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A felony is a crime for
which the defendant faces a sentence of confinement in
state prison. The Felony Section’s fifty-three
attorneys process all felony criminal cases involving
adult offenders in Tarrant County. Specialized units
prosecute cases involving juvenile offenders, crimes
against children, drugs, gangs, economic crimes, and
domestic violence. |
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Currently, nine district
courts hear felony cases in Tarrant County. Each court
is staffed with five assistant criminal district
attorneys who prosecute all felony cases in that
court. We strive to obtain fair, just, and timely
disposition of felony indictments. |
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In 2000, there were
9,897 felony cases filed in Tarrant County ranging
from theft, burglary, and robbery to sexual assault,
murder, and capital murder. The felony courts disposed
of 10,222 felony criminal cases. Eighty percent were
disposed of by guilty pleas. Meanwhile, juries heard
245 felony cases, including 50 involving crimes
against children, 33 involving murder or manslaughter,
and 54 aggravated assaults, aggravated robbery, or
robbery cases. At the end of 2000, there were 5,721
felony cases pending in Tarrant County’s criminal
district courts. |
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Our office emphasizes
the prosecution repeat offenders and crimes of
violence because they represent the greatest threat to
the public safety. When appropriate, we seek the death
penalty for capital crimes. At the same time, we
provide effective prosecution for lesser felonies in
order to preserve the basic fabric of law enforcement
and public respect for and confidence in the criminal
justice system. |
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In 2000, the Felony
Section had an eighty-nine percent conviction rate.
Felony prosecutors obtained guilty verdicts in 217 of
the 245 jury trials completed that year. This success
is a tribute to the combined skills of an accomplished
legal staff, supported by the efforts of Tarrant
County’s law enforcement agencies. |
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