Board Certified · Former Prosecutors · Dallas County

Not Every Dallas Criminal Defense
Attorney Tries Cases. We Do.

Five Board Certified specialists and former Dallas County prosecutors, in the Frank Crowley courthouse every week. Over 550 jury trials and 1,600+ dismissals. That is the difference prosecutors notice.

Defensa Penal en Dallas

Abogados penalistas de Dallas en Varghese Summersett

If you have been arrested in Dallas County, your case will move through the Frank Crowley Courts Building on Riverfront Boulevard, and the attorneys at Varghese Summersett are there every week. From our office at 2100 Ross Avenue in downtown Dallas, minutes from both the county courts and the Earle Cabell Federal Building, we defend people charged with everything from first-offense DWI to federal conspiracy.

Varghese Summersett is one of the most credentialed criminal defense firms in Dallas: five Board Certified attorneys, former Dallas County and Tarrant County prosecutors on staff, and a team of 70+ legal professionals. Our track record, more than 1,600 dismissals, 800 charge reductions, 300 grand jury no-bills, and 550 jury trials, reflects work done in these specific courtrooms, before these specific judges and prosecutors. The Dallas Observer named us the "Best DWI Firm in Dallas," and our clients have left more than 1,100 five-star Google reviews.

Many of our attorneys are former prosecutors who spent years on the other side of the courtroom, learning how Dallas County builds cases, evaluates evidence, and makes charging decisions. That insider knowledge translates directly into sharper trial strategies and stronger plea negotiations. We have also been named to the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies, a reflection of the infrastructure and resources we bring to complex, high-stakes cases.

¿Por qué elegirnos?

Credentials Dallas prosecutors actually recognize.

Five attorneys serving Dallas hold Board Certification from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a designation earned by fewer than 10% of Texas lawyers in any specialty. That includes Board Certified Criminal Law Specialists Benson Varghese, Anna Summersett, and Letty Martinez, and Board Certified Juvenile Law Specialist Lisa Herrick.

Several of our lawyers are former prosecutors, including senior associate Sheena Winkfield, who tried cases in both Tarrant and Dallas Counties before moving to the defense. They know how Dallas County builds cases, and where they break.

We are, above everything else, trial lawyers. With 70+ team members, dedicated investigators, and the technology to review voluminous discovery, we have the infrastructure to handle the most serious cases in Dallas County.

550+
Juicios con jurado
1,600+
Despidos
5
Certificado por la Junta
1,100+
Reseñas de 5 estrellas
Los resultados anteriores no garantizan resultados futuros. Cada caso es único.
The Board Certified Specialists

The Dallas team defending your case.

Dallas County Courts

Where your case will be heard.

If you are charged with a crime in Dallas County, your case will move through the Frank Crowley Courts Building at 133 N. Riverfront Boulevard, just west of downtown Dallas and next to the Lew Sterrett Justice Center. Our attorneys are in this building constantly. We know how each court runs, which prosecutors handle which dockets, and how cases actually move from arrest to resolution here.

Felony Courts: Criminal District Courts

Dallas County has 17 Criminal District Courts that hear felony cases, from state jail felonies to capital offenses. These courts handle indictments returned by the Dallas County Grand Jury and are located on the 5th, 6th, and 7th floors of the Frank Crowley Courts Building. If you are facing a felony such as drug charges, aggravated assault, robbery, or a serious DWI, your case will be assigned to one of these courts.

Misdemeanor Courts: County Criminal Courts

Class A and Class B misdemeanors are heard in Dallas County's 11 County Criminal Courts, located on the 3rd and 4th floors of Frank Crowley. First-offense DWI, possession of small amounts of marijuana, theft, and assault by contact typically land here. Two County Courts of Criminal Appeals handle appeals from these courts.

Where Cases Begin: Magistration and the Jail

After an arrest in Dallas County, you will be booked into the Lew Sterrett Justice Center and brought before a magistrate, usually within 24 hours, where bond is set and you are formally notified of the charges. This is one of the most important early moments in a case, and when families most need answers about bond and release. We walk clients and their families through exactly what to expect at magistration and how to seek a bond reduction or personal recognizance bond.

Felony vs. Misdemeanor Records

Felony case records are maintained by the Dallas County District Clerk (2nd floor, Frank Crowley), while misdemeanor records are kept by the Dallas County Clerk. Knowing where your case sits in the system helps us track filings, discovery, and settings without delay.

Conocemos el condado de Dallas

64,136 Dallas County bonds, analyzed.

Most law firms tell you they know the local courts. We prove it. Varghese Summersett analyzed over 64,136 bonds set in Dallas County. When someone calls from jail, we can tell them realistically what bond to expect based on actual Dallas County data, not guesswork.

Categoría de infracción
Rango típico de bonos
Bono más común
Conducción bajo los efectos del alcohol (primera infracción)
$500 to $2,500
Most common: $500
Conducción bajo los efectos del alcohol (segunda infracción)
$2,500 to $5,000
Most common: $2,500
Conducir bajo los efectos del alcohol (tercera vez o más)
De 10 000 a 50 000 dólares
Most common: $25,000
Posesión de drogas (PG 1, menos de 1 g)
$5,000 to $15,000
Most common: $5,000
Posesión de marihuana (menos de 2 onzas)
$500 to $1,000
Most common: $500
Agresión (violencia doméstica)
$1,500 to $5,000
Most common: $5,000
Agresión agravada (arma mortal)
$25,000 to $100,000
Most common: $50,000
Robo con agravantes
$50,000 to $150,000
Most common: $100,000
Delitos sexuales
$25,000 to $100,000
Most common: $50,000
Asesinato y homicidio
$500,000 to $1,500,000+
Most common: $1,000,000

Texas offers cash bonds, surety bonds, and personal recognizance bonds. We often succeed in getting bonds reduced or securing personal recognizance bonds that allow clients to return home without posting cash.

Proceso

The first 48 hours after a Dallas arrest.

The decisions made in the first two days set the trajectory of the entire case. Here is how it should go.

01
Stay Silent

Do not give a statement. Do not consent to a search. Do not try to explain. Invoke your right to a lawyer and stop talking, politely but absolutely.

02
Llámanos

Before bond, before magistration at Lew Sterrett, call. We answer 24/7. Early counsel changes what gets charged, what gets said, and what bond looks like.

Call Now
03
Bond Out

With counsel involved at magistration, the bond amount can sometimes be reduced and unreasonable conditions can be challenged before they are imposed.

04
Preservar las pruebas

Save texts, call logs, surveillance, witness names, and timelines. Evidence disappears fast. The defense investigation starts before the prosecution's does.

What to Expect

A criminal case in Dallas County.

El condado de Dallas procesa decenas de miles de casos penales cada año. La fiscalía del distrito emplea a cientos de fiscales cuya única función es conseguir condenas. Cuentan con equipos de investigadores, técnicos de laboratorio y años de experiencia en la preparación de casos contra personas en su situación. Entrar en una sala de audiencias de Dallas sin una representación legal con experiencia significa enfrentarse a un sistema diseñado para tramitar los casos rápidamente, a menudo a expensas del acusado.

Muchas personas creen que pueden manejar los cargos por delitos menores por su cuenta. Esto casi siempre es un error. Incluso un delito menor de clase C crea antecedentes penales permanentes que serán visibles en las verificaciones de antecedentes durante el resto de su vida. Los empleadores, los propietarios y las juntas de concesión de licencias realizan estas verificaciones. Una condena que usted consideraba menor puede costarle una oferta de trabajo dentro de una década.

¿Qué debe demostrar la fiscalía?

In every criminal case in Texas, the prosecution carries the entire burden of proof. The defendant is presumed innocent and has no obligation to prove anything. To secure a conviction, the State must prove every element of the charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt, the highest standard of proof in the American legal system. Effective criminal defense targets specific elements. If the State cannot prove you acted intentionally, the charge fails. If the evidence was obtained through an illegal search, it can be suppressed. Our attorneys identify the weakest links in every case and build defense strategies around them.

Sanciones por delitos menores

Delito menor de clase C: multa de hasta 500 dólares, sin pena de cárcel. Algunos ejemplos son los hurtos menores, la alteración del orden público y la embriaguez pública.

Delito menor de clase B: hasta 180 días en la cárcel del condado, multa de hasta 2000 dólares. Algunos ejemplos son la primera infracción por conducir bajo los efectos del alcohol, la posesión de pequeñas cantidades de marihuana y la entrada ilegal en propiedad ajena.

Delito menor de clase A: hasta un año en la cárcel del condado y multa de hasta 4000 dólares. Algunos ejemplos son la agresión con lesiones físicas, conducir bajo los efectos del alcohol con una tasa de alcoholemia superior a 0,15 y porte ilegal de armas.

Sanciones por delitos graves

Delito grave con pena de cárcel estatal: de 180 días a 2 años en una cárcel estatal, multa de hasta 10 000 dólares. Algunos ejemplos son el robo de bienes por valor de entre 2500 y 30 000 dólares y determinados delitos de posesión de drogas.

Third-Degree Felony: 2 to 10 years in prison, fine up to $10,000. Examples include DWI third offense and assault on a family member with a prior conviction.

Delito grave de segundo grado: de 2 a 20 años de prisión y multa de hasta 10 000 dólares. Algunos ejemplos son la agresión con agravantes, el robo y determinados delitos relacionados con drogas.

Delito grave de primer grado: de 5 a 99 años o cadena perpetua, multa de hasta 10 000 dólares. Algunos ejemplos son el robo con agravantes, la agresión sexual con agravantes y el asesinato.

The numbers that matter: Over 550 jury trials. More than 1,600 case dismissals. Over 300 grand jury no-bills. Over 1,100 five-star Google reviews. These numbers represent real people who kept their freedom, their jobs, and their futures because of the work done in this office.

What We Defend

Dallas criminal defense practice areas.

Experienced criminal defense attorneys serving Dallas County. Each link leads to a deeper guide with the elements, penalties, and defenses.

En casa en Dallas

Serving Dallas and all of Dallas County.

From our downtown office at 2100 Ross Avenue, we represent people charged with crimes throughout Dallas County and the surrounding communities, including Addison, Carrollton, Garland, Highland Park, Irving, Mesquite, Plano, Richardson, and University Park. Wherever the arrest happened, the case ultimately runs through the Frank Crowley Courts Building, and that is where we go to work. We also handle matters in neighboring Collin County.

Our Dallas office is minutes from the Frank Crowley Courts Building, the Earle Cabell Federal Building, and the Dallas Police Department headquarters. The building is easily accessible via I-35E and the Woodall Rodgers Freeway, with DART rail stations within walking distance. Underground and street parking are available.

2100 Ross Avenue, Suite 950, Dallas, TX 75201
Phone: (214) 903-4000

Preguntas frecuentes

Dallas criminal defense FAQ.

¿Qué debo hacer inmediatamente después de ser arrestado en Dallas? +
Invoke your right to remain silent and clearly request an attorney. Do not try to explain your way out of the situation. Anything you say will be used against you, even statements you believe are helpful. After an arrest in Dallas County, you will typically be booked into the Lew Sterrett Justice Center and brought before a magistrate within 24 hours. Contact a defense attorney immediately so your rights are protected and your defense begins before charges are formally filed.
Where will my criminal case be heard in Dallas County? +
All felony and misdemeanor criminal cases in Dallas County are heard at the Frank Crowley Courts Building, 133 N. Riverfront Boulevard, Dallas, TX 75207. Felony cases go to one of the 17 Criminal District Courts on the 5th, 6th, and 7th floors. Class A and B misdemeanors are heard in one of the 11 County Criminal Courts on the 3rd and 4th floors.
¿Cuánto tiempo dura un proceso penal en el condado de Dallas? +
Simple misdemeanors might resolve in a few months. Complex felonies, which move through grand jury presentation and indictment before reaching a Criminal District Court, can take a year or more. Federal cases often extend beyond a year due to their complexity. Early intervention by an experienced attorney can speed the process and lead to better outcomes.
¿Se pueden eliminar los cargos penales de mi expediente en Texas? +
La ley de Texas permite la eliminación de antecedentes penales y órdenes de confidencialidad que pueden eliminar o sellar ciertos cargos de su expediente. La elegibilidad depende del resultado de su caso y de los cargos específicos involucrados.
¿Cuánto cuesta un abogado penalista en Dallas? +
We offer transparent flat fees and flexible payment plans because financial concerns should not prevent you from getting quality representation. The cost of an experienced attorney is often far less than the long-term consequences of inadequate representation. We offer free consultations to discuss your case and provide transparent information about expected costs.
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Your freedom. Your family.
Your fight is ours.

Arrests happen at midnight. We answer. The next 24 hours will shape the next 24 months. Speak with a Board Certified Dallas criminal defense lawyer today.

Answering 24/7
Varghese Summersett

Our Offices

One City Place Building
300 Throckmorton Street, Suite 700
Fort Worth, Texas 76102

Kirkwood Oaks Business Center
3120 Sabre Drive, Suite 110
Southlake, Texas 76092

2100 Ross Avenue, Suite 950
Dallas, Texas 75201

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