
Austin Juvenile Defense Lawyers
Defending Minors Against Juvenile Charges in Travis County, Texas
If your child is under 18 and is arrested for a crime in Texas, they will likely be charged as a juvenile.
Should this occur, a parent or guardian will have many questions:
- Will my child go to jail?
- Will my child have a permanent criminal record?
- How is the juvenile justice system different from the criminal justice system?
While the purpose of juvenile charges is to rehabilitate, rather than punish, that does not make the experience any easier or less stressful. At Smith & Vinson Law Firm, we understand the unique challenges faced by youth in the criminal justice system. Our experienced attorneys are dedicated to helping young people and their families navigate these difficult situations and secure the best possible outcome for their future. If your child is facing criminal charges in Travis County, Williamson County, or Hays County, including Austin, Georgetown, San Marcos, Round Rock, Temple, Cedar Park, or anywhere throughout Texas, contact us today to learn more about how we can help protect your child's future.
Contact our Austin juvenile defense attorneys today by calling (512) 359-3743.



Alternative Sentencing Options for Juvenile Crimes in Texas
When a young person is charged with a crime, the consequences are life-altering. Traditional sentencing options can often hinder a juvenile's future prospects, making it difficult for them to reintegrate into society and lead a productive life. Fortunately, there are alternative sentencing options available that can provide a more rehabilitative approach.
Diversion Programs
Diversion programs are designed to redirect juvenile offenders away from the traditional justice system and into a more rehabilitative environment. These programs often involve counseling, education, and community service, which can help address the root causes of a young person's criminal behavior.
The Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) offers a variety of diversion programs, including:
- First offender programs

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Case Dismissed Felony Assault Family Violence
Our client was charged with felony Assault Family Violence after an argument with his spouse allegedly turned physical. The evidence against our client was strong but, during the investigation, we found that our client’s spouse had a history of abusive behavior towards her living partners.
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Case Dismissed; Charges Reduced Two Counts of Sexual Assault of a Child and Four Counts of Indecency w/ a Child
Our client was indicted on two counts of sex assault of a child and four counts of indecency with a child. Our client confessed to the offense and there was substantial physical evidence corroborating that confession. The State aggressively prosecuted this case and sought significant prison time.
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Case Dismissed Assault Family Violence
During a dispute with her boyfriend, our client threw a brass statue against a wall, which ended up bouncing and hitting him. He called the police and our client was arrested for Assault Family Violence.
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Cases Dismissed Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Misdemeanor Assault With Bodily Injury
Our client was accused of attacking another man on two separate occasions, once with his hands and once with a knife in our client’s home. Our client had told the man to stay away from his family because the man had made romantic advances toward his wife, but the man persisted. Our client was charged with both misdemeanor Assault and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.
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Charges Rejected Assault Bodily Injury Family Violence
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Case Dismissed Assault Family Violence w/ Strangulation and Injury to a Child
Our client and his wife had a contentious relationship with his wife’s ex-husband, and, unfortunately, our client’s middle-school aged stepdaughter was caught in the middle. After getting into trouble at home, the stepdaughter falsely accused our client of strangling her.
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Deferred Adjudication Aggravated Assault & Tampering with Evidence
Our client was involved in a verbal dispute that turned into an altercation where a firearm was discharged into the ground. The round ricocheted and grazed a party to the dispute. Our client was facing multiple felony convictions and a prison sentence.
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Case Dismissed Possession of Controlled Substance
Our client picked up a prostitute and was later pulled over for failing to signal. The police let the woman go, but found cocaine in the car on the passenger side and charged our client with possession of a controlled substance.
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Case Dismissed; Charges Reduced Five counts of Sex Assault of a Child & Eight Counts of Indecency w/ a Child
Our client was accused of being in a relationship with an underage teen. He was charged with six counts of sexual assault of a child and eight counts of indecency with a child. The evidence was overwhelming. He thought his life was over.
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Not Guilty Sexual Abuse
One Count of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Minor; Three Counts of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Minor; Two Counts of Indecency of a Minor by Contact/Exposure
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Case Dismissed Assault Family Violence
Our client was a mother who had allowed her adult son and family to move in with her due to some hardship. After a family dinner a heated discussion between our client and her daughter in law turned into a physical altercation.
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Case Dismissed Theft
Our client, a legal permanent resident, was charged with stealing clothing at Macy’s. The State offered our client an initial plea deal. However, due to her immigration status, we advised our client that it was in her best interest to fight this case the whole way.
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Case Dismissed Possession of Controlled Substance
Our client was pulled over for expired registration. Police smelled marijuana coming from the vehicle and conducted a probable cause search. Police found marijuana and pills containing a controlled substance, and the State charged our client with a felony. Our client was already facing multiple misdemeanor charges in another county.
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Case Dismissed Assault with a Deadly Weapon
Our client, a retired Marine, was out with some friends one night when he got into a fight at a gas station. He allegedly pulled out a knife and left the scene. Moments later, law enforcement pulled him over. He was charged with misdemeanor DWI, felony Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and two counts of felony Terroristic Threat.
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Charges Dismissed Sexual Assault Investigation
Our client, a promising Texas State student, was wrongfully accused of sexual assault by a classmate and hastily arrested. We demonstrated the consensual nature of their actions and exposed the accuser's ulterior motives. The District Attorney's Office dismissed the case.
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Case Dismissed Juvenile Sex Assault
Our client, a young girl, was accused of sexually assaulting her young female cousin. Our client was a good student and was involved in a number of youth and school activities. She had a bright future ahead of her and she and her parents were understandably terrified that an accusation like this could ruin her life forever.
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No Charges Filed Sexual Assault Investigation
Our client was a UT student who was accused of sexual assault. He came to our firm extremely scared about his future both with the university and within the criminal justice system. With our firm's help, he was able to show that his accuser was not credible. Smith and Vinson put together a defense that law enforcement recognized as credible evidence of his innocence and not to file charges which changed the course of our client's life.
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Charges Avoided Assault
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Case Dismissed; Charges Reduced Solicitation of a Minor
Our client was a legal permanent resident with no criminal history when he was picked up for solicitation of a minor after a sting operation. He faced serious immigration consequences if convicted of a crime of this nature. In addition, the evidence against him was substantial and he was looking at prison time.
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Charges Dismissed Assault Bodily Injury Family Violence
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Deferred Prosecution Juvenile Assault
Our client was a juvenile who got into altercation with a classmate on school grounds and was charged with assault. We know the stress of facing a charge at a young age is a lot for a family to navigate without assistance and can come with severe repercussions. We took the challenge to the State to prove its case while keeping the family involved.
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Case Dismissed Felony POCS & Probation Violation
Our client was charged with an POCS 3rd degree felony while on probation in another county for a DWI 2nd. The car he was in was pulled over and, after officers obtained the consent of the driver, the car was searched. The police found cocaine in the vehicle and our client took responsibility.
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No Charges Filed Sex Assault Investigation
Our client had an affair with a married woman. When her husband found out, she accused him of rape and called the police, prompting an investigation. Our client wisely contacted our office immediately.
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Case Dismissed Aggravated Assault With a Deadly Weapon
Our client was charged with felony Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon for allegedly pulling a boxcutter out during an altercation with another man. Our client had no prior contact with law enforcement. We thoroughly investigated the other party, and found that he had a history of violence and assault.
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Deferred Adjudication Aggravated Assault Family Violence w/ Serious Bodily Injury
Our client was involved in a domestic altercation that resulted in one of the parties sustaining a very serious life -altering injury that required serious medical intervention. We took the case and approached our defense with heavy strong willed negotiations with the State.
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Not Guilty Sexual Assault
NOT GUILTY of sexual assault and two lesser charges. Our client maintained his innocence from the start, and we believed him.
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Case Dismissed Assault Family Violence
Our client received an arrest warrant for an alleged assault on his brother’s girlfriend. He needed the warrant cleared so that he could be considered for a job he was applying for. Our firm worked with his brother’s girlfriend and found inconsistencies between her statements and those made by our client, his brother, and another eyewitness. We challenged the State’s attorney on these inconsistencies and case was ultimately dismissed.
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Charges Dismissed Assault Bodily Injury Family Violence
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Charges Dismissed Sexual Assault
Our client, who met a woman on a dating app alleging sexual assault, faced potential charges carrying up to 20 years in prison and lifetime sex offender registration. Through thorough case review and skilled negotiations by Smith and Vinson, the District Attorney's Office dismissed the case.
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Case Dismissed Assault Family Violence
Our client was charged with Assault Family Violence after an altercation with his girlfriend, who sustained a concussion and bite marks on her nose. Our investigation revealed that the girlfriend initiated the fight by pushing and biting our client.
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Case Dismissed Assault Family Violence
Our client was charged with Assault Family Violence that resulted from an argument with his girlfriend. Our client had a good job with a baby on the way and desperately wanted his record clear to support his family.
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Case Dismissed Aggravated Robbery
Our client was indicted on the 1st Degree Felony charge of Aggravated Assault. He was out celebrating a birthday with friends when the party took a different turn and our client ended up being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
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Case Dismissed Felony Assault Family Violence
Our client was charged with felony Assault Family Violence for allegedly attacking her ex-boyfriend and scratching his face. The State appeared ready to file enhanced charges. Upon receiving the evidence, our firm found issues with the police video and discovered that the 9-1-1 call did not indicate that our client as the first aggressor.
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Case Dismissed Public Intoxication
After a night out our client got turned around in her apartment complex and knocked on a door she thought was her residence. Because of the late hour the police were called out to the scene and our client was charged with Public Intoxication.
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Case Dismissed Theft
Our client was allegedly caught shoplifting at an HEB. She had no prior arrest history, so we worked with her on proactively taking classes, which were used to her advantage during our negotiations. The client accepted a deferred adjudication on the shoplifting offense, which was ultimately dismissed.
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Charges Reduced Intoxication Assault Causing Serious Bodily Injury
Our client was charged with 5 Felony Counts including Intoxication Assault causing Serious Bodily Injury after being involved in a vehicle/pedicab accident that injured 3 people, one with life-threatening injuries. The arresting agency obtained a blood search warrant from our client and he was facing 5 felony counts.
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Case Dismissed; Charges Reduced Two Counts of Sexual Assault of a Child
Our client was arrested after two girls he met online turned out to be underage. He was charged with four counts of sex assault of a child. The State interviewed the girls and obtained incriminating cell phone evidence, as well as evidence of drug use. The DA’s Office aggressively prosecuted this case and sought prison time.
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Case Dismissed Assault Family Violence
Our client was charged with Assault Family Violence after an argument with his girlfriend in their shared residence. At the time of his arrest our Client was a young father who also worked for the city. Having this charge put him as risk of losing a custody battle for his child and his stable employment.
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Case Dismissed Aggravated Assault w/ Deadly Weapon
Our client, a veteran with no criminal history, allegedly got into an altercation at a gas station after an argument about politics that started verbal turned physical. The client drove away before the other parties called police. Police caught up to him and arrested him, not only for the alleged altercation, but on suspicion of Driving While Intoxicated.
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Case Dismissed POCS Felony
Our client was charged with a State Jail Felony while stopped for traffic violation in Williamson County. The officers searched the car and found THC oil pens. He was arrested for a felony. We found issues with the search and our investigation uncovered additional issues with the investigation. We pressed the prosecutor on these issues and, coupled with the clean UA’s we had our client take, the case was dismissed.
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Case Dismissed Assault Family Violence
Our client was drinking and watching sports with his girlfriend when they got into a heated argument. The argument escalated, and our client left in order to avoid further trouble. A neighbor called the police and our client’s girlfriend made a statement alleging that our client had assaulted her.
Understanding Juvenile Offenses in Texas
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The term “juvenile offense” means any offense committed by someone between the ages of 10 and 16. For a minor offense, children are often given a warning. However, their case can also be referred to a probation officer. For a serious offense, the district attorney may file charges. For serious criminal charges, a juvenile can be certified and tried as an adult. In these cases, if convicted, the juvenile could have a permanent criminal record and face possible prison time.
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If your child is over 14 and has either committed a serious offense or has a history of juvenile offenses, they may be tried as an adult. Before this can happen, a certification hearing will be held. The judge will fully investigate your child’s case and determine whether your child should be tried as an adult. If your child is in trouble and is facing juvenile charges, it is important that you have a competent Austin juvenile defense attorney at your side.
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When a child is taken into custody, their parents must be notified. The child is then allowed two phone calls to a parent or guardian. Your child has all the same Constitutional rights as an adult in a similar situation.
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Once your child arrives at a juvenile facility, you have the right to visit your child and speak to them privately. You must also be notified of any proceedings involving your child.
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Once your child has been taken into custody, a probation officer will conduct an investigation. The probation officer will interview the child and evaluate their relationships, history with substance abuse, and a number of other factors before giving a recommendation as to what type of sentence should be offered. The probation officer will then complete a summary report that will be forwarded to the prosecutor handling the case. An experienced Austin juvenile crime attorney can and should obtain a copy of this report, review it, and negotiate with the prosecutor on your child’s behalf.
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Most juvenile charges are addressed through a delinquency petition. During this process, the judge will conduct a hearing to determine whether your child committed the alleged act. If the judge concludes that your child did commit the offense, they will then decide on the most appropriate sentencing option.
The Importance of Early Intervention in Juvenile Cases
When a child faces juvenile criminal charges, early intervention can make a significant difference in the outcome of their case. Engaging with a skilled juvenile defense attorney as soon as possible can help protect your child's rights and future. At Smith & Vinson Law Firm, we understand the complexities of juvenile law and are dedicated to providing the support your family needs during this challenging time.
Here are some key reasons why early intervention is crucial:
- Legal Guidance: An experienced attorney can navigate the legal system, ensuring that your child's rights are upheld from the very beginning.
- Building a Strong Defense: Early involvement allows for a thorough investigation and the gathering of evidence that can be crucial in building a solid defense.
- Minimizing Consequences: Addressing issues promptly can lead to more favorable outcomes, such as diversion programs or alternative sentencing options that prevent a permanent criminal record.
- Emotional Support: Facing charges can be overwhelming for both the child and their family. Having a dedicated legal advocate can provide reassurance and clarity during this stressful time.
- Educational Impact: Early intervention can help protect your child's educational opportunities by minimizing the impact of legal issues on their schooling.
At Smith & Vinson Law Firm, we are committed to helping families navigate the juvenile justice system with compassion and expertise.



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“They didn’t waste time, explained everything clearly, and were super prepared. If you need a criminal defense lawyer in Austin, this is a firm you can trust!”- Keira C.
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“Very professional and efficient throughout my entire case. They took my situation seriously, explained every step, and made sure I felt supported. You can tell they’ve handled serious cases in Travis County before.”- Destiny E.
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“Brad really takes the time to get to know your situation. He was sharp, respectful, and didn’t sugarcoat anything.”- Kayla S.
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“From the first call to the last, they stayed in communication with me and let me know every step of the way. The attorneys at this office and the support staff got my case dismissed with no problems. If you find yourself in a situation, I highly recommend calling this firm.!”- Lyndsey O.
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“I’ve worked with a few law offices over the years, but Smith and Vinson made the biggest impression. From the first time I heard and met with them, they were professional, kind, and genuinely attentive.”- Thomas A.
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“Very dedicated & professional! I always knew where things stood in my case at ALL TIMES and I received the outcome that I needed nobody is going to fight harder for you! Thanks again Charlie Falck and Annie Mann you guys are genuinely the best :)”- Taylor T.
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“I can't thank this firm enough! Brad Vinson is a top-notch attorney who fights relentlessly to get cases dismissed. His dedication and expertise truly set him apart.”- Iayni M.
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“The entire staff was incredibly helpful, responsive, and made me feel supported every step of the way. I’m truly grateful for their expertise and care, they made a stressful situation so much easier to navigate.”- Cielo J. R.
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“From our very first consultation, Charlie took the time to truly understand my situation, explain my options clearly, and guide me every step of the way. I highly recommend him and his staff.”- Didi C.


Contact Our Travis County Juvenile Crime Lawyers: (512) 359-3743
Historically, juveniles in Texas were treated as individuals in need of rehabilitation. However, in recent years, Texas courts and prosecutors have shifted away from this approach. A juvenile record can now follow a child into adulthood, making it significantly more challenging to get into college, join the military, or find employment. Therefore, it is crucial to aggressively fight any juvenile charges. Our Austin juvenile defense attorneys serve clients in Austin, Williamson County, Travis County, Hays County, and the surrounding areas in Texas. At Smith & Vinson Law Firm, we take juvenile charges seriously and are committed to vigorously defending your child's constitutional rights!
Contact our office today for a free initial consultation. Call (512) 359-3743

