DWI Defense Attorney Representing Clients in Harris County Precinct 5 Constable

Much of the western part of Harris County, including Bunker Hill Village and Katy, are under the jurisdiction of Harris County Precinct 5 Constable. Crime in the area varies according to the specific location. Professionals and other residents living in the area often commute to Houston via Interstate 10 for both work and entertainment. It is often either to or from a place of employment or entertainment that many residents come into contact with patrol officers from Precinct 5.

Patrol officers working in Harris County Precinct 5 Constable are intent on making arrests, too. So, getting pulled over for what you think is a simple traffic stop can turn ugly pretty quickly. An arrest for a DWI or another crime in Harris County can mean jail, fines, and more. You'll need yourself a smart, experienced DWI or criminal defense attorney to help you get out of the bind you unwittingly found yourself. No one wants a criminal record, especially if:

• You have kids
• You have a job that requires security clearance of a professional license, like a medical license, a nursing license, a CPA license, a real estate license, a teaching license, or a commercial driver's license
• You want to work in the financial sector
• You need or will want to apply for a personal loan, educational loan, auto loan, or mortgage loan
• Have children and are seeking or already have child custody
• You value your right to vote
• You value your constitutional right to own and use a firearm
• You like to travel
• You have a good reputation among family and the community and want to keep it that way

If any of the above matters to you (or even if they don't), you don't want a criminal record. Contact Doug Murphy, one of only two lawyers in Texas who is Board Certified in DWI defense and criminal law simultaneously.

Below is an overview of arrests for DWIs and other criminal activity by a patrol officer in Harris County Precinct 5. After reviewing, if you still have questions or want to begin your defense, contact Murphy & McKinney Law Firm, P.C. immediately to schedule a free initial consultation.

DWI & Criminal Arrests in Harris County Precinct 5 Constable

Harris County Precinct 5 Constable is located on the western fringe of Houston at:

The Office of Constable Ted Heap
Harris County Precinct 5
17423 Katy Freeway
Houston, TX 77094
Phone: 832-927-6700

Common criminal offenses in Precinct 5 include but are not limited to:

• Driving while Intoxicated (DWI) Crimes
• Drug Crimes
• Property Crimes
• Theft Crimes
• Assault Crimes
• Homicide
• Prostitution & Solicitation of Prostitution
• White Collar Crimes
• Driving Offenses

Harris County Precinct 5 patrol officers have investigated thousands of criminal activities, with the latest figures for the last year amounting to:

• 5,142 Alarm Calls
• 2,256 Disturbances
• 7,697 Suspicious Vehicles
• 4,275 Suspicious Person.

Precinct 5 patrol officers have also investigated 2,846 motor vehicle accidents and conducted 55,223 traffic stops. These figures are deceptive and have resulted in innocent people getting arrested.

Constitutional Violations During Arrests

Harris County Precinct 5 patrol officers stake out restaurants and bars for DWIs. Patrol officers respond to anonymous so-called “tips” on criminal or suspicious activities. Patrol officers investigate and oftentimes make rash decisions to arrest someone when the officer has not followed proper protocol. These officers are known to:

• Pull someone over without reasonable suspicion
• Search and/or seize property or a person without your consent, a lawful exception, or without a validly obtained warrant
• Arrest an alleged offender without probable cause to arrest
• Arrest an alleged offender without the officer reading the Miranda warning

When any one of the above violations occur, Doug Murphy, through his twenty years of extensive experience (1) knows how to identify it; and (2) knows how to act on it strategically and to your benefit. He will move the court to suppress evidence flowing from any of the above violations. But this is not all Doug Murphy will do. In fact, regardless of the presence of a constitutional violation, Dough Murphy will build a strong defense strategy based in part on valid DWI defenses or other criminal defenses specific to your situation.

Booking After an Arrest in Harris County Precinct 5 Constable

If you were arrested for a crime anywhere within the jurisdiction of Precinct 5, you will be taken to a centrally located processing center in Houston to be booked:

Harris County Jail Inmate Processing Center
700 N. San Jacinto Street
Houston, TX 77002

After you are booked, you will either be:

• Released on your own recognizance, which is typical for persons who are first-time offenders of a non-violent and/or misdemeanor offense
• Held until your arraignment where you will likely learn if bail bond will be ordered or not

Pleading at the Arraignment in Harris County

At the arraignment, you will be informed formally of the charges against you. You must then plead:

• Guilty
• Not guilty
• No contest

It is always in your best interest to plead not guilty. To plead guilty or no contest means you waive your right to defend yourself. You may think this will help you get the whole matter over with quickly and that your sentence will be lighter for taking responsibility for the crime regardless if you did it or not – but that is far from the truth.

If you immediately plead guilty, the judge can throw the book at you. The judge knows nothing about you except any criminal record you may already have and what the police say about you. But that's not all of you. If you are convicted after a trial, the judge will have the opportunity to learn a thing or two about you from your attorney and the community, and this can help with how harsh the sentence may be.

With a DWI or criminal defense attorney like Doug Murphy, however, his aim is a dismissal of the charges before trial or acquittal at trial. And that won't happen if you immediately plead guilty.

Penalties for a Conviction of a Texas DWI or Criminal Offense

Whenever you are convicted of a crime, there are certain statutory penalties that accompany it. The statute provides a range, and according to the circumstances, the judge will sentence you accordingly. A sentence can include

• Incarceration
• Fines
• Probation.

For DWI or driving-related crimes, it also includes

• License suspension
• SCRAM bracelets
• Ignition interlock devices.

Win a DWI or Criminal Case in Harris County Precinct 5 Constable

To be convicted of a DWI or another criminal offense, the elements of the specific offense must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt before you can be convicted of it. Doug Murphy aims to create the doubt necessary (if not completely prove your innocence). He holds the prosecutor, the judge, and the jury accountable to these basic legal principles.

It's important to remember you can fight a charge against you. Any plea deal, like deferred adjudication for first-time DWIs or deferred adjudication for another criminal offense, may sound tempting, but one slip-up and you could be facing the sentencing judge for a crime you could have otherwise successfully fought if you had gone to trial. You just need to find a smart, Board Certified DWI and criminal defense specialist to help you do it.

Smart DWI & Criminal Defense Attorney Representing Clients in Harris County Constable Precinct 5

Doug Murphy is committed to DWI and criminal defense, and through this commitment, he gets results his clients expect. Contact his law office at 713-229-8333 to schedule an initial consultation to learn more about how he can help you.