2025
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LicensingUser ReviewsMystery Shopping CallsOur goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Waco criminal defense lawyers on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.
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= Featured ProviderMichael & Associates caters to its Waco clientele by offering criminal defense services. Ben Michael, the firm’s attorney, explains his clients’ cases to them to give them peace of mind. He believes that time in the courtroom creates stress and is usually unnecessary, and thus works to reduce the time his clients have to spend there. Michael handles various types of felony and misdemeanor cases in the state. He has taken hundreds of criminal cases to trial.
Mary Beth Harrell Law Firm serves Waco and the surrounding Texas areas. It defends individuals facing criminal offenses ranging from aggravated assault, drunk driving, and theft to allegations of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and homicide. The firm works to have charges eliminated or reduced in order to protect the careers of its clients, which include servicepeople. Its attorneys are led by Mary Beth Harrell, who understands the stakes in criminal cases as a wife and mother of Army and military members.
(13)The Keathley Law Office is a local, family-owned firm that has been serving clients in the Waco community for over two decades. It represents individuals accused of crimes, such as felonies, misdemeanors, theft, drug offenses, or DWI. Its lawyers work with defendants through the process, from the initial hearing to the court trial and sentencing. They also offer services for family law cases like divorce and child support and extend their practice to wills and probate law.
(36)Kyle C. King serves the legal needs of the wrongfully accused in Waco and its surrounding communities. His private practice focuses on criminal law charges ranging from theft, illegal drug possession, and juvenile offenses to domestic violence, assault, and violent crimes. He leverages his more than 13 years of legal experience to help clients navigate the justice system, representing them in state and federal courts and reducing their penalties. He dismissed a case in which someone was arrested for felony assault.
(11)Melanie R Walker, Attorney at Law, responds to the legal needs of the accused in Waco and nearby areas. The firm exclusively practices criminal law, representing those facing various offenses, including felonies and misdemeanor charges. Sole practitioner Melanie Walker leverages her 10 years of trial experience as a district attorney to craft defense strategies and fight for defendants' rights in state and federal courts. She has been active in the legal profession since 1998. She is licensed to practice in Kansas.
(5)Russell D. Hunt, Sr., Attorney at Law, is a Waco-based criminal defense practice that offers legal support to people with pending charges in state and federal courts throughout Central Texas. The firm builds defense strategies for a range of offenses, from DWis, theft, and unlawful possession of a firearm to internet-related crimes and fraud. It also facilitates pretrial intervention programs. Principal Russell D. Hunt Sr. is a criminal law specialist recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
(14)Swanton & Frederick is a law firm that handles criminal defense cases in Waco. Its attorneys have over 60 years of combined experience representing defendants of DUI, domestic violence, aggravated assault, robbery, or drug trafficking. Partner Rob Swanton has experience teaching trial advocacy and criminal law practice as an adjunct professor at Baylor University School of Law. Swanton is a member of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
(18)Dunham & Jones Attorneys at Law, P.C., has been serving clients in and around Waco since 1989. Its attorneys carry over 200 years of combined legal expertise, representing defendants of felony and misdemeanor crimes, domestic violence, drug possession, and theft. Its team of former prosecutors and assistant district attorneys also handle immigration cases, such as green card, visa, and family-based and criminal immigration. Moreover, Dunham & Jones received recognition from the Daily Texan, Time, and Newsweek magazine.
Disclaimer: Consumers utilizing Expertise.com are free to communicate and contract with any lawyer they choose. Expertise.com is not involved in the confidential attorney-client relationship. Featured lawyers pay a reasonable advertising cost to market their legal services with Expertise.com and must meet similar selection criteria as other lawyers. All cases are different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
The Waco Police Department can be reached at (254) 750-7500.
To obtain police reports and other records in Texas, you can get in touch with the local police department in the area where the crime occurred. In Waco, individuals can visit the Waco Police Department located at 721 North 4th Street, Waco, TX 76701, or call (254) 750-7500. Alternatively, you can request a police report online by creating an account on the the Waco Public Records Center at https://wacotx.mycusthelp.com/WEBAPP/_rs/(S(nzcsjecvap0gevhsst14p3z5))/SupportHome.aspx?sSessionID=
You have the right to remain silent, refuse consent, and ask for the officer's name and badge number if you are stopped by a police officer in Waco. If police think you have a weapon or illegal object, they can pat you down on the outside of your clothing during a stop and frisk. They cannot examine pockets or possessions without a warrant or consent. If you believe your rights have been violated, contact a Waco attorney to learn more about your options and take legal action.
If the police arrive at your Waco house, you are not required to allow them in unless they have a warrant. Ask the officer display to show you the warrant by holding it up to the window or slipping it under the door. A search warrant only authorizes the police to search the locations and things indicated on the request, while an arrest warrant only allows the police to enter your house if they suspect the individual identified in the warrant is there. Remember that even if they have a warrant, you have the right to remain silent. If you opt to talk with the police, go outside and close the door behind you.
To find information on sex offenders in Waco, you can go to the Texas Public Sex Offender Website, which is maintained by the Texas Department of Public Safety. The website features a search page that allows users to search for sex offenders using different criteria, including names, locations, and higher institutions. Members of the public can also create an account on the website to stay updated on sex offender information. Additionally, they can reach out to the Sex Offender Bureau by dialing (512) 424-2800.
A criminal trial in Texas has two main phases: guilt and innocence and punishment. The jury first decides whether the defendant is guilty or innocent. If the defendant is found guilty, the trial then moves on to the punishment phase. Note also that a trial consists of several stages: jury selection, opening statements, evidence presentation by the prosecution, cross-examination of witnesses by the defense, closing statements, and finally, the jury's decision. If the jury cannot reach a unanimous verdict, the judge may declare a mistrial.
The duration of a criminal case in Waco is influenced by a variety of factors, including the complexity and severity of the charge, the prosecution's evidence, and the availability of court resources. The average length of a criminal case can range from two months to two years, depending on these variables. Note that a skilled criminal defense attorney can work to expedite the legal process and ensure that your case is resolved as efficiently and effectively as possible.
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