Criminal Defense Case Results in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX

Charge

Possession of a Controlled Substance (Third-Degree Felony)

Location

Ellis County, 443RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT

Allegations

Following a traffic stop for slow driving, officers reported smelling marijuana and conducted a vehicle search. Pills were found in the client’s bag and the state alleged they were a Penalty Group 1 substance. We obtained and reviewed the dash and body camera footage, police reports, and the lab results. Our team challenged the justification for the stop and the scope of the search, and pressed the state on pill identification, lab methodology, and chain of custody. Leveraging these issues, we negotiated deferred probation, avoiding a felony conviction if terms are completed.

Charge

Possession of a Controlled Substance (Penalty Group 3, Under 28 Grams)

Location

Ellis County, COUNTY COURT AT LAW NO 3

Allegations

After a traffic stop for slow driving, officers said they smelled marijuana. Consent to search was not given, but they removed the occupants and searched the vehicle. They found a few rolled joints in a door pocket and several pills in the client’s bag, leading to a misdemeanor PG3 possession charge. We obtained the reports and all video, dissected the basis and scope of the search, and challenged the link between the pills and our client. Faced with these issues, the prosecution dismissed the case.

Charge

Public Intoxication

Location

Dallas County, Cedar Hill Municipal Court

Allegations

The client was cited for public intoxication after leaving a restaurant. Officers approached, asked to question him, and arrested him soon after he declined to answer. No breath or blood test was taken, and the report leaned on an anonymous tip rather than observations that he was a danger to himself or others. We entered the case, demanded discovery, and made clear we were ready for a jury trial while challenging the sufficiency of the evidence on the core elements. The prosecutor dismissed the case.

Charge

Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon

Location

Tarrant County, CCC7

Allegations

During a DWI investigation, officers reported finding a handgun zipped inside a backpack on the back seat. The client held a license to carry and never displayed or mishandled the firearm, so the UCW allegation depended entirely on the parallel intoxication claim. We obtained the reports, emphasized that the weapon was secured and lawfully possessed, and pressed the state on why this should stand as a separate offense. After sustained negotiations, including proof of responsible ownership and completion of a safety course, the prosecution dismissed the UCW.

Charge

Unlawful Restraint

Location

Tarrant County, None

Allegations

Police responded to a third party 911 call after a minor dispute outside a residence. Officers separated the parties and arrested our client for unlawful restraint based on an assumption that someone was being kept in a car. We got involved immediately, tracked the case with intake, and documented that the only direct account denied any restraint. We emphasized the absence of evidence of restricted movement or threats and the mismatch with third party speculation. The DA declined to file and the case was dismissed.

Charge

Evading Arrest or Detention in a Motor Vehicle

Location

Dallas County, CDC7

Allegations

Officers attempted a traffic stop, and our client, worried about an old ticket warrant, kept driving and was later involved in a minor crash. He was charged with felony evading in a vehicle. We obtained the police reports and crash documentation and broke down the timeline of the attempted stop. The record left real doubt about whether he intentionally fled rather than simply panicked, and key details in the officers' accounts did not line up. We presented those problems to the prosecutor, and the state dismissed the case.

Charge

Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon

Location

Collin County, None

Allegations

The client was stopped at night after leaving a bar, and officers reported an open container in the vehicle. During the encounter they searched the car and found a handgun in the back seat, leading to an unlawful carrying of a weapon charge. We obtained the reports and body camera footage, focusing on the justification for the stop and whether the search stayed within lawful bounds. We highlighted problems tying the alleged open container to a broader search and questioned the state’s proof on UCW elements. After we presented these issues, the prosecution dismissed the case.

Charge

Criminal Mischief

Location

Collin County, 416th District Court

Allegations

Our client was accused of scratching the paint on a vehicle outside a bar belonging to someone they had past conflict with. The complainant did not witness the act, and identification appeared to rely on assumptions or possible cameras. We pressed for all evidence tying our client to the damage and demanded documentation supporting the claimed repair or depreciation amounts. With no prior record and a willingness to make restitution, we leveraged the proof gaps to negotiate a reduction to a misdemeanor with probation, avoiding a felony conviction.

Charge

Possession of a Fake ID

Location

Tarrant County, Arlington Municipal Court

Allegations

During a traffic stop involving another driver, officers searched the vehicle and discovered a fake ID in the client’s purse with alcoholic beverages present. She had already provided her real identifying information and never attempted to present the fake ID. We pressed for the police reports and video, scrutinized the stated basis for rummaging through her belongings, and emphasized her clean record and cooperation. Using that leverage, we negotiated deferred probation, keeping a conviction off her record so long as she satisfied the terms.

Charge

Interference with an Emergency Call (911)

Location

Dallas County, County Criminal Court No. 10

Allegations

After a heated family dispute, the client was accused of taking a phone and interrupting a 911 call. We secured the 911 recording and bodycam videos and analyzed the timeline in detail. The audio captured the client urging the caller not to hurt themself and did not clearly show a deliberate attempt to end the call. We also pointed out conflicts between the complainant’s account and another witness’s version of events. Faced with these proof issues and our readiness for trial, the State dismissed the case.

Charge

Interference with Emergency Call

Location

Denton County, County Criminal Court #2

Allegations

After a domestic dispute at a residence, police alleged our client interfered with an emergency call. The accusation rested on a claim that the complainant was prevented from calling 911, yet in her own statement she admitted grabbing the client’s phone and smashing it. A third party was already on the line and could attest that the client told the complainant to call and was only trying to retrieve the damaged phone. We compiled these contradictions from the reports and witness information and pressed the State on the missing elements. The prosecution dismissed the case.

Charge

Unlawful Restraint

Location

Denton County, County Criminal Court #2

Allegations

Police arrested our client for unlawful restraint after a domestic dispute at a residence. The complainant told officers the client blocked her from leaving a room, while also admitting she grabbed his phone and smashed it. The client said he only pushed past to retrieve the phone. We dissected the report and statements, pressed the timeline that she was able to get past him and place a 911 call, and challenged proof of any confinement. After firm negotiations and trial preparation, the prosecution dismissed the case.