Austin Federal Hate Crimes Defense Attorney

Travis County Criminal Defense Lawyers for Clients Charged With Federal Hate Crimes

Being accused of a federal hate crime puts you in a very difficult situation. In today's current political climate, merely being accused of a crime motivated by bigotry can be damaging to your professional and personal life. More than just the legal consequences the court could impose are at stake when you are facing hate crime charges. A conviction is likely to not only lead to a long prison term and high fines, but irreparable harm to your reputation.

Morales Law Office, Attorneys at Law, PLLC, will continually assert the presumption of innocence you are entitled to right up until conviction or a guilty plea. Our attorneys understand the importance of putting forward a comprehensive defense that gives you the best chances of returning to your life as usual. Intent-based defenses and defenses grounded in the constitution are sometimes available to hate crime defenses, and if these apply in your case we will aggressively assert them.

Federal Hate Crime Defense

Hate crimes are taken extraordinarily seriously, both by the courts and by society as a whole. Being convicted of a hate crime will affect your reputation and future in a way that being convicted of a crime like money laundering or immigration fraud might not.

A hate crime occurs when a crime is committed against an individual or entity because of the victim's religion, race, ethnicity, gender or gender identity, or sexual orientation. The crime must have been motivated by the victim's membership in a protected class.

Hate crimes are sometimes initially charged simply due to the fact that the victim belongs to such a group and the defendant does not. However, if the crime was motivated by something other than hatred towards that group - such as a personal dispute - it is not a hate crime. Prosecutors may be quick to assign motivations, but proving them beyond reasonable doubt can be another matter.

Our attorneys are skilled at employing intent-based defenses to defend against hate crime allegations. We will protect your constitutional rights by fighting to avoid a hate crime conviction where the government cannot prove that a crime was motivated by bigotry.

Attorneys Defending Against All Types of Hate Crime Charges

The particular type of crime you are accused of will determine what type of defenses may be available to you. For those charged with issuing threats, constitutional free speech issues may come into play depending on the particular nature of the threat. Hate speech, while strongly looked down on, may not be a criminal act.

Other crimes frequently charged as hate crimes at the federal level include assault crimes of varying degrees of severity, vandalism, arson, sex crimes, and homicide. Sentencing will vary depending on the base crime charged, but if it is found to be a hate crime, you can expect years added to your sentence. Federal courts show little leniency to those convicted of hate crimes, and having one on your record is likely to severely limit your future employment and even housing prospects.

Morales Law Office, Attorneys at Law, PLLC, takes protecting the freedom, futures, and reputations of our clients very seriously. Our attorneys will examine your case from every angle to seek out any sound defenses we can assert on your behalf. We strive to achieve fair outcomes for every client, regardless of their charges.

Contact a Texas Federal Hate Crimes Defense Lawyer

If you have been accused of a federal hate crime, Morales Law Office, Attorneys at Law, PLLC, can offer a strong legal defense based on our more than 50 years of combined experience. Contact us online or call 512-474-2222 to schedule a free consultation. We serve clients in Travis, Williamson, Hays, Midland, and all Texas Counties.