Serious Felony Lawyer in Friendswood

There is a difference between knowing you’ve been accused of a crime and realizing how much that accusation could change. A serious felony can put your freedom, career, relationships, and reputation in jeopardy all at once. 

A serious felony lawyer in Friendswood can step in when the stakes are high, and there isn’t much room for careless decisions. At The Law Offices of Tad Nelson, we’ve handled difficult criminal defense matters since 1994, backed by more than 100 years of combined experience.

When you work with a criminal defense lawyer in Friendswood, you should be able to ask direct questions and get answers you can actually understand. That’s a big part of how we represent our clients. Tad Nelson is a former prosecutor and forensic scientist with more than 30 years of courtroom experience, so we know serious cases from more than one side of the courtroom.

Serious Charges Demand More Than a Quick Response

A serious felony accusation can put years of your freedom on the line. That can be true in cases involving sexual assault, certain drug crimes, family violence, and other high-level offenses. But what appears in an arrest report isn’t always where the case ends up. As more evidence comes in, the prosecution’s theory and even the charges being pursued can change.

That’s why we don’t rush past the beginning. Defense counsel needs time to understand the allegations, review available records, identify witnesses, and see whether physical or digital evidence supports what has been claimed. In some cases, there may be information the police never obtained or never considered important.

What Can Make a Felony Case Especially Serious?

Texas felony punishment depends in part on how an offense is classified, but that’s only one piece of the picture. Prior convictions, allegations involving weapons, the age of an alleged victim, and other statutory circumstances can affect the potential consequences in certain cases.

Texas Penal Code Chapter 12 lays out the basic punishment ranges for felony convictions. For a first-degree felony, that can mean anywhere from five to 99 years in prison or life. The range drops to two to 20 years for a second-degree felony and two to 10 years for a third-degree felony. 

Those aren’t necessarily the final numbers in every case, though. Prior convictions and certain other circumstances can increase the punishment a person may face.

A Serious Felony Lawyer in Friendswood Can Start With the State’s Evidence

Before deciding how to fight a case, we want to see what we’re fighting. Witness statements may conflict. Video can add context that didn’t make it into an initial report. Phone records, forensic findings, photographs, medical evidence, or other material may become important depending on the accusation.

As we dig into the case, a few questions may deserve particular attention:

• Witness accounts: What someone says happened isn’t always consistent with the rest of the evidence. We look at changing stories, gaps in the timeline, and details that simply don’t add up.
• Police investigation: An investigation can leave questions unanswered. We examine what officers pursued, what they may have overlooked, and whether other explanations fit the facts.
• Physical evidence: Items collected during an investigation need to be considered in context rather than treated as automatically conclusive.
• Statements and interviews: What you or other people allegedly said can become a significant part of a criminal prosecution.
• Timeline of events: Messages, calls, video, receipts, location information, and other records may help establish what happened and when.

No single issue appears in every case. A serious felony lawyer in Friendswood should be looking for the pressure points in your case, not working from a defense template.

Felony Cases in Galveston County Have Their Own Path

Friendswood crosses county lines, and cases arising on the Galveston County side can enter the Galveston County criminal court system. According to the county, after a felony case is referred to the Criminal District Attorney’s Office, it is presented to a grand jury. If an indictment is returned, the matter is assigned to an assistant criminal district attorney and an investigator for handling in district court.

Having legal representation early means you don’t have to navigate those decisions by guessing about what prosecutors will do next.

Different Allegations Create Different Defense Problems

A sexual assault case may depend heavily on statements, digital communications, forensic evidence, and the history between the people involved. Theft crimes or stolen property charges can raise entirely different questions about ownership, knowledge, or intent. Drug arrests may turn on the substance involved, where it was found, and how law enforcement obtained it.

Family violence cases can be complicated in another way. Emotions are often high, witnesses may give competing accounts, and the consequences can spill into someone’s home and family life. Juvenile defense presents its own legal issues as well.

We don’t flatten all of those situations into “felony defense.” Criminal charges have their own facts, and sometimes the smallest factual disagreement becomes important later. We prepare accordingly.

Decisions Made Now Can Stay With You

When someone wants a criminal case over with, an early offer from the prosecution can be tempting. But resolving a case quickly and resolving it well aren’t necessarily the same thing. Before making a major decision, you should understand the evidence, the potential punishment, and what a conviction could mean after the court proceedings end.

A serious felony lawyer in Friendswood can walk through those options with you and help you understand what each one could mean for your case. There isn’t always an obvious path forward. 

An offer may be worth considering, or there may be evidence that needs to be challenged before any deal is discussed. In other cases, the better choice may be getting ready to make the state prove its allegations in court.

Put an Experienced Criminal Defense Team in Your Corner

You don’t need a law firm that makes an intimidating situation feel even more intimidating. You need people who will tell you what’s happening, prepare seriously, and be ready when the case gets difficult.

Tad has tried hundreds of jury trials, and he stays personally involved in his cases. We’re steady with our clients and fierce when dealing with the opposition. If protecting your future means we need to go to the mattress, we’re willing to do exactly that. Contact The Law Offices of Tad Nelson to discuss your felony charge and start building your defense.