Houston has a crime index of 3 which means it is safer than 3% of US cities. If you live in Houston, your chances of becoming a victim of violent crime are 1 in 78. There are chances you are falsely implicated in a crime, and your presence at the crime spot was merely an accident.
If the police arrest you for any crime, you must contact a Houston criminal defense attorney. Here are different types of cases handled by criminal defense attorneys.
Criminal offenses can be divided into five categories. You will need them to represent you in court if you are charged with the below crimes.
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Property Cases
Recent data indicates Houston registered around 14,867 motor theft cases and 15,962 burglary cases in the last five years. Property cases do not have injuries or casualties. Instead, they cover various types of criminal acts related to property.
For example, arson refers to willfully or intentionally setting a property on fire. Though arson crime refers to charing buildings or homes, it also includes the intentional burning of things like forests, vehicles, or boats.
Other property crimes include burglary, motor theft, unlawful taking of personal property of an individual or business. If you are charged for any property crimes mentioned, you need to contact a Houston criminal defense attorney.
Drug Abuse Cases
If you are charged for unlawful possession or manufacturing of illicit substances, the police may arrest you for drug abuse. As per Texas laws, possessing more than 4 ounces of marijuana is a crime, and you may be booked for drug abuse. In that case, you will need an attorney to represent you in court.
Alcohol-Related Cases
There are several criminal cases related to alcohol. For example, if you are driving while intoxicated is a serious crime in Texas. If a person is found driving a vehicle while intoxicated in a public place, he could be booked under a Class B misdemeanor with minimum confinement of 72 hours.
If you are booked for driving under the influence of alcohol, you need to contact a criminal attorney to represent you in court. The attorney will study your case and police reports and prepare your defense. He will work to reduce the sentence by providing valid arguments.
If you are booked for driving under the influence of alcohol, you need to contact a criminal attorney to represent you in court. The attorney will study your case and police reports and prepare your defense. He will work to reduce the sentence by providing valid arguments.
Violent Crime Cases
If you are arrested for any violent crime, you will need a good legal presentation in court. Several violent crimes like robbery, forcible rape, murder, and non-negligent manslaughter attract severe punishment. Therefore, you need an attorney for violent crime cases as he will provide you with a rigorous defense for the crime you are accused of.
Disorderly Conduct Cases
If your actions caused a public disturbance, the police might book you under disorderly conduct. Some of the examples of disorderly conduct as per Texas laws are:
- Use of indecent, profane, abusive, or vulgar language in public places and the uttering of the words incite an immediate breach of peace.
- Creates an obnoxious odor in a public place by use of chemicals
- Threaten or abuses a person in a public place in an offensive manner
- Makes unreasonable noise in a public place
These are some actions that can lead to arrest in disorderly conduct. In that case, you will need an attorney to represent your side in the court.
These are different types of cases handled by criminal defense attorneys. Most crimes discussed above have a severe punishment, so you should hire them when the police arrest you.