A student arrest creates two separate problems, one in court and one on campus, and the campus case usually moves first. Families in Central Texas bring both to Derek Israel Law, PLLC, where our college crimes lawyer in Lockhart and New Braunfels, TX, handles the criminal file with school consequences in view.
Charges That Follow Students Home
Campus policing produces a predictable set of cases every semester, most of them misdemeanors that cast much longer shadows than students expect. Students across central Texas most often face the charges listed here after a weekend arrest:
- Minor in possession or consumption of alcohol
- Possession of marijuana or a tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cartridge
- Public intoxication after a game or a party
- Fake identification and driving while intoxicated
- Assault arising from a fight at a bar or apartment
Possession of a vape cartridge lands harder than most students realize, because concentrates fall into a different penalty group than plant material does. A felony charge can follow one small cartridge found in a backpack.
Two Cases, One Incident
Texas State University sits about 30 minutes from Lockhart and New Braunfels, so students charged here often face a Central Texas court date and a campus conduct hearing at once. The university uses a lower standard of proof, meaning statements made in one forum surface in the other.
What Can A Conviction Cost A Student?
Consequences reach well past the courtroom into financial aid, campus housing, and career plans that took years to line up. Common fallout from one conviction includes the items listed here for many students who plead too quickly:
- Loss of scholarships and financial aid eligibility
- Suspension or removal from campus housing
- Professional licensing problems in nursing, teaching, and law
- Immigration consequences for international students
Graduate schools and professional licensing programs often ask about criminal history, and a single conviction can limit future educational and career opportunities. Our attorney considers those long-term consequences alongside the immediate impact of the case before advising you on any plea offer.
Contact Derek Israel Law
Does Amnesty Protect Students Who Call For Help?
Yes, in limited situations. Texas law provides certain protections for the first minor who calls 911 to report a suspected overdose, remains at the scene until help arrives, and cooperates with emergency responders. However, those protections are more limited than many students realize.
Options That Keep A Record Clean
Alcohol offenses under Section 106.05 of the Alcoholic Beverage Code carry a fine up to $500 plus community service hours and an alcohol awareness class. A driver’s license suspension usually accompanies the conviction as well.
Deferred disposition often ends in dismissal, which then opens the door to expunction and a genuinely clean record afterward. Our college crimes lawyer in Lockhart and New Braunfels, TX, pushes for that outcome from the very first setting.
Do Not Let One Semester Set The Tone
Young people make mistakes, and the courts here still offer second chances when someone acts quickly. Derek Israel Law, PLLC, works with students and parents across central Texas with honest answers and no lectures. Call (512) 407-3390 or book a free consult before the campus hearing date arrives.
"Great experience he really fought on my case he fights for the truth !"
"I would highly recommend working with Derek Israel Law. He was very easy to get a hold of and very responsive when needed. With his help we were able to have a very favorable outcome. I can’t say enough good things."
"I've had my fair share of criminal defense attorneys both paid and court appointed. Derek went above and beyond to get my charge dismissed. If you want a defense attorney who's been on both sides of the law, knows the law and will put in the hard work to serve your interests he's your man. Cannot say enough about how engaged Derek was every step of the way in this journey. I hope I never need another defense attorney but if I do there's no other attorney I'd consider calling. Thank you Derek."
