Felony Charges in Dallas

All felony charges are incredibly serious and require a knowledgeable and experienced Dallas felony lawyer. First, police and prosecutors are aggressive when it comes to felony accusations. Consequently, felony crimes can result in long prison sentences, hefty fines, a permanent record, and loss of important rights. Most importantly, all this adds up damage to your reputation that can alter your life forever. You need an experienced Dallas felony lawyer on your side. You need someone to help you understand your rights and options as well as to stand up for you in court.

Dallas Felony Lawyer

If you or someone you love has been accused of a felony offense in Dallas, contact the Law Office of Mike Howard. Most importantly, Dallas felony lawyer Mike Howard has the experience, trial skills, and dedication that you need when you are fighting for your life. We will do everything we can to fight for you. Moreover, Mr. Howard will give you an honest assessment of your case and explain the law and your legal options.

A Different Kind of Lawyer

We approach our clients differently than a lot of lawyers. Above all, our philosophy is that being a great lawyer is more than getting you a great result. First, our office is centered around you. This means we start by truly listening to you to understand your case and your goals. Further, our team works to provide you with a client experience that is as easy and stress-free as possible. Answering your questions and keeping you informed is very important to us. Most importantly, we treat you as a person, not a number. Finally, our goal is to achieve the best possible result for you. If you’re looking for a different kind of lawyer, you’ve come to the right place.

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Our Case Process

Listen & Understand

We focus on clients as real people. First, we list to understand who you are and what you need. Then we make sure we fully understand the facts of the case.

Open Communication

We explain the law, your rights, and the legal process. Because communication is very important to us, we strive to quickly answer questions and return communication.

Fight for Justice

Simply put: we fight hard for you. In the courtroom, in negotiations, and before a case even is officially opened, we fight for justice for you.

Felony Offenses Explained

First, it is important to understand exactly what a felony is. Texas law splits up all criminal charges into felonies and misdemeanors. A felony is any crime that carries a possible prison sentence of more than one year. People jailed for a felony serve their sentence in state prison or the state jail facility.

On the other hand, a misdemeanor is any crime that carries a possible jail sentence of up to one year. People jailed for a misdemeanor conviction serve their sentence in the county jail. Generally, misdemeanor offenses involve shorter probation lengths, less strict probation conditions, and lower fines.

Defending Felony Charges in Dallas

First and foremost, the prosecutor must prove their allegation beyond a reasonable doubt. If the prosecutor cannot rule out each and every possible reasonable doubt, the presumption of innocence prevails. As a result, the court must find you not guilty. This means you don’t have to prove that you didn’t do it. You don’t have to prove anything!

The only way the prosecution wins is if the jury believes their story is the only reasonable way it could’ve happened. If they have any reasonable doubts that it actually happened, they must find you not guilty. If they reasonably think it could’ve happened another way, they must find you not guilty. This is the highest burden of proof in our justice system. When implemented by a skilled Dallas felony lawyer, it can be a powerful weapon.

Degrees of Felony Offenses

Felony offenses are divided into four degrees or
classifications:

  • Capital Felony – punishable by life in prison without the possibility of parole or the death penalty.
  • First-Degree Felony – punishable by between 5 and 99 years or life (with parole) in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.
  • Second-Degree Felony – punishable by between 2 and 20 years in prison and
    up to a $10,000 fine.
  • Third-Degree Felony – punishable by between 2 and 10 years in prison and
    up to a $10,000 fine.
  • State Jail Felony – punishable by between 180 days (6 months) and 2 years in the state
    jail facility and up to a $10,000 fine.

“Mike and his team made me feel the most comfortable...

I called a few Attorneys and Mike and his team made me feel the most comfortable. This is my first time being in a situation like this but the professionalism and communication really put me at easy especially because I’m out of state I needed someone I could trust with my life. He broke down everything for me step by step and helped me through a situation that could’ve ruined my career. So I’d like to thank Mike again for getting my case rejected!!

Ashley Thompson

Common Felony Offenses

Some common felony charges include:

Resources and Information

See our criminal defense resource center for more information from Dallas felony lawyer Mike Howard on fundamental rights in a criminal case, definitions of culpable mental states (intentionally, knowingly, etc), defenses to prosecution, and more.

Choosing the Right Felony Lawyer in Dallas

Searching for felony lawyers in Dallas can be overwhelming. After all, you are choosing someone who will hold your life, your future, and your family’s future in their hands. You have to be comfortable with them and feel that you can trust the information and advice they give you. Lawyers are supposed to always work in their clients’ best interest. That shouldn’t just be meaningless talk.

First, talk to several lawyers to get a feel for them and their staff. Do they take the time necessary to get to know you, to listen to what’s important to you, and answer your questions? Second, do they show you that you matter to them as a person and not just as a fee? Third, beware of lawyers who put the hard sell on you, who make big promises. No lawyer should ever make a guarantee about a case. Finally, absolutely avoid a lawyer who doesn’t communicate the scope of the work and their fee clearly in a written contract.

What Makes Mike Howard Different

Many attorneys take advantage of their clients’ ignorance of the criminal justice process. We take the opposite approach. A knowledgeable client is a happy client. Therefore, we provide a wealth of information in the way of articles about criminal offenses, blog posts, and videos for free on our website.

Visit Our YouTube Channel for informational videos and client testimonials.
Visit our blog for posts on cases, defenses, and criminal law information.

Dallas Felony Attorney Mike Howard

Above all, I strive to help my clients through difficult times with compassion and integrity. In Dallas innocent people can get accused, charged, and convicted when they don’t have a Dallas felony attorney fighting for them. I believe in standing up for people facing criminal accusations and helping them navigate all that comes with being thrown into the criminal justice system.

Client-Centered

The cornerstone of my law practice is focusing on my clients as individuals.  I
start by taking the time to understand not just the facts of their case, but who they are and what they need. Because I know the criminal justice system can be intimidating, I explain the process, their rights, and their options. Client communication is extremely important to me, so I make sure my team and I do everything possible to quickly answer questions and return messages.

Willing to Fight

Most importantly, I am willing to fight a case in court.  I have a track record of delivering fantastic results at trial. While not every client and case needs to go to trial, it can make a difference. When your Dallas felony attorney has a reputation as a skilled trial lawyer who fights for their clients, however, it can make all the difference in the world.

A Proven Track Record

Dallas Felony Criminal Defense Lawyer

J.C. – Assault Family Violence Impeding Breathing

Our client was a professional boxer and a world champion. He was wrongly accused of brutally beating up an ex-girlfriend. The problem was the woman had no injuries and was shaking him down for a payout. We took the case to trial and exposed her true motives in court. The jury found my client not guilty.

M.T. – Indecency with a Child By Contact

Our client was accused of repeatedly a child family member. He denied any wrongdoing all the way to trial. We were able to convince the jury that the prosecution just didn’t have enough evidence. Not Guilty.

M.J. – Continuous Sexual Abuse

Our client was accused by the daughter of an ex-girlfriend of repeatedly abusing her. We were able to show the jury that all sorts of motive existed to make this story up and that no proof existed. The jury found M.J. Not Guilty.

N.P. – Possession with the Intent to Deliver

Our client was watching TV when the police showed up on a supposed noise complaint. When he opened the door the police rushed in and illegally searched the house. They claimed they saw a gun and that gave them cause to enter and search. We fought back and showed the judge the “gun” was a child’s toy. We showed the judge the search was illegal and beyond any right the police had. The drugs found were thrown out and the case was dismissed.

M.B. – Murder

My client’s brother shot someone and killed him in an argument. The victim’s brother witnessed the shooting and wrongfully claimed that my client was present and is the one who provoked his brother to shoot the victim. Investigating fully, I was able to prove by triangulating his cell phone signal that he was 45 minutes away at the time of the shooting. Case Dismissed.

B.B. – Theft (Multiple Charges in Multiple Counties)

Our client had a heroin problem and was stealing to support his addiction. We were able to get him into drug treatment and get all his charges dismissed.

L.M. – Sexual Assault

Our client was a teenage boy who had consensual sex with a girl at a party. When her parents found out she claimed rape. We were able to fully investigate and convince the detective to reject the case.

J.C. – Felony Theft From Employer

Our client was facing a high-profile accusation of theft with public demands for aggressive prosecution. We were able to get the charge reduced to a misdemeanor, avoid conviction and jail time, and get him unsupervised deferred probation.

Y.K. – Aggravated Assault Serious Bodily Injury

Our client was out with a group of friends when one of them drunkenly harassed our client’s female friend. Our client told the drunk to back off and the drunk took a swing at our client. The drunk ended up stumbling as he walked away and broke his thumb when he fell. He lied to the police, claiming our client attacked him for no reason and beat him mercilessly. Even though all five witnesses backed up our client, police filed charges against our client. We convinced the grand jury to dismiss the case.