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About Mark Lipkin, Attorney At LawMark Lipkin graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a major in finance and a minor in accounting. Mr. Lipkin graduated from Thurgood Marshall T.S.U. law school and has been practicing law in Houston, TX for Speak with Mark Lipkin today to prepare an aggressive defense against your criminal charge.
Not all aggressive defenses are achieved at final trials or hearings. Good pretrial resolutions between the client and the state are also as important. View some successful pretrial results this year HERE> |
Areas of Law Practiced
Criminal Defense
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Family Law/DFPS
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Juvenile Defense
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Mr. Lipkin a unique insight into the areas of his law practice. In the following sections you will receive a brief scheme of each of his areas of practice. The areas of his practice consist of Criminal defense, Juvenile defense, and Family law, including DFPS cases. (also commonly known as CPS). Please click on an image to LEARN MORE >
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Free Consultations | 713-802-9488Please call during normal business hours for a free consultation or email: lipkin95atgmail.com
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Introduction
Texas laws are divided into two different types. Statutory laws and judicial laws are these two types of Texas law. The statutory law is passed by the Texas legislature. Judicial law is the interpretation of the statutory law the courts. For example, the legislature would pass a law against drinking and driving. There are two levels of appeals courts that apply this judicial law. The court of Appeals is the lower level of the court interpreting the laws and in Texas we have two highest Courts in the land, The Supreme Court, which hears civil matter and The Court of Criminal Appeals that hears criminal laws.
Let’s take the above example drinking while driving. The question might be what is driving? The Court of Appeals would define what is considered driving. Is someone in his car passed out with the engine running driving? One way or the other, however the ruling is subject to review by the Court of Criminal Appeals, as driving while intoxicated is a criminal offense.
Harris County, of which Houston is a part of, has specialized courts that many of the smaller counties in Texas don’t have. The lowest courts in the county are the municipal courts and the Justice of the Peace courts. These courts, on the criminal side only hear Class C misdemeanors. These are crimes that are only subject to a fine. Speeding is the most widely know of these types of crimes.
Class B and Class A misdemeanors are heard by the next level of courts, the County Criminal Courts at Law. Class B misdemeanors have a punishment range between 0 and 180 days in the Harris County Jail and a fine not to exceed $2,000.00. Class A misdemeanors have a punishment range of not less than 180 days nor more than 365 days in the County Jail and a fine not to exceed $4000.00
Then there is the felony level of cases. The Criminal District Courts review the felony cases. The lowest felony is the State Jail Felony. This has a punishment range from 180 days to 2 years in the State Jail and a fine not to exceed $10,000.00. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice State Jail Division has responsibly for overseeing the State Jails
The next felony classifications are the third, second, first degree and the Capital felonies. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional division has responsibility for supervising these inmates. A third degree felony has a punishment range between 2 and 10 years, with a fine of up to $10,000.00. A second-degree felony has a punishment range between 2 and 20 years, with a fine of $10,000.00. The first-degree felony has a punishment range between 5 years and 99 years or life with a fine of $10,000.00. And lastly, Capital Felonies carry the death penalty of life in prison without parole.
On the civil side of the courts, the Justice Courts hear small claims money disputes, whereas the County Civil Courts at Law sit in judgment on larger monetary claims, and The Civil District Courts sit in judgment on the largest monetary disputes.
There are two Court of Appeals for the Harris County area, the First Court of Appeals and the Fourteenth Court of Appeals. The Courts of Appeal, in addition to sitting in judgment of criminal cases from the lower courts, sit in judgment on disputes from the lower civil courts. Over the courts of appeals is the Texas Supreme Court, which only sits in judgment on civil cases, whereas, you will remember, The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is the highest criminal court in the state. As for the other specialized courts we will leave discussion of them for the appropriate section.
Let’s take the above example drinking while driving. The question might be what is driving? The Court of Appeals would define what is considered driving. Is someone in his car passed out with the engine running driving? One way or the other, however the ruling is subject to review by the Court of Criminal Appeals, as driving while intoxicated is a criminal offense.
Harris County, of which Houston is a part of, has specialized courts that many of the smaller counties in Texas don’t have. The lowest courts in the county are the municipal courts and the Justice of the Peace courts. These courts, on the criminal side only hear Class C misdemeanors. These are crimes that are only subject to a fine. Speeding is the most widely know of these types of crimes.
Class B and Class A misdemeanors are heard by the next level of courts, the County Criminal Courts at Law. Class B misdemeanors have a punishment range between 0 and 180 days in the Harris County Jail and a fine not to exceed $2,000.00. Class A misdemeanors have a punishment range of not less than 180 days nor more than 365 days in the County Jail and a fine not to exceed $4000.00
Then there is the felony level of cases. The Criminal District Courts review the felony cases. The lowest felony is the State Jail Felony. This has a punishment range from 180 days to 2 years in the State Jail and a fine not to exceed $10,000.00. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice State Jail Division has responsibly for overseeing the State Jails
The next felony classifications are the third, second, first degree and the Capital felonies. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Institutional division has responsibility for supervising these inmates. A third degree felony has a punishment range between 2 and 10 years, with a fine of up to $10,000.00. A second-degree felony has a punishment range between 2 and 20 years, with a fine of $10,000.00. The first-degree felony has a punishment range between 5 years and 99 years or life with a fine of $10,000.00. And lastly, Capital Felonies carry the death penalty of life in prison without parole.
On the civil side of the courts, the Justice Courts hear small claims money disputes, whereas the County Civil Courts at Law sit in judgment on larger monetary claims, and The Civil District Courts sit in judgment on the largest monetary disputes.
There are two Court of Appeals for the Harris County area, the First Court of Appeals and the Fourteenth Court of Appeals. The Courts of Appeal, in addition to sitting in judgment of criminal cases from the lower courts, sit in judgment on disputes from the lower civil courts. Over the courts of appeals is the Texas Supreme Court, which only sits in judgment on civil cases, whereas, you will remember, The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals is the highest criminal court in the state. As for the other specialized courts we will leave discussion of them for the appropriate section.
