People from all walks of life can easily find themselves facing criminal charges in a Texas court that are related to domestic violence.
All it really takes is for the authorities to get called to one’s house because of a fight.
With just a few words from the alleged victim or some evidence of a struggle, like a red mark on the arms, a resident of the Houston area, even a first-time defendant who’s lived an otherwise successful and distinguished life, may be looking at the possibility of a conviction and maybe even a stint in jail.
Especially if the prosecutor offers what seems like a good deal, it may be tempting to plead guilty as soon as possible in order to get the matter over with.
A quick guilty plea to domestic violence charges can be a huge mistake
However, trying to deal with a criminal case related to domestic violence quickly can turn out to be a huge mistake that can cause long-term regret. This is true even when jail and other seemingly harsher consequences are off the table.
For one, many employers, professional licensing boards and the like look very unfavorably on domestic violence. A conviction can lead to lost professional and personal opportunities, including the ability to do things like teach, practice medicine, serve as a foster parent or adopt children.
Moreover, even with respect to one’s own children, a domestic violence conviction can mean that the parent will not have any decision-making authority over his own children and may even have to live supervised or restricted visits, even if his children didn’t witness the alleged violence.
Finally, many Texans own guns and enjoy using them for peaceful purposes. However, even a misdemeanor domestic violence conviction means that, under federal law, the defendant cannot own or possess firearms.