Experienced Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyer Fighting for Your Rights

Many attorneys have a one-size-fits-all approach to criminal defense. This can have horrible repercussions and cause you additional hardship and loss of freedom. Brian Corrigan has tried over 150 jury trials and is Board Certified in criminal law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He has also been given an AV Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating, which means that he has been deemed to have preeminent legal ability and the highest professional ethics in his field. You have probably seen his 5-star reviews numbering in the hundreds. Board Certification, AV rating, client reviews, and trial experience are key components in what to look for in a criminal defense lawyer who is at the highest level of the profession.

Mr. Corrigan understands how the prosecutor, the judge, and the jury will view your case and evidence. He knows when the law can make or break your case. Failure to take any of these factors into account can be devastating. He has also made outstanding client communication and care the cornerstone of his practice. If Mr. Corrigan is your lawyer, he (and only he) will handle every aspect of your case.

Brian Corrigan seeks the best possible resolution in every case for his clients, whether the result is achieved by a skillful plea agreement, a dismissal of the charges prior to trial, a “no-bill” by the Grand Jury, or an acquittal (verdict of “Not Guilty”) after a jury trial. Sometimes, the best outcome is convincing law enforcement that no charges should be filed in the first place. Every criminal defense case is different. While some cases call for diplomacy, others should be fought aggressively.

Many people accused of crimes might say, “I am innocent. Why do I need a lawyer?” Unfortunately, if you have been falsely accused of a crime, you need a highly skilled Dallas criminal defense attorney like Mr. Corrigan more than anyone.

Regardless of the case, clients will experience straight talk and honesty. Mr. Corrigan understands that his clients and their families have been through a lot. They need to know that their lawyer is worthy of trust. Mr. Corrigan zealously embraces this duty and obligation.

Mr. Corrigan has tried and handled cases encompassing the entire range of the Texas Penal Code and United States Federal Law. He has defended felony and misdemeanor cases, ranging from DWI, drug crimes, assault, family/domestic violence, sexual assault, homicide, and probation violations to federal crimes, white collar crimes, weapons charges, robberies, and juvenile offenses. Mr. Corrigan is also an expert on clearing up your criminal history through the process of nondisclosures and expunctions.

As a prosecutor for a decade, Mr. Corrigan taught attorneys how to try Driving While Intoxicated cases, Family Violence cases, Sexual Assault cases, Indecency cases, Murder cases, and more. He even taught criminal investigators about changes in the law and how to write and execute search warrants. All this skill and knowledge is now devoted to helping you, a private citizen accused of a crime to make sure that your rights are not trampled upon.

If you do not already know, being a criminal case has many potential negative consequences. Your professional, educational, social status, and especially your ability to live free can be affected for many years to come. Even misdemeanor convictions may result in jail time, fines, and other penalties. If you have been formally charged with a crime or believe that you are being investigated for possible criminal activity, you should talk to an attorney as soon as possible.

For the first 10 years of his career, Mr. Corrigan was a highly successful and respected prosecutor. He understands the strategies used by prosecutors to secure convictions and increase punishment. For the last 10 years, he has focused on protecting individuals accused of crimes across a broad spectrum of criminal cases with great success:

DWI

Driving while intoxicated is a serious charge. Mr. Corrigan prepares DWI cases seriously, and he has a very high success rate in DWI trials, only losing 1 DWI trial in the last 5 years (when the client went to trial against his advice). He has prosecuted or defended hundreds of DWI and intoxication manslaughter and assault cases to trial or sentencing over the last 20 years. This vast experience in DWI along with experience in hundreds of jury trial of all kinds of criminal trials allows Corrigan to equip his clients to understand the chances of winning a trial in their DWI case as a percentage, assuming the best possible presentation of the case by Mr. Corrigan. This allows clients to identify their advantage and exploit it in cases where an acquittal is achievable.

Corrigan also helps clients minimize their sentence in cases where a conviction is certain or likely. Corrigan puts his clients’ goals first ahead of earning fees for trials that may be unnecessary or risky. Corrigan also knows all laws with regard to fighting your administrative license revocation to keep you driving legally.

There are several different strategies that may be appropriate in response to a DWI. Even if your blood alcohol content was found to have been over .08%, it may be possible to attack the test results through putting the lab on trial through experts or the entire chain of custody. In other cases, the detention may be unlawful. Corrigan has successfully thrown out entire DWI investigations, including breath and blood results. As a skilled criminal defense attorney in the Dallas area, Mr. Corrigan will leave no stone unturned in advocating for you.

Robbery

Robbery is charged as a second-degree felony in Texas. Aggravated robbery is a first-degree felony that is charged if a prosecutor can show that a deadly weapon was used or exhibited, or the person who was threatened or put in fear of death or bodily injury was age 65 or older or disabled. Mr. Corrigan has tried countless robbery cases. Often, robberies involve eyewitness identification, and there is a great threat of wrongful identifications, especially single witness cases. It is crucial to retain an attorney who can make sure that your case is properly investigated to ensure that you are not convicted based on a problematic identification or an unlawful confession.

Assault and Aggravated Assault

In Texas, assault occurs when someone acts intentionally or knowingly and causes offensive contact or bodily injury. You can be charged with assault even if you do not actually cause any physical harm. For example, you can be charged with aggravated assault if you wave a kitchen knife at another person because of the use or exhibition of a deadly weapon. Assault Bodily Injury is a class A misdemeanor. However, assault can be a third-degree felony under several different circumstances, including situations in which you have a prior domestic violence conviction or impede breath and you assault someone with whom you are romantically involved or a family member.

Federal Crimes

Federal court is significantly different from state court. It is crucial to retain a federal defense attorney as soon as you realize that you are being investigated. The earlier that Dallas criminal defense attorney Brian Corrigan gets involved, the more likely it is that he can persuade investigators or the federal prosecutor that there is no case against you or otherwise engage in bargaining related to the potential charges. Most plea bargains happen after the indictment in state court, but in federal court, important plea negotiations occur prior to the indictment, especially negotiating what federal charge is brought. Federal crimes include bank robberies, RICO, Internet crimes, money laundering, and white-collar crimes like health care fraud. Once a federal charge is brought, Corrigan’s intimate knowledge of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines is critical to your case. Federal defendants, unlike in state cases, are punished more severely for asserting their right to trial. If you go to trial in a federal case, you must be sure that you are going to win. It is critical that this decision is made quickly. If a reduced sentence is all that can be accomplished, those efforts must begin early and earnestly.

Child Abuse

Texas child abuse laws criminalize the physical, emotional, and sexual abuse of minors. Certain third parties are required to report suspected abuse. The circumstances will dictate the charge and the potential sentence. In Texas, indecency with a child can be charged in connection with sexual contact as well as exposure. Both are felonies. Under Texas Penal Code section 22.021, someone can be charged with sexual assault of a child if they intentionally or knowingly penetrated the child’s sex organ or anus, penetrated the child’s mouth with their sex organ, caused a child’s mouth to touch the sex organ or anus of someone else, or caused a child’s anus to touch the sex organ, anus, or mouth of another person. A lesser charge is sexual contact.

Texas has severe enhanced penalties for repeat child sex offenders (automatic life sentence), if the child is under 6 (25-Life), or if the abuse happened multiple times, i.e. continuous sexual abuse (25-Life).

Probation cannot be given by a jury in any of these cases, and parole is either restricted or not allowed at all.

Juvenile Crimes

If your child has been charged with a crime, you may be rightfully worried about your child’s future. The Texas juvenile system is different from the adult criminal justice system. However, penalties can be harsh, even for kids. The system tries to look at what would be in the best interests of the child and help rehabilitate them. It is important to retain a criminal defense lawyer in the Dallas area who understands how to protect your child’s freedom and put them on the right track to avoid winding up in the adult criminal justice system. Mr. Corrigan represents juveniles charged with offenses such as criminal mischief, vandalism, underage drinking, theft, car theft, sex crimes, and assault and aggravated assault.

Misdemeanors

Misdemeanors are categorized as A, B, or C misdemeanors. Many people assume that since misdemeanors are less serious than felonies, they can go without a lawyer. Unfortunately, even a Class B misdemeanor can result in up to 180 days in county jail and $2,000 in fines. Class A misdemeanors are the most serious, and they carry a potential penalty of up to one year in county jail and a $4,000 fine. Mr. Corrigan understands that misdemeanors are serious and may stay on your permanent criminal record. He is dedicated to pursuing the best outcome for clients, whether they are charged with misdemeanors or felonies. He handles cases such as simple assault, shoplifting, drug possession, reckless driving, and DUI.

Homicide

If you are charged with homicide, the stakes are especially high. You should immediately consult a Dallas criminal defense lawyer if you are in this situation. What must be shown depends on the charge. For example, to convict a defendant of capital murder, prosecutors need to show beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant knowingly and intentionally caused another person’s death, or the defendant intended to cause a serious bodily injury and perpetrated an act that was clearly dangerous to human life and that caused another person’s death. They can also pursue a capital murder conviction if they can show that the defendant perpetrated or tried to perpetrate a felony and in doing so perpetrated an act that was clearly dangerous to human life, which caused another person’s death. Harsh penalties may be imposed for any type of homicide. Capital murder can be punished by death or a capital life sentence of life without parole. Murder is a first-degree felony that can be punished by 5-99 years or life in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Manslaughter is a second-degree felony, for which you could be punished by 2-20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

Drug Crimes

Drug crimes are taken seriously in Dallas and surrounding areas. Criminal defense attorney Brian Corrigan represents people who are accused of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, sale or distribution of street drugs, drug trafficking, marijuana cultivation, and drug manufacturing, among other crimes. A drug crime conviction can affect you for the rest of your life and cause you to be unable to find a good job. When a large quantity of drugs is involved, the sentence may include years in prison.

Probation Violations

Your freedom can be jeopardized by a probation violation. A probation violation is a crime that happens when you break the conditions or terms of your probation. The consequences can depend on many different factors, including how serious the violation is, any prior violations, and whether there are other circumstances that could reduce the seriousness of the situation. Judges vary in how they deal with probation violations. Penalties can include a lengthening of the probationary period, jail time, or heavy fines.

Weapons Crimes

Texas has some of the least restrictive weapons laws in the United States. It does not have a waiting period for gun purchases. All qualified applicants in the state may carry a concealed firearm with a permit. However, there are certain weapons crimes set forth by statute. For example, under section 46.05, zip guns, firearm silencers, machine guns, short-barreled firearms, and explosive weapons, among other weapons, are prohibited. If you are charged with a weapons crime, you should consult a criminal defense lawyer in the Dallas area right away.

White Collar Crimes

White collar crimes are usually nonviolent economic crimes. Even people who have never been arrested may be faced with significant prison sentences for white collar crimes. These crimes include mail fraud, wire fraud, securities and tax fraud, bribery and extortion, HUD and Medicare fraud, Internet crimes, forgery, credit card abuse, insurance fraud, misappropriation of fiduciary property, theft, and racketeering. They can take years to investigate. If you are under investigation, you should retain an experienced attorney.

Hire a Vigorous Advocate to Fight for Your Freedom

Whether you have been charged with child abuse, a white-collar crime, or murder, it is crucial to get an experienced attorney on your side. Mr. Corrigan has years of experience as a successful prosecutor and understands the strategies used by prosecutors to secure convictions. He can put his insights to work for you. If you have been charged with a felony or misdemeanor in Dallas, you should contact criminal defense attorney Brian Corrigan. Call us at 972-722-5300 or complete our online form.

Explore Your Options with a Criminal Defense Attorney in Rockwall, Dallas, or Collin County

To put my experience, knowledge, and skill to work on your case, call us at 972-722-5300 in Dallas/Plano or at 972-722-5300 in Rockwall.

You also can contact us online to set up a free consultation.

I represent defendants in cities such as Rockwall, Dallas, Plano, Garland, Mesquite, Heath, Royse City, Fate, Richardson, Wylie, and Sachse.

I focus on Rockwall, Collin, and Dallas Counties but I will go to surrounding counties, especially Kaufman and Hunt, and on a case-by-case basis.