Nutshell
Criminal law crimes are committed when a defendant commits an office against the State or Federal government. In Texas, an offense committed by a defendant is classified as either a misdemeanor or a felony. Misdemeanors are less severe offenses and felonies are more severe offenses. The minimum and maximum punishment ranges for an offense differ depending on the category of crime charged against a defendant.
A judge cannot sentence a defendant to a greater punishment than the maximum allowed under the law and cannot sentence a defendant to a lesser punishment than the minimum allowed under the law. Once charged with a crime, it is important for the defendant to be informed of what type of category the offense is in order to know the minimum and maximum time the offense carries.
Categories of Crimes in Texas
Misdemeanor
- Punishable by a fine only
- Not to exceed $500
Examples:
- Traffic citations
- Public intoxication
- Disorderly conduct
- Punishable by confinement in county jail for up to 180 days
- And/or a fine not to exceed $2,000.
Examples:
- Possession of Marijuana (less than 2 ounces)
- DWI (1st offense)
- Theft ($100 to less than $750)
- Punishable by confinement in county jail for up to 365 days
- And/or a fine not to exceed $4,000.
Examples:
- Possession of Marijuana (2 ounces, to less than 4 ounces)
- DWI (2nd offense)
- Burglary of a Vehicle
Felonies
- Punishable by confinement in state jail between 180 days and 2 years
- And/or a fine not to exceed $10,000
Examples:
- Possession of a Controlled Substance (less than 1 gram)
- DWI (with a child as passenger)
- Interfering with Child Custody
- Punishable by a prison term between 2 and 10 years
- And/or a fine not to exceed $10,000
Examples:
- Possession of a Controlled Substance (1 gram, to less than 4 grams)
- DWI (3rd offense)
- Bail Jumping of a Felony Arrest
- Punishable by a prison term between 2 and 20 years
- And/or a fine not to exceed $10,000
Examples:
- Robbery
- Intoxication Manslaughter and Manslaughter
- Marijuana Drug Possession (50 pounds, to less than 2,000 pounds)
- Punishable by a prison term between 5 and 99 years
- And/or a fine not to exceed $10,000
Examples:
- Murder
- Aggravated Robbery
- Aggravated Sexual Assault
- May be punishable by death, if the State seeks the death penalty
- May be punishable by life in prison without the possibility of parole
- Or may be punishable by life in prison if the offense committed prior to the defendants 18th
Examples:
- Murder + Certain Other Crimes
- Murder of a Public Safety Officer
- Murder of a Person Under the Age of 10 Years Old
Services
The Alamo Law Center works to resolve misdemeanor and felony criminal law issues. We don’t limit ourselves in our professional skills in order to provide our clients with superior knowledge and legal services to deliver on their behalf. We believe you shouldn’t have to limit your expectations when you’re considering a law firm wondering if the attorney you hire will protect all your rights, explain all the issues to you, or simply call/email you back.
At the Alamo Law Center we:
- Strategize and consider all avenues of obtaining the best results for our clients
- Consistently inform our clients of options and possible outcomes that may result
- Detail to our clients the risks and benefits of going to trial
- Ensure our clients rights remain protected
We will zealously fight for the rights of our clients:
- Public defenders do not have the same resources that we do to help fight for your case
- You have the right to an aggressive and fair defense and we will defend your rights
- No case is too far to travel to and we will be where your case is to help you
No attorney can guarantee the outcome of a case, but what we can guarantee you is that the Alamo Law Center attorneys are prepared to take whatever steps are necessary in fighting for your rights.