Larry B. Douglas Attorney at Law Attorney Houston Texas

Engaging a felony attorney in Houston when you have been accused of a crime is the first, and most important, step you can take towards your own successful defense. The legal system today is vast and not to be learned over the course of a trial or from a book while your freedom hangs in the balance. The majority of people have come to understand that the legal system is extraordinarily complex, with even the smallest nuances influencing the outcome of a case. This is why most of the people accused of a felony in the Houston area chose to immediately engage an attorney. There are things that a layman just cannot know. For example, how much discretion the prosecutor has and how much of they exercise will determine the type of charges that are filed against.  The charges influence the potential penalty upon conviction (jail time, fines, etc.). You will also need to understand how filings work, what deadlines need to be met, and how the procedural elements of a court case are structured.  This is a lot to learn in a very short period and reason enough not to represent yourself. 

The difference between the types of felony charges. 

As a felony attorney in Houston, I can explain the varying levels, or degrees, of a felony charge in Texas. It is important to note that, in Texas, felony crimes are punishable by jail terms that must be served in a state corrections facility or jail. There are three degrees of felony crimes in Texas. If you have been charged with a capital felony, you are facing the possibility of a death sentence and must immediately engage a felony attorney in Houston to work on your case. First-degree felonies typically carry a life sentence and a fine of $10,000. Even lesser felony charges, dependent on prosecutorial discretion, come with penalties that include sending you to jail for a minimum of 2 years. People convicted of a felony also lose the right to vote or hold public office in Texas, meaning that a conviction will influence you for the rest of your life. 

Misdemeanors 

The other kind of crime that you can be charged with is known as a misdemeanor. Misdemeanors are punishable by up to one year in a local or county jail and can carry a stiff fine as well. Like felonies, misdemeanors are also broken up into classes based on the severity of the crime. The prosecutor has the jurisdiction and discretion to charge you with any level of severity. Class A misdemeanors a punishment of up to a year in prison, while Class C misdemeanors do not have any jail time associated with them. Getting charged with a reduced felony or misdemeanor can make all the difference in your case.  As a felony attorney in Houston, I will often work with the prosecutor to try and have the charges dropped from a felony to a misdemeanor prior to going to trial.