Like it or not, bars and clubs are the perfect environment for fights. It doesn’t matter if you go to a bar to unwind after work, watch a game, or enjoy a night of drinking, dancing, or socializing, the alcohol is flowing, emotions are running high, and on most nights, there’s too much testosterone in the room. A fight might start because someone said something, someone bumped into you, or some guy was talking to your girlfriend.
The fact is, bar fights happen. They don’t normally last very long, but the impact of that incident can be life altering. If you’ve landed in jail because of a bar fight, its best that you know what kind of charges you could face and how the bail bond process works in Fort Worth.
Below are some of the most common charges you could face and the legal ramifications of getting into a bar fight.
Most Common Charges
Disorderly Conduct
When you’re out in public, including a bar, you are expected to behave in a certain way. If you’ve been in a bar fight in Fort Worth or anywhere in Tarrant County, you could get hit with a disorderly conduct charge. This is an incident that involves actions that are offensive, obnoxious, or a breach of the peace. The consequences of being charged with disorderly conduct typically involve fines and jail time. Even if you don’t go to jail, a conviction will be a stain on your record.
Public/Disorderly Intoxication
People tend to have a lot more misguided confidence when they’re drunk in a bar. If you act out when you’re drunk, you can be arrested for public intoxication. More often than not, the bar owner will simply ask you to leave. If you don’t leave peacefully, the situation escalates, or someone gets injured, you could be charged with a second-degree misdemeanor.
Aggravated Battery
Aggravated battery charges happen when there is an intent to harm another person in a bar fight. There are a lot of items in a bar that can be used as deadly weapons—a glass, beer bottle, steak knife, and pool cue can all lead to you getting hit with a charge of aggravated battery, which is a second-degree felony.
Manslaughter
Whether intentional or not, people do get killed in bar fights. Voluntary manslaughter is when a person intentionally kills someone. If a death happens accidently, in the heat of the moment, it’s considered to be involuntary manslaughter. Either way though, you will be facing jail time.
Legal Ramifications of Getting Involved in a Bar Fight
Civil Lawsuit
According to the Texas penal code, if you strike, cut, or throw an object at someone, that person could have a legal basis to file a personal injury claim against you, or the bar, for damages. You could be sued by the injured party for hospital bills, physical harm, and lost wages. The bar could end up suing you too for any losses to their property.
Simple Assault Charges
You can be charged with assault even if you didn’t have physical contact with the person. If you threaten someone in a bar with bodily harm, they could have a reasonable fear that you will follow through with your threat. In Texas, a simple assault charge is punishable by up to a year in a county jail and a fine of up to $4,000.
There are exceptions to the rule, and penalties for simple assault can be enhanced if certain factors are met. Threatening an elderly person is a Class A misdemeanor and carries a penalty of a fine of up to $4,000 and/or up to one year in a country jail.
Aggravated Assault Charges in Fort Worth, Texas
In Texas, you can face aggravated assault charges if a person is seriously injured or a weapon is used during the bar fight. The penalties for aggravated assault charges are harsh. Aggravated assault charges are considered a second-degree felony in Texas with penalties of a fine of up to $10,000 and anywhere from two to 20 years in prison.
Aggravated assault can be charged as a first-degree felony if it is committed against a public official, this includes a security guard, which some bars employ. It also includes an emergency services worker, which can often be called into a bar if a serious injury occurs during a fight. A first-degree felony comes with a prison term from five to 99 years or for life.
Unlawful Charges in Tarrant County
If the police make a wrongful arrest, you may be able to file a civil claim against the bar owner for unlawful arrest. You cannot charge the police with wrongful arrest because they are protected by the legal doctrine of sovereign immunity.
PCS Bail Bonds, Helping Those Who’ve Been in a Bar Fight in Tarrant County
If you live in Fort Worth, Texas or anywhere else in Tarrant County and are involved in a bar fight, you should apply for a bail bond from PCS Bail Bonds and call a criminal defense attorney right away.
The skilled bail bondsmen at PCS Bail Bonds can help those who have been involved in a bar fight to post a bail bond. We process our clients quickly and efficiently, and get them out of jail fast, so they can get back to their families and day-to-day lives.
PCS Bail Bonds has professional memberships in several renowned associations including the Professional Bondsmen of Texas, Tarrant County Bar Association, and Professional Bondsmen of Tarrant County.
We serve clients in Fort Worth, Texas, and other municipalities in Tarrant County. Our bond agents are always on call and we can be down to the jail in under 30 minutes.
Contact us now by phone at 817-335-1655, at our e-mail, visit in-person, or fill out our bail bond request form. You can be confident that you’re working with experts who are dedicated to helping you.