Hoeller McLaughlin PLLC | Tarrant County Criminal Attorney | Community Supervision & Corrections | Tarrant County Probation

If you are arrested for a criminal offense or a DWI offense, than community supervision and corrections, better known as “probation” is typically an outcome that you may discuss as an option to resolve your case.  There are certain offenses and certain times where a person may not be eligible for probation, but for the most part, probation is often times an option and in more serious cases, the goal.  An experienced Tarrant County criminal attorney or DWI lawyer can help explain those options.

Tarrant County Probation Attorney

What we offer in your Tarrant County Criminal and DWI Defense:

1. EXTENSIVE COURTROOM EXPERIENCE

Our firm has extensive trial and courtroom experience in criminal and DWI defense. Our criminal defense attorneys and DWI lawyers have tried over 350 combined criminal trials, including assault and aggravated offenses, sex crime offenses, drug-related offenses, and over a hundred specifically involving DWI and DWI related charges.

In addition, we have reviewed and successfully negotiated thousands of criminal and DWI charges in Tarrant County, Texas. This experience gives us the knowledge to advise our clients if they are getting the best outcome possible on their charge.

2. FORMER DWI PROSECUTORS IN TARRANT, DALLAS, AND HARRIS COUNTY

Our team at Hoeller McLaughlin PLLC are all former Tarrant County prosecutors.  Being trained as a prosecutor gives us invaluable experience because we know exactly how the State of Texas will attempt to prosecute you on your criminal charges. This knowledge will allow our firm to build the best defense in fighting your criminal or DWI charge. Partner Hilary Wright is a former Chief Prosecutor in Tarrant County, Texas.

3. SUPERIOR KNOWLEDGE IN CRIMINAL LAW | BOARD CERTIFIED LAWYERS

In addition to be trained as former prosecutors, our criminal defense attorneys know the inside and out of each and every aspect of a police investigation and State prosecution, including criminal laws, proper police procedures, DNA and blood forensic evidence, and knowing exactly how the State plans to introduce evidence into trial.

Partners Colin McLaughlin and Hilary Wright are both Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and all of our attorneys continuously attend criminal and DWI CLE seminars to make sure we are up to date on any change in the law.

For more serious aggravated cases, Partners Colin McLaughlin, Dustin Trammel, Hilary Wright, and Bryan Hoeller are also certified by the Courts to try cases up to capital murder charges, which requires a higher level of skills, courtroom experience, and CLE (continuing learning education).

4. HIGHLY RATED & AWARD WINNING FORT WORTH CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEYS

Our team has received over 300 5 star reviews on Google from our former clients.  In addition, our team has been recognized for their outstanding performance in criminal law.  Managing Partner Bryan Hoeller has been named a Texas Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters for 2023, 2024, and 2025.  Lindsay Truly and Dustin Trammel were also both named Super Lawyers Rising Stars by Thomson Reuters for 2022, 2023, and 2024.  In addition to being Board Certified, Partner Colin McLaughlin was named a Top Criminal Lawyer in Fort Worth by Fort Worth Magazine for 2022, 2023, and 2024. Partner Hilary Wright is President-Elect for the Texas Association of Specialty Courts.

TWO MAIN TYPES OF PROBATION IN TEXAS:

If you are facing a criminal or DWI charge, than it’s important to know what probation is and the different types of probation.  Whether through a plea bargain or from a jury or judge, probation (community supervision and corrections) has two main types:

  1. Deferred Adjudication Probation (can result in a dismissal): This is where a client pleads guilty or no contest to a criminal offense, but the Judge defers a finding a guilty and instead places the client on deferred probation for a period of time.  If the client successfully completes probation, than the case is dismissed.  If they do not, then the Judge can bring them back to court through to petition to adjudication, find them guilty, and sentence them within the range of punishment.
  2. Community Supervision or Straight Probation (is always a conviction): This is where the client pleads guilty, is found guilty, is imposed a sentence, but the Judge suspends the sentence and places the person on probation for a period time.  If the person successfully completes probation, then they are discharged from probation.  If they do not, then the Judge can bring them back to court through a petition to revoke probation, and sentence them within the range of punishment the Judge sentenced them to originally.  One form of community supervision is called SHOCK probation, where a person is sentenced to prison, goes to prison for a period of less then 180 days, and then the Judge grants community supervision.

PROBATION CONDITIONS:

When placed onto probation, unless it’s “pro forma” probation (“in name only”) where you do not have to report (just stay out of trouble), then there is almost always conditions imposed by the Court that must be completed in order to successfully complete probation. Often times, these conditions cannot be negotiated away and are mandatory.  Here are some of the common probation conditions:

  1. Stay out of trouble (i.e. no new offenses).
  2. Take and pass drug and alcohol tests.
  3. Maintain employment or education (i.e. stay in school and work towards a degree).
  4. Complete an evaluation with the probation department.  The type of evaluation may vary depend on the charge (i.e. drug or alcohol cases typically require a TAIP assessment/evaluation). If you have a history of mental illness, the Court may do a mental health evaluation to see if you would be best served with a mental health caseload (versus a normal caseload).  On sex crimes offenses (often times on reductions as well), the Court will require an evaluation to determine if treatment is required.
  5. Complete any recommended treatment, which may include a drug or alcohol class and/or treatment, anger management, batters intervention and prevention (BIPP), theft intervention and prevention (TIPS), a gun safety course, or sex offender treatment.
  6. Report to probation (typically on a monthly basis).
  7.  Complete community service hours.
  8. Pay all the fines, fees, and court costs.
  9. No contact or no harmful contact if it’s an assaultive or family member violence offense.
  10. Pay restitution.

These do not cover all the possible conditions and a Judge, as long as it’s reasonable, can impose additional conditions at any time during probation.  The Court can also extend the length of your probation if there are conditions that have not been completed by the original due date.  If you do not complete the Court ordered probation conditions, then the State can file a motion to adjudicate your probation (if it’s deferred probation) or a motion to revoke (if it’s a straight probation).

PROBATION VIOLATIONS | FORT WORTH PROBATION LAWYER | YOU HAVE OPTIONS

Facing a probation revocation or adjudication can be a frightening prospect because of the prospect of facing jail or prison time and having a final conviction on your record, but it’s important to know that you have options. Just because the Court has filed a Motion to Adjudicate or Revoke based on a probation violation doesn’t mean that your case will get revoked or adjudicated.  Here are some of the ways you can stay on probation:

1. Agree to a sanction, such as a small amount of jail time or additional community service hours, in lieu of a probation revocation or adjucation,
2. Agree to a drug or alcohol program like SOP (Supportive Outpatient Program), IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program), ISF (Intermediate Sanction Facility), IDT (In-Custody Drug Treatment), or SAFPF (Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility) to address a positive drug test(s) or a new drug-related offense.
3. Agree to an extension of probation to give you time to complete all of the programs as required (i.e. community service, restitution, fees, or classes).
4. Present evidence or information to the prosecutor or Court properly explaining the reason for the violation and the Court agreeing to dismiss the Motion to Revoke or Adjudicate.

LIST OF STATE CASES WE HANDLE FOR PROBATION REVOCATIONS:

Felony Offenses we assist with probation revocations:

  • Drug Possession Charges (i.e. Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Heroin, Etc.)
  • Drug Delivery Charges (i.e. Methamphetamine, Cocaine, Heroin, Etc.)
  • Felony DWI & Intoxication Related Charges (i.e. DWI with Child Passenger, Intoxication Assault, Intoxication Manslaughter)
  • Theft Charges
  • Aggravated Assault
  • Burglary of a Building
  • Burglary of a Habitation
  • Gun & Weapons Charges (i.e. Unlawful Possession of a Firearm)
  • Robbery and Aggravated Robbery
  • Sex Crimes and Sexual Assault
  • White Collar Crimes (i.e. Fraud, Money Laundering)

Misdemeanor offenses we assist with probation revocations:

  • Driving While Intoxicated (DWI)
  • DWI-Misdemeanor Repetition (2nd)
  • DWI with BAC > 0.15
  • Drug Possession & Controlled Substance Offenses
  • Possession of Marijuana Arrests
  • All Theft Offenses
  • Assault Bodily Injury
  • ABI – Family Member & Family Violence Offenses
  • Violation of a Protective Order
  • Gun & Weapons charges (UCW)
  • Resisting Arrest
  • Evading Arrest
  • Criminal Trespass
  • Terroristic Threat
  • Deadly Conduct

Connect with a Tarrant County Probation Attorney

If you’ve found yourself facing a criminal or DWI charge, than make sure you understand all your options, including if probation is an option and is the right outcome for your case.

Our firm at Hoeller McLaughlin PLLC provides highly reviewed quality legal services to clients throughout Tarrant County, Texas.

It’s important to remember that every case is different, and even if you feel completely hopeless about yours, there are ways to protect yourself from harsh consequences and maybe even have some of these charges reduced, dismissed, or dropped.

If you need a Fort Worth criminal defense lawyer on your side during this difficult time, please contact Hoeller McLaughlin PLLC by calling 817-334-7900 or by filling out the online contact form.