Domestic Violence Will Become the New ‘DWI’

The subject of domestic violence appears too often in news headlines. It occurs every minute of every day in the United States. Now, there are several types of domestic abuse stemming from verbal to physical. Many states, including Texas, are putting measures in place to stiffen penalties for offenders. A lot of attention has been drawn to domestic violence cases recently due to the publicized Ray Rice case. Attorneys in Harris County and Fort Bend County await the new laws and legislation that will be forthcoming in 2015.

Studies Conducted

In the state of Texas, a panel of experts has been conducting a study on these situations. Their goal is to have stiffer penalties in place for violators. Some cases of domestic abuse are volatile and leave the victims with permanent injuries. A slap on the wrists is not enough, and Texas is stepping up to make sure that the appropriate punishments are put in place for these crimes.

Stepping it up in Texas

Texas lawmakers are working hard to understand how to detect domestic abuse situations early by awaiting the results of the study being wrapped up by a panel of experts. This will help them to recreate stiffer penalties and provide more services to the victims. The changes coming to Texas law in 2015 stem from 112 reported domestic abuse related deaths in the state in 2012. The Ray Rice case has heightened the need for stiffer penalties for abusers.

Attorneys like Jason Lawrence in the Houston area work hard to make sure that their clients’ voices are heard when they are wrongfully accused of domestic violence. A Fort Bend criminal defense attorney can negotiate plea bargains for alternative punishment as recourse for committing a domestic violence crime such as counseling or anger management. This not only keeps clients out of jail, but helps solve the issues that got the client there in the first place.