Assault and Family Violence Defense in Collin County

This page covers assault and family violence cases in Collin County: where they are heard, who prosecutes them and the local programs the county and its prosecutors run. Our office is in downtown Dallas at 325 N St. Paul Street; we handle cases in the Collin County courts. For Texas-wide law, see our assault and family violence guide, and for other charges see the Collin County criminal defense page.

Which courts hear family violence cases in Collin County?

In Collin County, misdemeanor family violence assaults are heard in the seven County Courts at Law, numbered 1 through 7, and felony cases are heard in the district courts, including the 199th, 219th, 296th, 366th, 380th, 401st and 416th District Courts. All are at the Russell A. Steindam Courts Building, 2100 Bloomdale Rd., McKinney.

Who prosecutes family violence in Collin County?

The Collin County Criminal District Attorney's Office has a Domestic Violence Unit at 2100 Bloomdale Rd., Suite 100. Besides handling protective orders, the unit prosecutes select assault family violence cases and violations of protective orders. When that unit has your case, the prosecutor may already know the complainant from the protective order process.

What happens after a family violence arrest in Collin County?

Collin County arrests are booked at the Collin County Detention Facility, 4300 Community Ave., McKinney, where a magistrate gives the warnings and addresses bail if allowed by law. Article 15.17 requires appearance before a magistrate without unnecessary delay and no later than 48 hours after arrest; it does not guarantee release. In family violence cases, expect no-contact and stay-away conditions, and possibly a magistrate's order for emergency protection.

Are there local programs for family violence cases?

The Collin County Criminal District Attorney's pretrial diversion program, called Burden to Blessing, is voluntary and requires an admission of guilt and a defense attorney. Under the office's published guidelines, applicants generally should have no prior adult felony conviction or violent misdemeanor conviction, and the application is due within 30 days of retaining or being appointed an attorney or the first court appearance. The same guidelines exclude violent, domestic violence and weapons offenses, so most family violence assaults will not qualify, although the diversion prosecutor may approve exceptions. That makes the evidence review more important in Collin County: whether the complainant's account is consistent, whether there is video or a 911 recording, and whether the injury allegation holds up. Cases that cannot be diverted are often resolved by negotiation, dismissal or trial.

What Texas law applies to a family violence assault?

Assault causing bodily injury is usually a Class A misdemeanor under Penal Code 22.01. It becomes a third-degree felony when the complainant is a family member, household member or dating partner and the accused has a prior family violence conviction, or when the offense involved impeding breathing or circulation. A judge can enter an affirmative finding of family violence, and that finding follows the person into later cases and can affect firearm rights.

At the first appearance, a magistrate can issue a magistrate's order for emergency protection under Code of Criminal Procedure 17.292. For orders issued on or after September 1, 2025, an order under subsection (a) or (b)(1), including serious bodily injury cases, lasts 61 to 91 days. An order under subsection (b)(2), involving use or exhibition of a deadly weapon during an assault, lasts 91 to 121 days. Check the expiration date on the signed order. Violating that order, or a bond condition in a family violence case, can be a separate charge under Penal Code 25.07.

How is assault against a family member graded?

What should I do now?

• Follow every bond condition and any emergency order, even if the complainant contacts you.
• Do not post about the case or discuss it with the complainant.
• Write down what happened and who saw it while it is fresh, and keep texts and call logs.
• Get advice before giving any statement or attending a protective order hearing.

How do I get started?

Criminal defense consultations are free. Call (214) 239-2013 or start a chat.

Last updated October 2026