05/29/2026
Civilians do not have the power to press charges in Texas. The only people who can file criminal charges are prosecutors โ an assistant district attorney or a county attorney. What a civilian can do is insist that law enforcement push for prosecution, but the decision always belongs to the state.
This matters because people frequently make threats thinking they hold more power than they do. And on the flip side, people assume that if a victim "doesn't want to press charges," the case dies. It doesn't. The state of Texas can move forward with or without the alleged victim's cooperation.
If someone is pushing for charges to be filed against you, do not wait to get an attorney involved. (713) 864-9000