- Divorce
- Child Custody and VisitationIt doesn’t take long for tensions to escalate during family disputes over money, infidelity, or child custody battles, and turn a private disagreement into a public domestic violence charge. A criminal conviction of this type of charge has serious implications, especially if aggravated assault charges are filed. Information about your criminal incident is typically considered public record, and is available to anyone who checks into your background, which can affect your family, your work, and other rights. Along with a criminal record, you could be sentenced to jail time, restricted from contact of family members, and lose your right to possess a firearm forever. Additionally, if you are convicted of an Assault – Family Violence case, any future allegation will automatically become a third degree felony.
- Criminal DefenseNot everyone charged with a crime can afford the criminal defense attorney they deserve. At the Law Office of Henry K. Nguyen, P.C., we understand the economy is tough right now and people in Houston are suffering from it. Many people do not have a lot of money saved up or are hit with the exorbitant amount of fees and expenses related to being charged with a criminal case, such as: posting bonds or getting devices installed like the SCRAM or Interlock devices and hiring an attorney. Everyone facing criminal charges would like a good attorney, the question is whether or not they can find a criminal defense lawyer they can afford.
- DUI/DWIThe burden of proof for the administrative case is a preponderance of the evidence or 50.1%. It is very difficult to win the ALR hearing on the merits because the burden of proof is so low, but we are able to win these cases quite regularly on technicalities. Additionally, the ALR hearing is very important to the DWI or Driving While Intoxicated case because if the officer shows up, we can cross examine them under oath. There is a transcript of the hearing and we can, in turn, use this as evidence in the criminal case. Oftentimes, the officers change certain details they remember of the offense that can be extremely beneficial in the criminal case. It is also a good tool to use to prepare for things that may come up in trial that was not written in the original offense report. Because these hearings are so important to the outcome of the criminal case, we almost always include handling these cases after being retained on the criminal case.
- Traffic Violations• You were pulled over due to a traffic violation where the officer then arrests you for possessing marijuana, drugs, or for unlawfully carrying a weapon
- Sex Crimes
- FraudIn many cases, just being in possession of stolen credit cards and forms of identification are enough to charge you with possession of identifying information. Oftentimes, prosecutors can charge you with more serious offenses due to your possession of cards. One way they do that is by charging you with Engaging in Organized Crime. If you are arrested with 2-3 others or if they believe you worked together with others, this can bring the punishment range from a State Jail Felony to a First Degree Felony, depending on the value and crime. Because of the seriousness of these crimes, it is imperative that anyone accused of abusing a credit card obtain the services of a skilled Houston defense attorney as soon as possible.
- Robbery
- BurglaryA burglary conviction can also be used to impeach your credibility when it comes to testifying as well. If you were ever a victim of a crime or a injured and you were called as a witness, the opposing attorney could use this against you to imply you were not being truthful because of this conviction.
- Theft
- MisdemeanorsPunishment for any type of terroristic threat is typically a Class B Misdemeanor, carrying up to 180 days in County Jail and up to a $2,000 fine. If the threat is against a family member, a member of your household, or a public servant, the charge is a Class A Misdemeanor, carrying a punishment range of up to 1 year in County Jail and up to a $4,000 fine. In certain circumstances, the charge can be a State Jail Felony or Third Degree Felony, which carries much more serious punishments.
- Embezzlement
- Drug CrimesWhile there are many states that have legalized marijuana for either recreational or medicinal, here in Texas, the sale, manufacture, or possession of marijuana is still not currently legal in the State of Texas. If you have been charged with any kind of marijuana related offense, your future could be in jeopardy if you don’t seek the counsel of an experienced Possession of Marijuana Attorney.
- AssaultThe State of Texas can enhance a typical assault charge to an Aggravated Assault case in two ways. Either by causing “serious bodily injury” OR by exhibiting or using a “deadly weapon” during the underlying assault.
- Murder
- Identity Theft
- Arson
- ShopliftingAccording to Texas law, there is not a separate crime of shoplifting, it falls under the offense of theft. You do not have to technically even leave the store, just past all points of sale. Many times, people are stopped prior to reaching the door to leave. This often leads to people mistakenly being arrested for shoplifting when they were not actually planning on leaving the store yet. The punishment range for theft is determined by the value of the items allegedly taken.
- Forgery
- Money Laundering
- Kidnapping
- ManslaughterHaving a Child in the car will also enhance any typical DWI to a state jail felony. If there is an accident and someone has serious bodily injury or dies as a result, the offense level would be a third degree felony and a second degree felony respectively. These offenses are called Intoxication Assault and Intoxication Manslaughter and these carry 2-10 years in prison or 2-20 years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. The State can also get creative in charging individuals for other offenses to get cases even to higher punishment ranges.
- Internet Crimes
- ProstitutionProstitution is one of the oldest professions in the world. Many people feel that prostitution should be legalized. With that being said, the crime of prostitution is prosecuted heavily in the State of Texas. Harris County receives grants to prosecute these cases and they do so by spending a significant amount of money and resources prosecuting these cases. Whether you are a female or male, accused of being a prostitute, or accused of agreeing to exchange money for sexual services, the stigma and repercussions of being charged with this offense are serious. Receiving a conviction for this offense is considered a crime of “moral turpitude” the same way a charge for theft is. A conviction can keep you from ever being able to find a job down the road, an apartment/lease for a home, or even a loan. That is why it so important to fight to keep this charge off your record. You need to find an attorney who is experienced in handling these cases and that cares about you record. Our office will fight for you and defend you against these charges. Contact our office today for a free consultation.
- Hit and RunIf you were involved in an motor vehicle accident with another vehicle in the State of Texas, you have certain obligations you must abide by or you may find yourself being charged with a crime of Failure to Stop and Give Information. These cases are commonly called “Hit and Run” or “FSGI” cases. If you are convicted of this offense, your license may be suspended and you may face up to 180 days in jail and up to a $2,000 fine. Find an attorney that will fight for you and defend you against these charges. Contact our office for a free consultation today.
- Personal Injury
- Auto Accidents