When you are charged with an assault of a family member, the person who complained to the police and had charges brought against you may not be a family member as you understand it. The common definition of a family member would normally include those people that are related to you by blood or marriage.  However, Texas lawmakers took the definition of family member out of the Family Code, the body of law that controls divorces and child custody.  Therefore, a family member that can have criminal charges brought against you for an assault are any member of your household,anyone you had a child with, a former spouse, a foster child, a foster parent, anyone you live with, a child of a partner or a former partner or anyone you had an ongoing dating or romantic relationship with as well as those related to you by blood or marriage.  Every criminal case is serious; however, there are  ramifications of an assault of a family member that do not exist in a regular assault case.

If you are charged with an Assault of a Family Member, please call me, Rand Mintzer at 713-862-8880.