When a conviction for a misdemeanor has serious implications and would cause problems beyond the punishment defined by the statute in Texas criminal law, our lawyers handle the case in our High-Stake Misdemeanor practice. If you are facing penalties like losing your job, deportation, loss of citizenship eligibility, loss of gun rights, or losing a major divorce or civil case, you will need a misdemeanor defense lawyer who can represent you both inside and outside criminal court.

Our High-Stakes Misdemeanor Defense practice focuses on representing people who need a particularly aggressive defense for a misdemeanor case. We will conduct an thorough investigation, analyze every detail of the case and aggressively challenge the prosecuting attorneys every step of the way. We also work the system to obtain out-of-court results that may protect you against severe consequences that could result from even the simplest misdemeanor conviction.

Not just criminal defense lawyers, we are warriors fighting unjust and corrupt government prosecutions with a history of success and a reputation for tenacity, courage and legal ingenuity

Paul Saputo was voted one of the Three Best Rated Criminal Defense Lawyers in Dallas

Misdemeanor convictions may have consequences that are much more severe for some people. You may be at risk for:

• Deportation and other Immigration Consequences like the loss of citizenship eligibility or green card eligibility
• Losing your Job or being demoted
• Loss of a Professional License like a nursing license, physician license, teaching license or government clearance
• Expulsion or other serious education consequence
• Profound damage to your Reputation
• Serious damage to your pending Divorce or child custody case
• Serius damage to a pending Civil case

Paul did a great job in handling my case. He traveled from Dallas County to Lamar county with out any hesitation. I received the best outcome I could with my case thanks to Paul. If anyone is in need of a great lawyer Paul Saputo should be your number one option!!

– Client review posted on Avvo.com

Can I lose my job if I am convicted?

Employers are generally allowed to consider misdemeanor criminal convictions in making decisions about hiring, firing, promotions and demotions. So, yes, it is possible to be fired over a misdemeanor criminal conviction. However, whether or not you might lose your job in your particular situation is not something that we can answer without first speaking to you. Please do not hesitate to contact us to speak with a lawyer about your case.

How do we aggressively defend clients accused of Misdemeanor Crimes?

When we represent clients accused of misdemeanors, we consider the individual needs of each client. Everyone has different concerns, and everyone faces different circumstances that can affect their case. For instance, some of our clients are most concerned with with protecting their immigration status, while others are most concerned with keeping their name out of the public eye. Sometimes keeping your driver’s license (or commercial driver’s license) is the most pressing concern. Everyone has a different set of circumstances that will impact your legal defense strategy. In our High-Stakes Misdemeanor practice, we are able to bring those concerns to the forefront and represent you in ways that would not ordinarily be considered in building your case and protecting your interests.

If you have specific concerns about collateral consequences of a misdemeanor conviction, it is important that you bring those concerns to us. We may be able to assist you in a variety of ways, whether through achieving a particular outcome in your criminal case or by representing you (or assisting in your representation) of a related civil case or administrative hearing. Sometimes, the goal of a high-stakes misdemeanor representation might look very different from the goal of a “typical” misdemeanor representation, whether that is through a trial or a plea bargain. For instance, you might not be concerned with the amount of the fine or the total cost of the representation, or perhaps you might not even be concerned about the length of probation. Instead, you might be concerned with clearing the arrest off your record or keeping your license active. Whatever the case may be, our lawyers can help you achieve what you need to obtain for your desired case outcome.

Is there anything I can do to improve my odds of winning or lessen the penalty for a conviction?

Clients frequently ask us what they can do to put themselves in a better position, and depending on the circumstances, there may indeed be steps that you can take. Please contact us to discuss the possibilities with out defense attorney in detail. Proactively working to reduce an eventual penalty or to protect your rights in a trial is critical to achieve a desired result in many cases.

What will happen to me if I am convicted for a Misdemeanor?

In Texas, misdemeanors are punishable by up to one year in county jail and a $4000 fine, but there are three categories of misdemeanors, each with their own range of punishment. Learn more information about possible misdemeanor punishments and the range of punishment for Texas crimes

However, convictions for misdemeanors in Texas may carry a range of other collateral consequences depending on your particular circumstances and the nature of the misdemeanor conviction itself. For instance, probation requirements can vary significantly. In our DWI Defense practice, for instance, we typically see probation requirements of no-alcohol, random drug testing, interlock devices, GPS-monitoring devices and mandatory DWI education classes. But some of these may be altered under certain circumstances, and your particular circumstances may involve even harsher conditions.

There are other collateral consequences to misdemeanor convictions. For instance, there may be immigration consequences to pleading guilty to a misdemeanor (even if you are not found guilty and the charge is ultimately dismissed pursuant to deferred adjudication dismissal). You might not be eligible to renew a green card or you might be subject to immediate deportation. It is crucial that you contact us immediately if you are concerned about any of these collateral consequences.

If I really need to win my case, can you help me?

We cannot guarantee results because the State Bar of Texas prohibits any kind of guarantee. But if winning or losing your case is a matter of particular consequence to you, and you are willing to go the extra mile along with us, there are steps that we can take that we might not otherwise recommend for our clients. Sometimes, a cost-benefit analysis might conclude that a particular strategy is too expensive for an ordinary misdemeanor case, but if you really need to win, then we can discuss alternative or additional strategies that might increase your odds of prevailing in a misdemeanor case. While we give all of our clients the option to use our entire expanse of resources, many of our clients are better served by a more traditional representation. But for the clients who really need to win, let our criminal lawyer know that you would like to discuss every possible option, and we will be happy to discuss what we can do to help.