Practice Areas

Assault

A person commits assault if the person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes or threatens bodily injury to another. There are two classifications for assault crimes: assault and aggravated assault.

Assault is a misdemeanor offense unless the victim is a public servant or a family member and the person charged has previously been convicted of assault. In these types of cases, the offense is classified as a felony.

Aggravated assault occurs when a person intentionally or knowingly inflicts bodily injury upon another person and causes serious bodily injury to another or uses or exhibits a deadly weapon during the commission of the assault. Aggravated assault is a felony offense.

Family or Domestic Violence

Family violence, also referred to as domestic violence, is physical, mental, or emotional violence that occurs within a family setting. Domestic abuse may occur between spouses, co-habitants, parents, children, and siblings.

Family violence assault is usually classified as a misdemeanor. However, charges may be enhanced if the victim is a minor, if the victim sustained serious bodily injury, if the accused has a prior criminal record, or if the accused has prior family violence convictions. Domestic violence comes in several forms.

A conviction for a family violence assault will cost the person convicted of their firearm rights under the second amendment.

DWI/DUI

Driving While Intoxicated / Driving Under the Influence is a very serious charge, and public policy is demanding that tougher penalties be imposed on those convicted of these charges, especially those who are convicted of DUI/DWI for the second time or more. Therefore, anyone charged with this offense needs to do everything possible to assert his or her Constitutional rights and available defenses.

Drug Charges

A drug crime is the unlawful possession, distribution, sale, or manufacture of an illegal drug. There are many drugs that are illegal in Texas including, but not limited to: cocaine, marijuana, heroin, LSD, methamphetamines (meth), ecstasy, opium, and unauthorized prescription drugs. Drug charges in Texas are a serious business, given the intensity of the drug war and the proximity to the Mexican border. The following is a list of frequently commited drug crimes in Texas:

Drug possession

Drug possession with intent to sell

Drug cultivation

Drug manufacturing

Drug trafficking

Drug distribution

Possession of drug paraphernalia

Prescription fraud

Drug crimes may be classified as a misdemeanor or felony offenses. Classification will depend upon the type of drug involved, the amount of the drug in possession, whether or not the person delivered or manufactured the drug, was the drug possessed or sold located in a drug free zone, was the person who bought or received the drug a minor. Additionally, if the person has a prior criminal record or if the person being charged has prior drug crime convictions, it is possible that his/her criminal charges will be enhanced.

Any person who is convicted of a drug crime may be sentenced with jail or prison time, fines, probation, community service, driver’s license suspension and court ordered treatment programs. Additionally, the person's drug crime conviction will show up on his/her criminal record, which is accessible to the public. When a person has a drug crime conviction on his/her criminal record, it can be very difficult for him/her to obtain employment, housing, and education opportunities.

Convictions for drug crimes in Texas carry stiff penalties, including high fines and long prison sentences. Even a first-time drug possession offense may land you in jail. If you have been accused of any type of drug crime, from juvenile possession to drug trafficking or importation, you should have a skilled attorney to protect your rights.

Fraud

Fraud is defined as "a knowing misrepresentation of the truth or concealment of a material fact to induce another to act to his or her detriment." The injury in fraud is usually depriving a person of money or other property that rightfully belongs to that person. Fraud crimes are classified according to the type of transaction in which the deception occurred. Fraud is a serious and broadly defined criminal offense.

Criminal fraud is a charge that can be brought against a business, as well as against an individual (a business cannot be put in prison, but can be hit with substantial fines). A charge of fraud — let alone a conviction — can ruin the reputation of a person or company charged. Zealous legal representation is critical in fraud cases, as in all criminal cases. It is critical for an accused to seek help from an experienced white collar criminal defense attorney.

Juvenile Crimes

If your minor has been charged with a crime, it is important to have an attorney who understands the juvenile law system. Tonya Rolland has the experience and knowledge to help those who have been charged with juvenile crimes in Texas. She understands the different laws associated with juvenile crimes, and we handle juvenile criminal defense cases with an innovative approach—with the same attention to detail as a criminal case—in order to protect your child in today's brutal court system.

Juvenile criminal defense charges can include either felonies or misdemeanors such as:

Violent Crimes

Assault

Sex Crimes

Sexual Harassment

Drug Crimes

Underage Drinking

Theft and Property Crimes

Crimes such as theft, robbery, and burglary are examples of property crimes.

Theft can be a felony or misdemeanor charge, depending upon the amount taken and the circumstances of the crime. Shoplifting is a common example of theft.

Robbery is taking another person's property by force or intimidation and is always charged as a felony. You can face aggravated robbery charges for committing a robbery involving serious physical injury or the use of a deadly weapon.

Burglary occurs when a person breaks into a residential or commercial property with the intent to commit a felony, so the crime is always charged as a felony.

Other types of property crimes include:

Criminal Mischief

Criminal Destruction of Property

White Collar Crime

Employee Theft, Stealing or Fraud

Weapons Charges

A person commits an offense if he intentionally or knowingly possesses, manufactures, transports, repairs, or sells: an explosive weapon, a machine gun, a short-barrel firearm, a firearm silencer, a switchblade knife, knuckles, armor-piercing ammunition, a chemical dispensing device, or a zip gun.

A prohibited weapon offense may be classified as misdemeanor or felony offense. Classification will depend upon the type of weapon involved, the type of crime committed, if another person sustained bodily injury, the extent of the person's bodily injuries, if the accused has prior criminal convictions, and if the accused has prior weapon convictions. If the accused has prior criminal convictions, and/or if the accused caused bodily injury to another person, it is very likely that his/her criminal charges will be enhanced.

If you have been charged with a weapon crime, especially a crime involving the illegal use of a firearm, it is important that you retain the services of a skilled criminal defense attorney. If you are convicted of a weapon crime, you face life-altering criminal penalties that could negatively impact your future. When a person has a weapon crime conviction on his/her criminal record, it can be very difficult for him/her to obtain employment, housing, and education opportunities. For this reason, it is in your best interest to hire an attorney who can defend you both in and out of court and protect your individual rights.The following are some examples of typical weapons crimes.

Unlawful carrying of a weapon

Places weapons prohibited

Unlawful possession of a firearm

Prohibited weapon

Unlawful transfer of certain weapons

Hoax bombs

Components of explosives

Making a firearm accessible to a child

Probation Violations

Probation can be violated in many ways, the most common of which are:

Failure to pay fine or restitution

Failure to comply with required programs.

Failure to appear for scheduled court appearance

Violation of rules within probation

Failure to report to probation officer

Committing a new misdemeanor or felony

Tonya Rolland will defend you in probation violation cases and in modifying the terms of your probations. For both felony and misdemeanor probation violation cases, an experienced criminal defense lawyer can make the difference. We will examine all aspects of your probation violation and look for any potential charge reductions and alternative sentence options. We aggressively pursue each legal avenue to secure the most favorable outcome.

Expunctions and NonDisclosures

A criminal conviction or even arrest in your past can cause you significant difficulties in the future. Most employers, colleges, banks, law enforcement and even landlords conduct criminal background checks causing you to lose job, education, loan and housing opportunities.

The only way to prevent the public from discovering your criminal history is to file a petition for expunction or non-disclosure. Expunction is the process by which your criminal charges and arrest are removed from your record. Once a criminal conviction is expunged the record cannot be discovered by anyone conducting a background check. Non-disclosure is a process where the court seals your record from most segments of the public. The records are not erased by non-disclosure, but it will prevent many private entities from discovering your criminal history.