An assault charge in Texas can result in serious consequences — jail time, fines, a permanent criminal record, and lasting effects on your employment, housing, and reputation. Whether you are facing a misdemeanor or felony assault charge in Dallas or anywhere in the North Texas area, The Goolsby Law Firm is ready to defend your rights and fight for the best possible outcome.

Under the Texas Penal Code, a person commits assault when they intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly cause bodily injury to another person, intentionally or knowingly threaten another with imminent bodily injury, or intentionally or knowingly cause physical contact with another person in a provocative or offensive way.

Importantly, you do not have to physically harm someone to be charged with assault in Texas. A credible threat or offensive contact can be sufficient to support an arrest and prosecution.

Assault is charged at different levels depending on the circumstances:

• Class C Misdemeanor — Offensive contact or threat without physical injury. Punishable by a fine only.
• Class B Misdemeanor — Assault against a sports participant. Up to 180 days in jail.
• Class A Misdemeanor — Assault causing bodily injury. Up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine.
• Third Degree Felony — Assault against a public servant, security officer, or with prior family violence conviction. 2 to 10 years in prison.
• Second Degree Felony — Aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury, or assault with a deadly weapon. 2 to 20 years in prison.
• First Degree Felony — Aggravated assault against certain protected individuals or using a deadly weapon causing serious injury. 5 to 99 years in prison.

When an assault charge involves a family or household member — including spouses, dating partners, parents, or roommates — it is prosecuted as family violence in Texas. A family violence finding is permanent and carries additional consequences including loss of firearm rights and potential immigration consequences. If your case involves a domestic or family violence component, see our Dallas Domestic Violence Lawyer page for more specific information.

There are several recognized defenses to assault charges in Texas, depending on the facts of the case:

• Self-defense — If you were protecting yourself from an imminent threat of harm, self-defense may justify the conduct under Texas law.
• Defense of others — You may have the right to use force to protect a third party from harm.
• Lack of intent — Assault requires an intentional, knowing, or reckless mental state. Accidents that do not meet that standard may not qualify.
• Insufficient evidence — Assault cases often come down to conflicting accounts. If the state cannot prove what happened beyond a reasonable doubt, the charge may not hold.
• False accusations — Allegations sometimes arise from disputes, relationship conflicts, or misunderstandings. We investigate the circumstances and challenge accounts that are inconsistent or unsupported.

Attorney Mike Goolsby spent years as a prosecutor before becoming a defense attorney. He understands how assault cases are investigated, how the state evaluates the evidence, and where weaknesses in a prosecution’s case tend to appear. That perspective is directly relevant to defending assault charges effectively in Dallas and throughout North Texas.

The Goolsby Law Firm represents clients facing assault charges in Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, Arlington, Irving, Carrollton, Denton, McKinney, and Allen, as well as other communities throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

If you are also facing a domestic violence or probation violation charge alongside an assault allegation, our firm handles all related matters together.

Facing an assault charge in Dallas? Call The Goolsby Law Firm at (972) 394-2141 for a free consultation. Former prosecutor Mike Goolsby defends clients throughout Dallas County and the surrounding area.