Juvenile Murder Defense in Texas

A murder charge is one of the most serious situations a family can face. When the accused is a juvenile, the legal landscape is complex, the stakes are extraordinary, and the decisions made in the earliest stages of the case can shape everything that follows. If your child has been charged with murder in Texas, you need an attorney with the experience, skill, and dedication to mount the strongest possible defense immediately.

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Attorney Jerry Acosta has more than 20 years of experience in Texas juvenile law and has served as a judge. That combination of courtroom experience and judicial perspective gives him an understanding of how murder cases are handled in the juvenile system that very few attorneys can match. He has been recognized as a Super Lawyer for 10 consecutive years.

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What Is Murder Under Texas Law?

Under the Texas Penal Code, a person commits murder when they:

• Intentionally or knowingly cause the death of another person;

• Intend to cause serious bodily injury and commit an act clearly dangerous to human life that causes death; or

• Cause the death of an individual while in the course of committing or attempting to commit a felony (known as felony murder)

Murder is a first-degree felony in Texas in most circumstances. The felony murder rule is particularly significant for juvenile cases because it means a young person can be charged with murder even if they did not personally kill anyone, as long as a death occurred during the commission of a felony in which they participated.

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Felony Murder and Juvenile Defendants

The felony murder rule catches many families off guard. Under this doctrine, if a juvenile participates in a robbery, burglary, or other qualifying felony and someone dies during the commission of that offense, everyone involved can be charged with murder, regardless of who caused the death and regardless of whether anyone intended anyone to die.

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This means that a juvenile who was present during a robbery in which a co-defendant shot and killed someone can face a first-degree murder charge. Understanding how the felony murder rule applies to your child's specific situation is one of the first and most critical steps in building the defense.

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The Risk of Certification to Adult Court

Murder is one of the charges most likely to result in a juvenile being certified to stand trial as an adult. In Texas, a juvenile who is 14 or older can be certified for murder, and prosecutors in serious cases often pursue certification aggressively.

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If your child is tried as an adult for murder and convicted, they face a first-degree felony sentence, which can mean anywhere from five years to life in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The difference between remaining in the juvenile system and being tried as an adult can define the entire trajectory of your child's life.

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Fighting certification is often the most important single battle in a juvenile murder case. Having served as a judge, Jerry Acosta knows exactly how these hearings work, what evidence is most persuasive, and how to present the strongest possible case for keeping your child under juvenile jurisdiction.

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Determinate Sentencing

Even if your child remains in the juvenile system, murder is among the offenses subject to Texas's determinate sentencing scheme. Under determinate sentencing, a juvenile can be sentenced to a specific term of years that begins in the juvenile justice system. When the juvenile turns 19, the court reviews the case and decides whether to release them, transfer them to TDCJ to complete the sentence, or discharge them. This means that a juvenile adjudicated for murder in juvenile court can still end up serving time in adult prison.

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We fight against determinate sentencing outcomes and advocate at every stage for dispositions that give your child a genuine opportunity to rehabilitate and move forward.

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Defense Strategies for Juvenile Murder

Murder cases require a defense built on a thorough, independent investigation conducted in parallel with, and often ahead of, law enforcement's own investigation. Defense strategies we evaluate in every case include:

Challenging Intent

Murder requires proof of intent to kill or to cause serious bodily injury. If the evidence does not support that level of intent, the charge may not be sustainable, or it may be reduced to a lesser offense such as manslaughter.

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Challenging Participation in the Underlying Felony

In felony murder cases, we examine your child's actual role in the underlying offense. Was your child truly a participant, or were they present without meaningful involvement? Degrees of participation matter significantly and can affect both the charge and the outcome.

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Self-Defense

Texas law provides robust self-defense protections, including the Castle Doctrine and the right to use deadly force in certain circumstances. If your child's actions were a response to an unlawful and immediate threat, self-defense may be a complete defense to the murder charge.

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Challenging the Evidence

We scrutinize every piece of physical, forensic, and testimonial evidence. Eyewitness identifications are unreliable. Forensic conclusions can be contested. Statements made to law enforcement can be challenged if constitutional rights were violated. No piece of evidence is accepted at face value.

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Fighting Certification

Keeping your child in the juvenile system is often the most critical objective. We prepare thoroughly for certification hearings and present comprehensive evidence about your child as a full person, not just as a defendant.

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Presenting Mitigating Evidence

Even in murder cases, mitigating evidence can profoundly affect the outcome. Your child's age, developmental history, mental health, trauma history, and circumstances are all relevant and can influence how the court views both the offense and the appropriate response.

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What Families Need to Know Right Now

If your child has been arrested or charged with murder, the most important things you can do are act immediately and say nothing. Do not allow your child to speak to law enforcement without an attorney present. Do not attempt to resolve the situation by speaking to the alleged victim's family. Do not discuss the case on social media or with anyone outside of your attorney.

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The early stages of a murder case are critical, and the decisions made in the first hours and days can have lasting consequences. Contact an attorney before anything else.

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Contact Jerry Acosta Law today for a confidential consultation. A juvenile murder charge demands immediate, experienced action. With more than 20 years of juvenile law experience and a former judge on your side, you will have the strongest possible defense from the very first day.