Theft Lawyer In Lockhart and New Braunfels, TX

Texas prosecutes theft based on the value of what was stolen, and a few dollars can separate a ticket from a felony. Clients across Central Texas Central Texas bring those cases to Derek Israel Law, PLLC, where our theft lawyer in Lockhart and New Braunfels, TX, starts by attacking the number the state assigned.

Charges Filed Under One Statute

Texas combines several former property crimes into a single theft offense, meaning shoplifting, embezzlement, and receiving stolen property are prosecuted under the same statute. Central Texas Prosecutors most commonly file the following types of theft charges:

• Shoplifting from retail and department stores
• Theft of service, including unpaid contractor and rental accounts
• Unauthorized use of a motor vehicle
• Theft by check or by fraudulent electronic transfer

Every theft charge ultimately turns on the same issue: whether the prosecution can prove you intended to permanently deprive the owner of the property. Honest misunderstandings about ownership, consent, or permission resolve more theft cases than most juries ever see.

How Texas Prices A Theft Charge

The value of the property often determines both the charge and the court that hears the case. Theft allegations involving less than $2,500 generally remain in the County Court at Law. At the same time, higher-value cases move to the district courts, making receipts and appraisals critical evidence.

Theft under Section 31.03 of the Penal Code begins as a Class C ticket for amounts below $100 and reaches a first-degree felony for amounts above $300,000. Property taken in a continuing scheme can be added together to push a case up that ladder.

What Does A Conviction Cost Beyond The Fine?

Theft convictions carry a dishonesty label that follows people into hiring decisions, professional licensing, and immigration files. Landlords and staffing agencies screen for it directly, which makes even a Class C plea expensive over time.

Can The Value Be Challenged?

Yes. Challenging the property’s value often changes the entire case. Retailers may rely on full retail prices instead of fair market value, and repair estimates can be overstated. An independent valuation may reduce a felony charge to a misdemeanor.

Defense Strategies That Move Cases

Store surveillance footage, receipts, and inventory records seldom tell the straightforward story suggested by a police report. Our attorney obtains that evidence as early as possible, before the video is overwritten, and examines the case from several angles at once:

• Consent or a good faith claim of ownership
• Mistaken identity from grainy surveillance footage
• Restitution agreements that support dismissal
• Missing proof of intent at the moment of taking

Civil demand letters from retailers arrive separately and do nothing to resolve the criminal case. Our theft lawyer in Lockhart and New Braunfels, TX, handles the court file while explaining exactly what those letters can and cannot legally require.

Push Back Before The Value Is Set

Charging decisions harden once a file leaves the intake desk, and value figures rarely get revisited later. Derek Israel Law, PLLC offers the straightforward, personal service that central Texas families expect, from San Antonio to Austin. Call (512) 407-3390 or book a free consult while the numbers can still change.