Houston Criminal Defense Attorney

In short: After an arrest in Houston, you are taken to the Harris County Joint Processing Center, where a magistrate sets bond, usually within 48 hours. Most people arrested for a misdemeanor now qualify for a personal bond. Your case is then heard at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center at 1201 Franklin Street: misdemeanors in the County Criminal Courts at Law, felonies in the felony district courts after a grand jury indicts. Many cases can still end without a conviction through pretrial intervention or a specialty court, and the earlier a lawyer is involved, the more of those options stay open.

Harris County processes over 80,000 criminal cases a year. In a system that big, your case can easily become just another file on a prosecutor’s desk. That’s why you need a defense team with the firepower to make Harris County prosecutors pay attention. Varghese Summersett brings three board-certified criminal law specialists, former prosecutors who know exactly how the Harris County DA’s office operates, and resources that most firms can’t match. We’ve secured over 1,600 dismissals and 800 charge reductions in criminal cases in Texas because we out-prepare and out-work the other side.

Most Houston criminal defense attorneys work alone or with a small staff. We don’t. When you hire us, you get investigators who dig up evidence the police missed and attorneys who’ve handled cases just like yours. That depth matters when your freedom is on the line.

Harris County is the third-largest county in America. The criminal justice system here operates on a scale most people don’t understand until they’re caught in it. More cases mean more overworked prosecutors, more crowded dockets, and more opportunities for your case to slip through the cracks, for better or worse.

A skilled defense attorney uses this to your advantage. Prosecutors juggling dozens of cases don’t have time to fully prepare every one. We do. When we show up with a complete investigation, expert witnesses lined up, and motions ready to file. Our goal is to outwork and out prepare prosecutors. That’s how dismissals happen.

Harris County has aggressive prosecutors. Drug trafficking, sexual assault, violent crimes. These cases get special attention. You need a defense team that can match that intensity and push back hard. We’ve gone toe-to-toe with Harris County prosecutors on their priority cases and won.

Houston has hundreds of criminal defense attorneys. Here’s why clients facing serious charges choose Varghese Summersett:

We know how Harris County prosecutors think. Several of our attorneys are former prosecutors. They’ve sat in the DA’s office, evaluated cases, and made charging decisions. Now they use that insider knowledge to dismantle the state’s case against you. We know what evidence prosecutors find convincing, what weaknesses make them nervous, and what arguments get charges reduced or dismissed.

Board certification means proven expertise. Only about 7% of Texas attorneys earn board certification in criminal law. We have three: Anna Summersett, Benson Varghese, and Letty Martinez. The Texas Board of Legal Specialization doesn’t hand out this credential easily. It requires years of trial experience, peer recommendations from judges and attorneys, and passing a rigorous exam. When you’re facing prison time, you want attorneys who’ve proven they belong in the courtroom.

We have resources solo practitioners don’t. A one-attorney shop can’t match what we bring to your case. Our team includes former law enforcement officers who conduct independent investigations, forensic experts who challenge the state’s evidence, and a support staff that ensures nothing falls through the cracks. In complex cases involving financial crimes, DNA evidence, or digital forensics, these resources make the difference between conviction and acquittal.

We handle state and federal cases. Many Houston attorneys only practice in state court. If your case involves federal charges in the Southern District of Texas, they’re in over their heads. Our federal defense team knows federal sentencing guidelines, federal rules of evidence, and how to negotiate with federal prosecutors. That experience matters when federal convictions carry mandatory minimums.

Results matter more than promises. Here’s a recent example of what we’ve accomplished for a Houston-area client:

Multiple Charges Dismissed in Harris County (December 2025)

Our client faced two serious felony charges. Both charges carried potential prison sentences. Attorney Mike Hanson reviewed the evidence, identified weaknesses in the state’s case, and negotiated with prosecutors. The result: both cases were dismissed. Our client walked away without a conviction, without prison time, and with the ability to move forward with a clean slate.

Past results don’t guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different.

Need help with your case? Call (281) 805-2220 for a free consultation with our Houston team.

We take cases other attorneys won’t touch. When the evidence looks bad, when the charges are serious, when everyone else says you should just take a plea, that’s when you need us. Here’s where we focus our Houston practice:

DWI Defense That Challenges Everything

DWI cases aren’t as airtight as prosecutors want you to believe. Breathalyzers malfunction. Blood tests get contaminated. Officers make mistakes during stops. We challenge every piece of evidence because we’ve seen how often the state’s case falls apart under scrutiny. Intoxication manslaughter cases are even more complex, and we’ve handled them at trial.

Drug Cases From Possession to Trafficking

Texas drug laws are harsh. Simple marijuana possession can still land you in jail. Manufacturing or delivery charges carry decades. But drug cases often hinge on search and seizure issues. Did police have probable cause? Was the warrant valid? Was the evidence properly handled? We dig into these questions because they get cases thrown out.

Sexual Assault Accusations

Sexual assault charges can destroy your life before you ever see a courtroom. Your name gets out, your reputation is ruined, your career is over. These cases require aggressive defense from day one. We challenge forensic evidence, investigate the accuser’s credibility, and fight to keep false allegations from ruining innocent people.

Assault and Violent Crime Defense

From bar fights that got out of hand to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault charges escalate fast in Texas. Self-defense claims require careful investigation and presentation. Witness testimony needs to be locked down. We build defenses that show the full picture, not just the version the police put in their report.

White-Collar and Financial Crimes

White-collar cases involve mountains of financial records that prosecutors use to bury defendants. We have the resources to fight back: forensic accountants who challenge the state’s numbers, investigators who uncover the real story, and attorneys who’ve handled complex financial cases at trial. When the government throws terabytes of documents at you, we know how to find the ones that matter.

Federal Criminal Defense

Federal cases are a different beast. Federal prosecutors have more resources, federal judges have less patience, and federal sentencing guidelines show no mercy. Our federal defense team practices in the Southern District of Texas regularly. We know the judges, we know the prosecutors, and we know how to fight federal charges effectively.

Yes. Our Houston juvenile defense attorneys protect young people facing criminal charges. The juvenile system works differently than adult courts. The focus is supposed to be on rehabilitation, not punishment. But without proper representation, juveniles can face serious consequences that follow them for years.

We handle juvenile cases from school disciplinary hearings to serious felony charges. Our goal is to keep juvenile records clean and futures bright.

Every Harris County case moves through the same building and the same decision points. Knowing them tells you where the real chances to win are.

Arrest and the Joint Processing Center

After an arrest anywhere in Harris County, you are booked at the Joint Processing Center at 700 N. San Jacinto Street. Texas law requires that you see a magistrate within 48 hours. The magistrate tells you the charge, decides whether there is probable cause, and sets bond.

Bond in Harris County

Since a 2019 federal court settlement over Harris County’s misdemeanor bail system, most people arrested for a misdemeanor are released on a personal bond instead of paying cash, though some charges, including family violence, are treated differently. Felony bonds are still set case by case, and Texas law now limits personal bonds for many violent felonies. A lawyer at this stage can argue for a reasonable amount and workable conditions so you can get back to work and family while the case is pending.

There’s a reason so many clients ask if we have former prosecutors on staff. Knowing how the other side operates isn’t just helpful. It’s a weapon.

Our former prosecutors have sat in case review meetings. They’ve decided which cases to take to trial and which ones to dismiss. They know what makes a Harris County prosecutor drop everything to focus on a case, and what makes them offer a deal to clear their docket. When we review your case, we see it through their eyes first. Then we attack every weakness.

This matters most during negotiations. Prosecutors respect attorneys who’ve done their job. They know we understand the pressure they’re under, the cases they can’t afford to lose, and the ones that aren’t worth their time. We speak their language. That gets results that inexperienced defense attorneys can’t deliver.

At trial, we anticipate their moves because we’ve made those same moves. We know what questions they’ll ask on cross-examination. We know how they’ll present evidence to a jury. And we prepare our clients and witnesses to handle it.

We’ve earned over 1,100 five-star reviews from clients we’ve helped. These reviews reflect our commitment to client service and results.

Our Houston office is at 2925 Briarpark Drive, Suite 850, in the Westchase area off the Sam Houston Tollway. We defend clients throughout Harris County and in neighboring Fort Bend County. Call (281) 805-2220, 24 hours a day.