Top Providence Village, TX Public Intoxication Lawyers Near You
Experienced & Successful Criminal Defense Lawyer. Don't Let One Mistake Ruin Your Life.
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A Criminal Law Firm Representing Clients in the Dallas Area. Call Now For Your Virtual Appointment!
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Criminal Charges Should Not Define You.
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Experienced Criminal Defense Attorneys Serving The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
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701 East 15th Street, Suite 204, Plano, TX 75074
For legal issues concerning Public Intoxication, let The Shapiro Law Firm, a local practice in Providence Village, Texas, help you find a solution.
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3300 Maple Avenue, Suite 400, Dallas, TX 75219
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Mark A. Perez, Attorney at Law represents clients in Public Intoxication cases in the Providence Village, Texas area.
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1312 14th Street, Suite 100, Plano, TX 75074
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Clients needing legal solutions for Public Intoxication can connect with Pelley Law Office, L.L.P., a local Texas practice.
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8111 Preston Road, Suite 550, Dallas, TX 75225
5700 West Plano Parkway, Suite 2200, Plano, TX 75093
1845 Woodall Rodgers Fwy, Suite 1500, Dallas, TX 75201
2500 Dallas Pkwy, Suite 600, Plano, TX 75093
701 West Belknap Street, Fort Worth, TX 76102
3010 LBJ Freeway, Suite 1200, Dallas, TX 75234
4354 West Vickery Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76107
3300 Oak Lawn Avenue, Suite 701, Dallas, TX 75219
701 W Belknap St, Fort Worth, TX 76102
3500 Maple Avenue, Suite 1200, Dallas, TX 75219
108 West Main Street, Waxahachie, TX 75165
2828 E Trinity Mls Rd, Suite 221, Carrollton, TX 75006
900 Jackson St, Suite 635, Dallas, TX 75202
8100 John W. Carpenter Fwy, Suite 200, Dallas, TX 75247
3131 McKinney Ave., Suite 800, Dallas, TX 75204
101 South Woodrow Lane, Suite 102, Denton, TX 76205
5600 Tennyson Parkway, Suite 290, Plano, TX 75024
2221 East Lamar Boulevard, Suite 800, Arlington, TX 76006
5700 Tennyson Pkwy, Suite 371A, Plano, TX 75024
901 Main Street, Suite 4800, Dallas, TX 75202-3758
1000 E Belt Line Rd, Ste. 210, Carrollton, TX 75006
1900 N Pearl St, Suite 1800, Dallas, TX 75201
Providence Village Public Intoxication Information
Lead Counsel independently verifies Public Intoxication attorneys in Providence Village and checks their standing with Texas bar associations.
Our Verification Process and Criteria
Ample Experience
Attorneys must meet stringent qualifications and prove they practice in the area of law they’re verified in.Good Standing
Be in good standing with their bar associations and maintain a clean disciplinary record.Annual Review
Submit to an annual review to retain their Lead Counsel Verified status.Client Commitment
Pledge to follow the highest quality client service and ethical standards.
What Is Considered Public Intoxication?
Charges of public intoxication are generally the result of being obviously drunk on alcohol or under the influence of other drugs while in a public setting, be it on the sidewalk, at the park or elsewhere.
Due to the connection between drugs and alcohol and addiction, public intoxication itself is not always considered to be a criminal offense worthy of charges, but rather an indication that an individual should be diverted toward addiction services or some other form of support group (a medical approach versus a punitive approach).
Public Intoxication Charges
Public intoxication charges can occur when a person is visibly drunk or under the influence of drugs in public. The specific definition and punishments of public intoxication may vary by state. Depending on the specifics of your case an attorney can explain the charges to you and discuss the various possible defenses to your case.
Disorderly Conduct vs. Public Intoxication
While public intoxication charges and disorderly conduct charges often appear at the same time, depending on the circumstances of the alleged offense, the two charges are quite different.
Disorderly conduct charges involve an offender who may have been:
- fighting or causing any form of tumultuous and undesirable public conduct
- shouting or yelling loudly to disturb the common peace and not stopping after being asked disrupting a lawful assembly of individuals
- otherwise acting improperly to an aggravating or reckless degree
Public intoxication, meanwhile, does not always involve outwardly offensive behavior other than the act of being severely intoxicated. For example, if you are passed out on a park bench after a night of drinking, you could potentially be cited for public intoxication. However, if you are arrested after starting a verbal argument with a fellow bar patron and making a scene, you could face both charges depending on the jurisdiction
Have You Been Charged With Public Intoxication?
Public intoxication charges are no laughing matter. Though the charge is usually a misdemeanor, you will want to hire an attorney. A skilled public intoxication attorney can help defend you against these charges.
How Serious is a Public Intoxication Charge?
There is no charge related to public intoxication at the federal level but state laws vary greatly in how it’s treated.
Some states do not consider public intoxication a crime while others prohibit the criminalization of being drunk in public in terms of municipal laws as well. In these states and others like them, if you are found severely intoxicated in public, you are instead taken to a treatment facility. However, some states do consider public intoxication to be a viable category of criminal behavior.
In any state where a public intoxication charge is considered a criminal offense, a conviction can mean a permanent criminal record, making it a serious charge. In most states, the only responses available to remediate a past criminal conviction are expungement, expunction, sealing of the record and in some cases, a full pardon.
Is Public Intoxication a Felony or a Misdemeanor?
In almost all cases, a charge of public intoxication is classified as a misdemeanor. That being said, public intoxication is commonly an “add-on” offense in situations involving assault, battery, rape, sexual assault and other, more serious crimes when drugs or alcohol are involved to a material degree (in jurisdictions allowing for the charge).
Public intoxication is typically classified as either a Class B or Class C misdemeanor.
How Much is the Fine for Public Intoxication in Texas?
The fine attached to each charge of public intoxication varies from state to state, but generally ranges from $250 to $1,000.
Can You Fight a Public Intoxication Charge?
It is possible to fight a public intoxication charge. As with all criminal charges, it is strongly recommended that you secure adequate legal counsel before proceeding to trial — if a trial is necessary.
Not only can a skilled criminal defense attorney outline the options available to you, but attorney-client privilege protects the discussions you have with your lawyer, giving you the opportunity to divulge all material facts and evidence in support of developing a strategy for your defense.
A criminal record is certainly an undesirable outcome for those facing charges related to public drunkenness or public intoxication, therefore, if you are accused of such offenses you should engage a defense attorney’s services immediately.
Depending on how severe the circumstances surrounding the proceedings of your individual case are, a skilled attorney may be able to negotiate a diversion program, addictions counseling or other, less criminally onerous solutions from a judge (or even the prosecution before taking the case to trial).