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A violent crime charge in Collin County is different. The punishment ranges run to decades behind bars, prosecutors start negotiations with harsh plea offers, and a deadly weapon allegation can take straight probation off the table before your lawyer ever speaks to the State. These are the cases where having a trial-tested criminal defense attorney fighting by your side makes the difference between spending years of your life inside or outside of a prison cell.
I am a former Collin County felony prosecutor. My colleagues and I have spent our careers on both sides of the courtroom, and our team brings 21 combined years as prosecutors and more than 300 trials to every case we accept. We have defended aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, murder, manslaughter, robbery, and aggravated robbery charges from the grand jury room to the jury verdict. We know how these cases are investigated, how the Collin County District Attorney’s Office evaluates them, and where they are actually won.
Former Collin County prosecutors defending aggravated assault, murder, manslaughter, and robbery charges in Collin County and across North Texas. Trial-tested defense from the first phone call. Available 24/7 at 214-764-5535.
We prosecuted felony cases in this county. We know how a violent crime file is built, what the State’s evidence will look like before we ever see it, and what actually moves a negotiation.
Prosecutors treat cases differently when the defense lawyer across the table tries cases to verdict. Every violent crime case we take is prepared as if twelve jurors will hear it.
In Texas, a felony case must pass through a grand jury. Hiring a violent crimes lawyer before that happens gives us the chance to end the case with a no-bill before it ever becomes an indictment.
Most violent crime cases in Collin County are built on circumstantial evidence, and today that evidence is overwhelmingly digital. Understanding how it comes together is the first step in taking it apart.
License plate readers. When a witness reports a vehicle leaving a scene, investigators pull data from the license plate reader cameras positioned on roadways across the county. A description as thin as a color and a body style can return a list of candidate vehicles, and investigators then trace registrations and rental records to build a suspect list.
The vehicle itself. Modern vehicles record far more than most people realize, whether or not the car has a navigation package. Beyond the crash data recorder that captures speed, braking, and impact forces in the seconds around a collision, the infotainment system logs a running history: latitude and longitude accurate to within a few feet, gear changes, doors opening and closing, seat sensors, heavy acceleration, and Bluetooth connections. With a search warrant, investigators extract that data and build a timeline of where a vehicle was and what was happening inside it.
Phones and forensics. Cell phone extractions, cell tower data, DNA, and gunshot residue testing round out the picture the State will try to paint.
Here is what matters: this evidence cuts both ways, but only for a defense team that knows how to read it. The same infotainment data the State uses to place a vehicle at a scene can show a passenger door opening while the driver’s foot stayed on the brake, pointing to a shooter the police never looked for. The absence of gunshot residue on a client or inside a vehicle can contradict the State’s entire theory of who fired. When investigators overlook evidence any thorough investigation should have gathered, that gap becomes the centerpiece of a reasonable doubt defense. In a case built on circumstantial evidence, we hold the investigation to the standard the jury expects of it.
Of all the first and second degree felonies grouped under violent crimes, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is the one we defend most often, and it reaches further into ordinary lives than any of them. It affects people with no criminal history at all, because in Texas it can be committed without anyone being touched.
The law starts with simple assault under Penal Code Section 22.01: causing bodily injury to another person, or threatening someone with imminent bodily injury. What elevates it to aggravated assault under Section 22.02, a second degree felony carrying 2 to 20 years, is either causing serious bodily injury or using or exhibiting a deadly weapon. A firearm is a deadly weapon by definition. Almost anything else can become one based on how it is used: a vehicle driven at someone, a kitchen knife, a baseball bat, even a pencil used to stab. And because the offense includes assault by threat, pointing a gun during a road rage encounter is the same second degree felony as causing a serious injury, even though no one was hurt.
Serious bodily injury has its own precise meaning: an injury that creates a substantial risk of death, causes permanent disfigurement, or causes the extended loss of use of a body part or organ. A punch that costs someone an eye is aggravated assault with no weapon involved. A gunshot wound to the shoulder that heals completely may be a mere bodily injury, but the use or exhibition of a deadly weapon makes it aggravated assault, even if there was no risk of death. These definitions are where aggravated assault cases are fought, because the difference between bodily injury and serious bodily injury, and between an object and a deadly weapon, is often the difference between a misdemeanor and a second degree felony.
In a state where lawful carry is common, we see these charges arise again and again from confrontations that escalated: road rage encounters, parking lot disputes, arguments where a firearm was displayed. Many of our clients in these cases have never been arrested before. For a deeper look at how threat-based charges work, our article on aggravated assault by threat covers the law in detail.
There is a rule in these cases that surprises even some lawyers, and misunderstanding it can be catastrophic for a client. When an indictment alleges a deadly weapon, or a deadly weapon finding is made, Texas law removes a judge’s power to grant probation on a conviction. Under Chapter 42A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, only a jury can recommend probation for someone convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. That single rule reshapes the entire strategy of the case.
It means plea negotiations have only two lanes: deferred adjudication probation, which avoids a conviction, or prison time. A prosecutor cannot offer straight probation with a conviction, because the judge has no power to grant it. If prosecutors will not offer deferred adjudication, the remaining paths each carry their own rules, and choosing among them wrongly can cost a client their freedom:
This is why the same charge can call for completely different strategies for different clients. For a first-time defendant, a jury trial preserves both the chance of acquittal and the chance of probation. For a client with a decades-old felony conviction, the calculus changes entirely, and options like negotiating the deadly weapon language out of the indictment, which restores a judge’s power to grant probation, become central to the defense. Knowing these rules is not a technicality. It is the job.
Many aggravated assault and homicide cases in Collin County are, at their heart, self-defense cases. Texas law on justification is strong, but it is more precise than most people assume, and the details decide cases.
Self-defense requires a reasonable belief that you or another person faces imminent bodily injury. Imminent means happening now, not a conditional threat about what someone might do later. The force used must match the threat: a shove does not justify a gunshot. Deadly force requires more, a reasonable belief of imminent serious bodily injury or death.
The castle doctrine supplies that belief in defined places. If someone unlawfully enters your occupied home, or unlawfully enters or reaches into your occupied vehicle, Texas law presumes your belief that deadly force was immediately necessary is reasonable. For a driver boxed in and unable to simply drive away while someone breaks the plane of the vehicle and begins striking him, that presumption can be the foundation of the entire defense.
Then there is abandonment, the principle that decides who holds the right of self-defense when a confrontation has phases. If the person who started a fight clearly abandons it, through words and actions that communicate withdrawal, the encounter is over. If the other person pursues and re-engages, the roles flip: the original aggressor now holds the right of self-defense, and the original defender has become the assailant. In a chaotic altercation with conflicting witness accounts, establishing who abandoned and who re-engaged is often the whole ballgame.
Every self-defense case we take gets the same analysis: what threat was imminent, what belief was reasonable, whether the force matched the threat, and whether either side abandoned the encounter. Juries take self-defense seriously when the evidence is organized and presented by a defense attorney who has tried these cases.
Beyond aggravated assault, our violent crimes practice centers on murder, manslaughter, and robbery charges. Each has its own law, its own evidence patterns, and its own pressure points.
Murder under Penal Code Section 19.02 is a first degree felony carrying 5 to 99 years or life. Texas law leaves only one narrow opening for probation in a murder case: under Code of Criminal Procedure Article 42A.102(b)(4), a judge may grant deferred adjudication when the defendant was charged as a party to the offense and the judge determines that the defendant did not cause the death, did not intend for anyone to die, and did not anticipate that a human life would be taken. In all other murder cases, neither the judge nor the jury can grant deferred adjudication or straight probation. The stakes could not be higher, and the defense has to be built accordingly.
Most murder cases have no eyewitness, which means the State’s case is circumstantial: license plate readers, vehicle data, cell phone records, DNA, gunshot residue. We attack the investigation at every joint. When there is an eyewitness, credibility becomes the battleground. Our licensed investigator conducts a full background workup on every key witness, because felony convictions are admissible to impeach a witness, statements that shift between the police interview and later retellings expose themselves, and the State’s case is only as strong as the people telling it.
Identity is the other great battleground. Can the State prove beyond a reasonable doubt that our client, and not someone else, committed the act? We use the same digital evidence the State relies on, including cell phone location data and vehicle records, to establish where our client actually was, and we investigate alternative suspects the police never pursued. Where self-defense is the issue, evidence of the deceased’s own reputation for violence is admissible and can support the reasonableness of our client’s belief that deadly force was necessary.
Finally, we scrutinize every statement. Custodial interrogation requires Miranda warnings, a knowing and voluntary waiver, and a proper recording. When police keep questioning after a suspect invokes the right to counsel, or the waiver was defective, suppression can remove the State’s most damaging evidence before a jury ever hears it.
Manslaughter under Penal Code Section 19.04 is a second degree felony for recklessly causing a death, and it is the violent crime charge most often filed against people with no criminal history at all. The typical fact pattern is a tragedy, not a crime spree: a fatal traffic collision, or an accidental firearm discharge. Real families have lost someone they love, and nothing about defending these cases loses sight of that. But grief does not convert an accident into a felony. The law requires more.
The entire case usually turns on one word: recklessly. Recklessness means our client was aware of a substantial and unjustifiable risk of death and consciously disregarded it. That is a fundamentally different thing from a tragic accident, and it is different from ordinary negligence, which belongs in civil court rather than a felony courtroom. Street racing through cross traffic at twice the speed limit is the State’s model of recklessness. A driver traveling at highway speed who could not stop in time when traffic came to a sudden halt is not the same case, and we make sure prosecutors and grand jurors see the difference.
These cases are won with forensics. The crash data recorder shows actual speed and braking. The cell phone extraction shows whether our client was texting, watching a video, or even glancing at the phone in the seconds before impact, and when the police do not examine the phone, we hire our own forensic examiner to do it. Hospital blood draws test serum rather than whole blood and require an expert conversion before any alcohol number means what the State says it means. Vehicle cameras can show a driver’s eyes on the road. When that evidence shows normal speed, no distraction, and no impairment, it tells the story of an accident, not a crime.
Timing matters more in manslaughter than almost any other charge, because many police agencies refer fatal collision cases to the grand jury. A Texas grand jury has twelve members, and nine must vote to indict. If we are hired before prosecutors present the case to the grand jury, we can prepare a grand jury defense packet to obtain a no-bill. The packet contains our own legal argument along with the forensic downloads, our own accident reconstruction, and everything else our investigation gathers that shows an accident rather than recklessness. Convince four grand jurors, and the case ends in a no-bill before an indictment ever exists. That is the single strongest argument for hiring a violent crimes attorney the week of the accident, not the week of the indictment.
Robbery under Penal Code Section 29.02 is really two offenses fused together: a theft, plus an assault committed in the course of that theft. That structure is the key to defending it, because if either component fails, the second degree felony collapses into a misdemeanor. We attack each piece on its own terms.
On the theft side, the State must prove our client took property without consent and intended to permanently deprive the owner of it. That intent element fails more often than people expect. Someone who grabs a phone to stop a call or a recording and discards it moments later did not intend to permanently deprive anyone of anything. On the assault side, the State needs proof of actual bodily injury, meaning pain, or a genuine threat of imminent harm. A complainant who was frightened, with no medical records, no visible injury, and no reported threat, does not add up to the felony.
The lesser included offense rules give these cases unusual leverage, and few people outside this corner of practice know it. The misdemeanor a jury may consider is dictated by the indictment’s own language. When the State pleads robbery by threat, the lesser included offense is Class C assault by threat, an offense with a maximum punishment of a 500 dollar fine. In a case with genuine doubt about the theft element, the State’s own charging language means a trial loss for the prosecution ends in a fine-only misdemeanor. That is real negotiating power for a defendant facing a prison offer, and we have used it to move prosecutors from prison demands to misdemeanor resolutions with deferred adjudication, and in the right cases to dismissals. How a particular court treats a proposed plea also varies, and knowing local practice shapes where and how we negotiate.
Aggravated robbery under Section 29.03 raises the charge to a first degree felony when the State alleges serious bodily injury, a deadly weapon used or exhibited, or a victim 65 or older or disabled. It is also on the list of offenses where a judge cannot grant probation on conviction. The most common fight is over the weapon: possessing a pocket knife is not the same as using or exhibiting it, and the State must prove the weapon actually figured in the offense. Our licensed investigator interviews the witnesses, and more than once those interviews have established that no one ever saw a weapon at all. Knock out the aggravating element and the first degree felony becomes a second degree robbery, where every attack above comes back into play.
One more thing every robbery client needs to understand: prior felony convictions transform these cases. Under the enhancement statute, a single prior prison trip, even for something minor like a small drug case from fifteen years ago, elevates a second degree robbery to a first degree punishment range of 5 to 99 years. A prior conviction paired with an aggravated robbery charge means a minimum of 15 years, which also eliminates probation because the minimum exceeds 10 years. Two prior sequential prison trips can mean 25 years to life. We have seen exactly how much difference it makes to fight the enhancement and the underlying charge at the same time, and it is one more reason these cases demand a violent crimes lawyer who knows the punishment law as thoroughly as the offense law.
Every case is different, and no result in one case promises anything about another. But these de-identified outcomes from our violent crimes practice show what the strategies above look like when they work.
Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, dismissed. A stranger followed our client and his family a long way off the main road to force a confrontation in the parking lot of our client’s own apartment complex, then blocked in their vehicle. Armed with a taser, he advanced; our client, lawfully carrying, fired a single warning shot into the ground. The responding officer took the complainant’s account at face value, never meaningfully interviewed our client, and never questioned why the complainant had driven so far out of his way to start the encounter. We put those investigation gaps and the self-defense evidence in front of the prosecutor, and what began as an offer of seven years of deferred adjudication ended in an unconditional dismissal.
Aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, mistrial to reduced charge. Our client, seated in his car and unable to drive away, was attacked through the open door by two men. He fired once, wounding one of them, then stayed on scene and waited for police. The State’s best offer was 15 years in prison, down from 18. We tried the case to a jury for a week on the castle doctrine and abandonment, and the jury deadlocked 10 to 2 in favor of not guilty. After the mistrial, the State agreed to reduce the charge to a lower level offense with deferred adjudication. Our client went home.
Three counts of manslaughter, no-billed. After a multiple-fatality highway collision, police referred three manslaughter counts against our client, a driver with no criminal history, to the grand jury. Our own investigation found a second collision moments earlier in adjacent lanes, a distraction no investigator had accounted for. The forensic downloads showed normal speed, braking before impact, and a phone untouched in the minutes before the crash. We assembled all of it into a grand jury packet, and the grand jury no-billed all three counts. No indictment was ever returned.
Robbery, dismissed. The State’s theory was robbery by causing bodily injury during the taking of a phone. The evidence showed our client discarded the phone within moments, defeating the intent to permanently deprive, and no medical record, photograph, or witness statement established that the complainant ever felt pain. With neither the theft nor the assault provable, the State dismissed the case.
Aggravated robbery with a habitual enhancement, verdict of misdemeanor attempted theft. Because of two prior prison trips, our client faced an enhanced punishment range of 25 years to life. At trial, the State could offer no evidence that the pocket knife found in his pocket was ever used or exhibited, and the court granted a directed verdict removing aggravated robbery from the case entirely. The jury then rejected the remaining robbery count and convicted only of Class A misdemeanor attempted theft from a person. Our client, who had faced a possible life sentence, was released with time served.
Every violent crime case we accept is quoted as a flat fee, in writing, at the consultation. The fee never grows with each phone call or hearing, and your defense does not stop because a retainer ran out. You will know the full cost of your defense before you hire us.
If you or a family member has been arrested for or is under investigation for aggravated assault, murder, manslaughter, or robbery in Collin County, the most valuable window in the case may be closing right now. Call 214-764-5535, any hour of the day. Our McKinney office sits minutes from the Collin County Courthouse, with offices in Frisco and Dallas as well. We defend clients across Collin County, Denton County, and the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and we also handle related charges through our Collin County criminal defense practice, including assault family violence cases.
We have published detailed guides to the parts of the process that matter most in these cases. Start with our article on aggravated assault with a deadly weapon by threat, then read about how the Texas grand jury process works. For the full picture of how felony cases move through the local courts, see defending a criminal case in Collin County, and for family assault allegations, our Collin County assault family violence page covers that distinct process.
Only in specific ways. When a deadly weapon is alleged, a judge cannot grant probation on a conviction, so the realistic paths are deferred adjudication through negotiation or an open plea, or a probation recommendation from a jury, which requires a sentence of 10 years or less and no prior felony conviction. Choosing the right path depends entirely on your history and the facts, which is why the punishment rules matter as much as the evidence.
The mental state. Murder requires intentionally or knowingly causing a death and is a first degree felony carrying 5 to 99 years or life. Manslaughter is recklessly causing a death, meaning consciously disregarding a substantial and unjustifiable risk, and is a second degree felony carrying 2 to 20 years. Many manslaughter cases are fought over whether the evidence shows recklessness at all, or only a tragic accident.
Yes, and people lawfully defending themselves are charged more often than you would think, especially when police accept one side’s account at the scene. Self-defense is a justification we prove up through evidence: the imminence of the threat, the reasonableness of your belief, the castle doctrine where your home or vehicle was involved, and who abandoned or re-engaged in the confrontation. Building that record early is one of the most important things a violent crimes attorney does.
Politely decline and call a defense lawyer first. Statements made before arrest do not require Miranda warnings and are fully admissible. Investigators in violent crime cases often interview the people involved before deciding who the suspect is, and the interview is frequently where the case is made. Having your attorney present changes everything about how that conversation goes.
Dramatically. A single prior felony conviction can raise a second degree felony to first degree punishment of 5 to 99 years, means a jury can no longer recommend probation, and paired with aggravated robbery creates a 15-year minimum that eliminates probation entirely. Two prior prison trips can raise the range to 25 years to life. If you have any prior record, your lawyer needs to build the defense around the enhancement rules from day one.
Many are. Felony charges must pass through a grand jury, where nine of twelve members must vote to indict. With early preparation, we present a grand jury packet with the forensic evidence and our own investigation, and four votes end the case in a no-bill. Other cases resolve through dismissals or reductions when we show the State its proof problems. Trial is always ready, but it is not the only way to win.
We quote every case as a flat fee, in writing, at your consultation, based on the charge and what the defense will require. You will know the complete cost before you hire us, the fee does not grow as the case goes on, and we discuss payment arrangements at the consultation. The consultation itself is free and confidential.
Facing DWI charges in Frisco can threaten your license, job, and freedom. Our defense lawyers guide you through the process and fight for the best possible outcome.
Accusations of domestic violence can damage your reputation and family relationships. Our Frisco attorneys work to protect your rights and pursue a result that limits the consequences.
Sex crime allegations carry severe penalties and lifelong stigma. Our Frisco defense team builds a strategic response aimed at safeguarding your record and future.
Violent crime charges such as assault or robbery can lead to long prison sentences. Our Frisco lawyers investigate the facts and challenge the prosecution’s case at every step.
From simple possession to trafficking, drug charges in Frisco can affect your freedom and career. Our attorneys explore every option to reduce charges or seek dismissal.
Shoplifting and property crime accusations can follow you for years. Our Frisco lawyers work to protect your record and resolve the case with minimal long-term impact.
If you’re facing a probation revocation in Frisco, your freedom is on the line. Our attorneys work quickly to address violations and fight to keep you out of jail.
When facing the Texas parole system, experience is important. My Dallas Criminal Lawyer brings years of experience representing clients before the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
Collin County
May 2026
Dismissed
Assault Causes Bodily Injury Family Member
Collin County
May 2026
Dismissed
Assault Causes Bodily Injury Family Member Class A
Collin County
May 2026
Dismissed
Robbery
Collin County
April 2026
Dismissed
Tampering with Evidence
Collin County
April 2026
Dismissed
Assault Family Violence
Collin County
April 2026
Refused
Assault Family Violence
Denton County
March 2026
Refused
Continuous Assault Family Violence
Collin County
April 2026
Dismissed
Tampering with Evidence
Eddie C.
Justin is a truly talented lawyer. His ability to think critically, and analyze quickly, are just a couple of traits that make him an excellent advocate for anyone charged with a crime. I’ve sat next to him in the courtroom and it is truly amazing to see him connect with a jury. He is an absolute pro.
Kamran V.
This law firm did an outstanding job for me. From start to finish, they were professional, knowledgeable, and supportive. They delivered exactly what they promised, and I couldn’t be happier with the result. I highly recommend them to anyone who needs legal help.
Thomas A.
Justin Wilson and Justin Harris were amazing. Highly recommend them.
Lybbie
I trust Justin for any legal related questions and he certainly delivers. I recommend him 100% as he is committed to you from start to end- no matter the situation.
Cristal D.
Absolutely the best team you could ask for. From start to finish, the entire office was professional, compassionate, and truly dedicated. They made me feel heard, respected, and confident during one of the most stressful times of my life. Their communication was consistent, and you can tell they genuinely care about their clients and their outcomes.
If you’re looking for a lawyer who is sharp, honest, and will fight for you like it’s personal – this is the team you want on your side. I can’t thank them enough for everything they did. They truly are the best in the business.
Natalie M.
Justin Harris was an exceptional lawyer- he is hardworking and dedicated and will reach your needs and more.
He was reliable and professional in every way. He makes sure that you are not only heard but seen. When working with Justin- it gave me strong trust that he cared and that he is a man of his word.
Highly recommend this law firm. Justin and the team handled my case with the upmost care, always kind and professional, and let me know all the details every step of the way.
Prof. Carlos R.
My first impression with Justin and Heidi was that they are a first class law firm, very professional and very open to answering questions and making a person feel appreciated. I am glad I met both at Formation in Frisco Texas.
Alex C.
I have come to know Justin and his team through my practice as a civil lawyer, and Justin has always impressed me with the way he treats his clients, and his ability to clearly explain options. He works tirelessly to be prepared for all his cases, and always treats others with professionalism and respect.
Joshua J.
Justin is a super professional lawyer with positive results. I would refer Justin to any one who needs help with anything. Justin gets it done with positive results.
Yoker V.
I highly recommend Justin 100%, the total positive experience started the moment we first spoke. Justin is a complete and total professional and a highly skilled lawyer outside and especially inside the courtroom. My case had its challenges but Justin skillfully did his research and presented the court and jury a master class. At the end of the trial the judge looked at the prosecutor and said, ” That’s how it’s done.” YLV
If you or a family member is facing a violent crime charge or investigation in Collin County, call 214-764-5535 now. We answer 24 hours a day, consultations are free and confidential, and our McKinney office sits minutes from the Collin County Courthouse.
| Our team is available by phone 24/7 | Office Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 8AM – 5PM |
| Tuesday | 8AM – 5PM |
| Wednesday | 8AM – 5PM |
| Thursday | 8AM – 5PM |
| Friday | 8AM – 5PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
| Our team is available by phone 24/7 | Office Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 8AM – 5PM |
| Tuesday | 8AM – 5PM |
| Wednesday | 8AM – 5PM |
| Thursday | 8AM – 5PM |
| Friday | 8AM – 5PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
| Our team is available by phone 24/7 | Office Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday | 8AM – 5PM |
| Tuesday | 8AM – 5PM |
| Wednesday | 8AM – 5PM |
| Thursday | 8AM – 5PM |
| Friday | 8AM – 5PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
