of interaction between the persons involved. Under Texas Penal Code § 22.01(f)(1), a prior deferred adjudication counts for this purpose: the defendant has been previously convicted if he entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere in return for a grant of deferred adjudication.

The review of a family violence case usually covers the relationship facts, 911 recordings, photographs, medical records and any prior contact between the people involved. A charge is an accusation. The firm looks at what the evidence actually shows before you decide on any step.

Aggravated Sexual Assault Charges

Aggravated sexual assault is a first-degree felony under Texas law. The offense starts with sexual conduct without consent, or with listed sexual conduct with a child whether or not the person knows the child’s age, and adds an aggravating circumstance. They include serious bodily injury, a deadly weapon, acting with another person, a substance that impairs the victim, and a victim younger than 14 or an elderly or disabled individual.

Punishment is severe. The first-degree range is life or 5 to 99 years, with a fine of up to $10,000. The minimum prison term rises to 25 years in listed cases, including when the victim is younger than 10.

Every case is different, so we will review the evidence and explain your options. Is consent disputed? What do the medical and forensic records show? What is the timeline? What messages passed between the parties, including texts and social media posts? Each case turns on its own facts. The firm does not predict a result. It explains what the evidence supports and which options are available.

Online and Electronic Evidence in Violent Crime Cases

Texts, social media messages, call logs, photos and location data often become central evidence in family violence and sexual assault allegations. Barbieri Law Firm defends online sex crimes allegations, so electronic evidence gets close review. The review asks how the evidence was collected, how it was preserved and what it actually shows. A screenshot can leave out the message that came before it.

The Texas Attorney General publishes information about online solicitation of minors and the conduct Texas law prohibits. These public resources show why digital communications draw close scrutiny. Texas Attorney General cyber safety

Bond conditions create another digital risk. Violating a bond condition in a family violence or sexual assault case can be a separate criminal offense. Contacting a protected person, going near their home or workplace, or tracking their phone or vehicle can all be violations when the order or bond prohibits them. The offense is generally a Class A misdemeanor, but some versions are felonies.

Do not delete messages, close accounts or wipe phones. Deleting data can raise questions of its own. Keep devices and accounts as they are.

What Happens After an Arrest in Ellis County

After an arrest, a judge sets the terms you must follow while the case is pending. Those terms can control where you live, who you contact and where you go. Treat them as the most urgent part of the case.

In family violence cases, a magistrate may issue an order for emergency protection at the first appearance. The order must warn in capital letters that violating it may be punished by a fine of as much as $4,000, jail for as long as one year, or both. The same order states that no one, including the protected person, may give permission to violate it.

Follow every condition exactly. If the order says no contact, do not contact the complainant, even if that person reaches out first. Do not discuss the facts with police or the complainant. Anything said on a phone or social media can become evidence. Speak with a lawyer before you answer questions about the case.

Your court paperwork lists the dates that matter. Read every date and bring all the papers to your first consultation. The firm reviews those dates with you.

How Barbieri Law Firm Reviews These Cases

Barbieri Law Firm is an all-women criminal defense firm led by Heather Barbieri, founding attorney. The firm’s lawyers include Heather Barbieri and Carrie Thomas. Support staff assist with office work.

Heather Jean Barbieri, Board Certified, Criminal Law — Texas Board of Legal Specialization

The review follows four steps. First, the firm reads the charging documents and identifies the exact offense and its degree. Second, it obtains and reviews the evidence, including recordings, photographs, medical records and digital messages. Third, it explains your options. Fourth, it discusses how each option fits your situation.

No lawyer can promise a particular outcome. The firm’s role is to review the facts and explain where you stand.

Talk With Barbieri Law Firm About Your Ellis County Case

If you’ve been charged with aggravated assault, family violence or aggravated sexual assault, the next step is a case review. Start with the exact charge, the bond terms and the court dates.

If a charge, a bond condition or a court date has you worried, call (972) 424-1902 or send your case details through the contact form. The first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation to continue.

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