Location: Texas
Citation: Class C - Assault (Non-specific)
Summary:
I find myself in a perplexing situation and I am seeking advice or comments regarding my current circumstances. My 19-year-old younger sister has run away from our parents' home multiple times and is facing personal challenges. During an altercation between my sister and our parents, I intervened to defend them as she was throwing objects at them. She subsequently left the house in a friend's car, whose parent happens to be a local police officer. The following day, she returned in person to retrieve her belongings, stating that she was leaving for good.
One month later, both my mother and I received citations for assault, while my father did not, despite being present during the incident. My mother provided a statement to the detective, but I did not. However, the court failed to file the citation on time for my mother, resulting in its immediate dismissal.
I am now required to pay a $280 fee, but I have a previous DUI conviction from my college years for which I served the appropriate sentence and learned my lesson. It is of utmost importance to me to avoid having any additional charges on my record. I am perplexed as to why I received this citation without any evidence against me.
I have hired an attorney, but all communication has been through the attorney's legal assistant, and I have not had the opportunity to speak directly with the attorney. The legal assistant seems disorganized, as I have not received a formal email regarding my court date, and when I inquired about scheduling a meeting with the attorney, I was told to wait until closer to the court date and that they would only contact me if I needed to appear in court.
This situation concerns me, and I have a gut feeling that my current attorney, who is relatively inexpensive, may not provide the best representation. I am contemplating whether it is worth spending $1500 on a great attorney for this case, considering the $280 ticket fee and the potential lack of evidence against me. Additionally, my sister maintains contact with me, providing evidence that this claim is false, and citations like this should be reserved for genuine victims in need.
I would greatly appreciate any thoughts or advice on what actions I should take in this situation.