Dickinson sits on I-45 between League City and Texas City, and much of what we see from Dickinson starts with a traffic stop: DWI, drug possession found during a search, or an evading or resisting charge that grows out of a stop that went badly. If you were arrested in Dickinson, your case will be handled in the Galveston County courts.
- Misdemeanor courtGalveston County Courts at Law No. 1, 2 and 3, Galveston County Justice Center, 600 59th Street, Galveston
- Felony court10th, 56th, 122nd, 212th and 405th District Courts, Galveston County Justice Center
- County jailGalveston County Jail, 5700 Ball Street, Galveston · (409) 766-2315
- Class C ticketsDickinson Municipal Court
How a Dickinson arrest becomes a Galveston County case
Dickinson arrests are usually made by the Dickinson Police Department, the Galveston County Sheriff's Office, or Texas Department of Public Safety troopers. Whoever makes the arrest, the case is not decided by the officer. The officer writes a report, and the Galveston County District Attorney's Office decides what to file. As former prosecutors, Brian Foley and Luis Baez know that the charge on the arrest paperwork is a starting point, not the final word.
After booking, the person sees a magistrate, who sets bond and any bond conditions. In family violence cases the magistrate may also sign an emergency protective order. Misdemeanor cases are then assigned to one of the County Courts at Law, and felony cases go to a district court after indictment.
When a traffic stop leads to a search
An officer needs reasonable suspicion to stop a car. A search needs consent, probable cause or another legal basis. If the stop or the search was unlawful, the evidence found may be suppressed. You have the right to refuse consent to a search, and refusing is not an admission of anything. We cover this in our drug charge and DWI pages.
Resisting and evading charges
Something as small as pushing an officer can be charged as a felony when the officer is treated as a public servant performing an official duty. These cases often depend on video, and on exactly what happened in a few seconds.
Charges we defend for people arrested in Dickinson
- DWI, including breath test and blood test cases, and the 15-day license hearing
- Assault and Assault Family Member
- Drug charges, including marijuana, Penalty Group 1 and Penalty Group 2 / THC vape cases
- Theft and shoplifting
- Public intoxication
- Expunctions and nondisclosures once a case is resolved
What to do right now
Be polite, say as little as possible, and do not try to explain your way out of it. Statements made at the scene, in the patrol car and on recorded jail calls are routinely used later. If you are not sure what happens next, start with our guide: Arrested in Galveston County — What Happens Next.
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Your Galveston Criminal Defense Attorneys
