Assault and Family Violence Defense in Dallas County

This page covers assault and family violence cases in Dallas County: where they are heard, who prosecutes them and the local programs the county and its prosecutors run. Our office is in downtown Dallas at 325 N St. Paul Street; we handle cases in the Dallas County courts. For Texas-wide law, see our assault and family violence guide, and for other charges see the Dallas County criminal defense page.

Which courts hear family violence cases in Dallas County?

Dallas County has 17 felony courts and 13 misdemeanor courts, according to the county's Community Supervision and Corrections Department (CSCD). Misdemeanor family violence assaults are heard in the Dallas County Criminal Courts, and felony family violence cases, such as a repeat offense or an impeding-breath allegation, are heard in the Criminal District Courts. Both sit in the Frank Crowley Courts Building, 133 N. Riverfront Blvd.

Who prosecutes family violence in Dallas County?

The Dallas County District Attorney's Office has a Family Violence Division, based at the Frank Crowley Courts Building. The division prosecutes intimate partner violence cases and also has a protective order section that represents applicants. That means the same office that is prosecuting the assault may also be helping the complainant seek a protective order against you, so what you say in one case matters in the other.

What happens after a family violence arrest in Dallas County?

Arrests in Dallas County are usually booked at the Lew Sterrett Justice Center, next to the Crowley building, where a magistrate sets bond. In family violence cases, expect bond conditions such as no contact with the complainant and staying away from the home. A magistrate's order for emergency protection can be issued at this first appearance. Read the conditions closely: a violation can lead to a new charge and to bond revocation, even if the complainant reaches out first.

Are there local programs for family violence cases?

Dallas County runs several programs that can come up in family violence cases. The CSCD lists a Felony Domestic Violence Court, which requires a forensic domestic violence risk evaluation for participants. The Dallas County Public Defender's Office lists a Domestic Violence court among its treatment courts. County Criminal Court No. 11 runs a program called Intercepted: a nine-month pretrial diversion for misdemeanor assault that leads to dismissal on completion. It is limited to people under 25 with no prior assault or violent history, no prior felony, no pending charges and no current probation. Whether any program fits depends on the facts and your history.

What Texas law applies to a family violence assault?

Assault causing bodily injury is usually a Class A misdemeanor under Penal Code 22.01. It becomes a third-degree felony when the complainant is a family member, household member or dating partner and the accused has a prior family violence conviction, or when the offense involved impeding breathing or circulation. A judge can enter an affirmative finding of family violence, and that finding follows the person into later cases and can affect firearm rights.

At the first appearance, a magistrate can issue a magistrate's order for emergency protection under Code of Criminal Procedure 17.292. An order issued under the main subsections lasts at least 61 and up to 91 days; one issued for a case involving serious bodily injury or a deadly weapon can last 91 to 121 days. Violating that order, or a bond condition in a family violence case, can be a separate charge under Penal Code 25.07.

How is assault against a family member graded?

What should I do now?

• Follow every bond condition and any emergency order, even if the complainant contacts you.
• Do not post about the case or discuss it with the complainant.
• Write down what happened and who saw it while it is fresh, and keep texts and call logs.
• Get advice before giving any statement or attending a protective order hearing.

How do I get started?

The first consultation is free. It is with a Director of Client Engagement, not an attorney. Clients who hire us work with an attorney. Call (214) 239-2013 or start a chat. Phones and chat are answered 24/7, with AI covering when no staff is free.

Last updated October 2026