Galveston County Criminal Defense Lawyer

Galveston County is a beautiful coastal area that includes the cities of Galveston and League City. As beautiful as the area is, it experiences crime like any other part of Texas. The police work tirelessly to catch criminals, and prosecutors do their best to bring them to justice. However, everyone is presumed innocent under the law until proven guilty, and everyone has the constitutional right to an attorney. If you have been arrested or are facing trial, call experienced Galveston County criminal defense lawyer Ned Barnett at (713) 222-6767 to defend your rights.

DWI

Driving while intoxicated is a serious offense and punishments include significant incarceration, suspension of your license, and fines. If it’s a second or subsequent offense, the penalties increase drastically.

Whether it’s your first misdemeanor or a felony DWI, you need a skilled attorney to defend you in court. Ned Barnett has more than 30 years of experience with DWI cases, including as a prosecutor. He is now certified in operating breath test machines, field sobriety test methods, and gas chromatography used in blood tests.

Assault

Under Texas Law, assault occurs if you intentionally or recklessly cause bodily injury to another, threaten immediate bodily injury, or cause offensive or provocative contact with another. When most people think of assault, they think of a fight with pushing and shoving, maybe a few punches are thrown; however, an assault can occur without anyone being physically hurt. It can arise if you knowingly threatens to harm another person.

Assault may be charged as a misdemeanor or a felony. As a misdemeanor, it can lead to as much as 1 year in jail and a $4,000 fine. As a felony, it can result in up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. In either case, a conviction will lead to a permanent record, which can greatly affect your personal and professional life.

Aggravated Assault

You may be guilty of aggravated assault if you intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly cause serious bodily injury to another or if you use or exhibit a deadly weapon during an assault. Like with an assault, you may be found guilty even if the victim was not physically injured. If a knife, gun, or other deadly weapon is involved in a manner that threatens imminent bodily harm, aggravated assault occurs.

Aggravated assault is a felony punishable by 2 to 20 years in prison and a fine of $10,000.

Homicide

The term homicide covers a variety of crimes, including negligent homicide, manslaughter, and murder. You may be found guilty of murder if you intend to cause serious bodily injury or death, or if you intend to commit a felony crime that leads to someone’s death. Manslaughter arises if you did not intend to cause serious bodily injury or death but did so because of reckless behavior.

Whatever the specific offense, homicides result in significant consequences. Capital murder may result in life in prison without parole or even the death penalty. If you are facing a homicide charge, you need a Houston criminal defense lawyer like Ned Barnett. He has experience defending homicide cases and a track record of beneficial outcomes for his clients.

Sex Crimes

Sex crimes include sexual assault, prostitution, solicitation, indecent exposure, and public lewdness. Many of these offenses are prosecuted as felonies, which mean you may face not only a ruined reputation but years in jail or prison. An allegation of a sex crime could damage your career and personal life, which is why it’s so important to have a skilled Houston sexual assault lawyer like Ned Barnett by your side if this happens to you.

Consequences include a permanent criminal record and sex offender registration. Sex crime charges may limit professional chances, affect child custody and visitation, alter immigration status, lead to deportation, and prohibit voting and gun rights. Lawyers, doctors, teachers, and other individuals with professional licenses can lose their licenses and ability to work in those fields.

How a Galveston Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Help

Whether you’ve been charged with a moving violation, violent crime, or sex crime, Ned Barnett is the attorney you want. With more than three decades of practice experience on both sides of the law, he knows the ins and outs of the Texas court system.

Ned Barnett understands how to build a strong defense, and he will poke holes in the prosecution’s case against you because he can think like a prosecutor. Call the Law Offices of Ned Barnett today at (713) 222-6767 to learn more.