BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – Nearly nine out of every 10 eligible Bexar County cases involving a misdemeanor charge of assault causing bodily injury to a family member were dismissed during the first six months of 2026, according to a KSAT analysis of court data.
The finding comes after several domestic violence-related murder-suicides this summer involving alleged abusers who had previously faced family violence charges.
Over a three-week period, four domestic violence-related murder-suicides were reported. Two of the men, Robert James Rennie and Albert Richter, had previously been charged with misdemeanor family violence. Both of those cases were dismissed.
KSAT initially obtained dismissal figures from the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office in July. The office told KSAT the numbers were incorrect and contacted the station to discuss how the figures were calculated.
KSAT then went back to the underlying court data and requested information dating back to 2021.
The analysis focused specifically on the charge of misdemeanor assault causing bodily injury to a family member. After accounting for duplicate entries and looking at cases with qualifying dispositions, KSAT found the dismissal rate has increased significantly in recent years.
In 2024, about 71% of eligible cases were dismissed.
That increased to about 86% in 2025.
During the first six months of 2026, 1,840 of 2,062 eligible unique cases had qualifying dismissals — about 89.2%.
That means about 222 cases, or 10.8%, were not dismissed.
The data does not represent every domestic violence case prosecuted by the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office. It represents the specific misdemeanor offense included in KSAT’s analysis.
The DA’s office challenges the numbers
The dismissal data was shared with the DA’s office on Aug. 20.
Four days later, the office asked KSAT to explain how the figures were calculated. KSAT provided the data used in the analysis along with an explanation of the process.
After KSAT provided the data and an explanation of how the figures were calculated, the DA’s office identified several categories of dispositions it said should not be included in the dismissal count.
Among those were cases labeled as “Pre-File,” which the office said are rejections rather than dismissals because charges had not yet been formally filed in court.
The office also pointed to several other categories, including certain deferred adjudication outcomes and speedy-trial dismissals.
The DA’s office said some deferred adjudication cases should not be considered dismissals because a defendant had pleaded guilty or no contest and was placed on community supervision. In those cases, the court — rather than the DA’s office — handles the supervision and can revoke it if the defendant violates the conditions.
The office also said speedy-trial dismissals are granted by a judge, typically at the request of the defendant’s attorney, rather than being dismissals initiated by prosecutors.
Other categories identified by the office included certain court-ordered verdicts and cases rejected before formal filing.
The DA’s office said these distinctions could affect the accuracy of KSAT’s dismissal rate, but did not provide alternative figures to support their claim.
The numbers don’t tell the whole story
The DA’s office also emphasized that the analysis covers only one offense.
“While we understand you are solely focused on the ‘assault causes bodily injury family member’ offense, it does not paint the full picture of the overall caseload of the Family Violence Division,” the office said.
The office said there are several offenses that can represent domestic violence cases and described family violence cases as among the most complicated for prosecutors because of the emotional and unique circumstances involved.
The office said those challenges are not unique to Bexar County and are seen in communities across the country.
The DA’s office encouraged domestic violence victims to report incidents and participate in the legal process.
The office also said KSAT’s analysis focuses on only one of several offenses that can make up the Family Violence Division’s caseload.
Changes inside the Family Violence Division
The scrutiny of the dismissal numbers comes as there has also been a change in leadership within the DA’s office.
Family Violence Division Chief Angelica Meli Powers resigned from the office.
Former Civil Rights Division Chief Daryl Harris was promoted to lead the Family Violence Division.
KSAT has requested an in-person interview with the DA’s office about the dismissal data.
KSAT has also requested dismissal numbers for felony family violence cases. That request remains outstanding.
The DA’s office did not provide additional numbers before publication.
KSAT will continue reporting on the dismissal rates and is seeking answers about why so many eligible misdemeanor family violence cases are being dismissed.
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic violence, there is so much help for you. KSAT has a list of resources on its Domestic Violence webpage, which also explains how to identify different types of abuse.
Survivors in unincorporated Bexar County who are not in current emergencies can fill out an online form to get in touch with STAR specialists.
Anyone in immediate danger should call 911.
For wrap-around services, including the Battered Women and Children’s Shelter, call Family Violence Prevention Services at (210) 733-8810.
You can also contact the Bexar County Family Justice Center, which also provides wrap-around services at (210) 631-0100.
Read also:
Copyright 2026 by KSAT – All rights reserved.