Criminal Defense

2022:

• State v. Evans­ – 88^th District Court –Judge Michael Mayes (visiting Judge) – Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child – Not Guilty from the jury.
• State v. Evans­ – 88^th District Court –Judge Michael Mayes (visiting Judge) – Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child & five counts of Indecency with a Child – Not Guilty from the jury on all Counts.
• State v. Frey (2^nd trial) – 252^nd District Court –Judge Raquel West – Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child – Hung Jury. 9 for Not Guilty.
• State v. Daws – 252^nd/Drug Court – Judge Buddie Hahn – Criminal Solicitation – Dismissed by state with prejudice after suppression of evidence and jury seated and sworn.
• State v. Lanclos­ – 356^th District Court – Aggravated Assault on a Public Servant – Judge Steve Thomas – not guilty verdict from jury.
• State v. Frey – 252^nd District Court –Judge Raquel West – Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child – Hung Jury. 10 for Not Guilty.

 2021:

• State v. Faulk – 128^th District Court – Intoxication Manslaughter – Judge Courtney Arkeen – Guilty verdict to manslaughter from the jury, five years probation.
• State v. McClelland ­– Newton County District Court 1 – Judge Craig Mixon – aggravated sexual assault of a child (super ag) – not guilty from the jury.
• State v. Cano – Jefferson County Criminal District Court – Judge John Stevens – aggravated sexual assault of a child – not guilty from the jury.
• State v. Shaw – County Court #3 in Jefferson County – Judge Clint Woods –Text Message Harassment – not guilty from the judge via directed verdict after State rested before the jury.

 2020:

• U.S. v. Landor ­– United States District Court – Assault Bodily Injury – Judge Michael Truncale – not guilty verdict from the jury.
• State v. Bean  – Jefferson County Criminal District Court – Judge John Stevens – Intoxication Manslaughter – not guilty from the Jury.

2019:

• State v. Herrera – Jefferson County Court at Law #2 – Judge Terrance Holmes – DWI Class A > .15 – not guilty from the Jury.
• State v. Burrell – 252^nd District Court –Judge Raquel West – Murder – ten years from the jury.
• State v. Williams – 252^nd District Court –Judge Raquel West – Murder – twenty years from the jury.
• State v. Merriwether – County Court #3 in Jefferson County – Judge Clint Woods – DWI Class A >.15 – not guilty from the jury.
• State v. Busby, Jr. – Jefferson County Criminal District Court – Judge John Stevens – Aggravated Assault (w/firearm and SBI) – guilty from jury (shot a bystander) – probation from the jury; deferred probation agreement on second Aggravated Assault charge.
• State v. Trawhon – Orange County Court at Law #2 – DWI – Judge Troy Johnson – not guilty verdict from jury.
• State v. Coleman – 252^nd District Court – Capital Murder – Judge Raquel West – not guilty from the jury.
• State v. Williams – 252^nd District Court –Judge Raquel West – Murder – mistrial (hung jury).
• State v. Carpenter – 163^rd District Court, Orange County – Judge Dennis Powell – Indecency with a Child – guilty verdict from the jury – probation from the jury.

2018: 

• State v. Taylor, Jefferson County Criminal District Court – Judge John Stevens – Murder – not guilty to Count 1; guilty to Count 2; four years from Judge.
• State v. Philpott, Orange County Court at Law #2 – DWI >.15 – Judge Troy Johnson – not guilty verdict from the jury on DWI-A and DWI.
• State v. LeDoux, Hardin County Court – DWI – Judge Wayne McDaniel – not guilty.
• State v. Carney, 252nd District Court – Intoxication Manslaughter and Manslaughter – Judge Raquel West – mistrial; reduced to negligent homicide, five years deferred adjudication probation plea.
• State v. Tinoco, Orange County Court at Law #1 – Judge Mandy White-Rogers – DWI – not guilty from the jury.
• State v. McCloney, Jefferson County Drug Court – Judge Larry Gist – Intoxication Manslaughter and Intoxication Assault – Pleas of Guilty, jury punishment: Eight years TDC on IM and 10 years probation on IA, no deadly weapon finding; (offer was 18 years and 10 years with a deadly weapon).

2017: 

• State v. Cotton, 252nd District Court – Capital Murder and Aggravated Robbery – Judge Raquel West – not guilty from the jury.
• State v. Michael, 252nd District Court – Capital Murder – Judge Raquel West – not guilty from the jury.

Significant Dismissal:

• ​State v. Frazier, 252nd District Court – Capital Murder – Judge Lindsey Scott – DISMISSED two weeks prior to trial. Cell phone evidence used to demonstrate client was elsewhere when the murder happened.

• State v. Culver, Jefferson County Court at Law No. 2 – Judge Cory Crenshaw – DWI (Class B misdemeanor). Not guilty verdict from the jury.
• State v. Zamarron, Jefferson County Court at Law No. 2 – Judge Cory Crenshaw – DWI (2nd, Class A misdemeanor). Directed Verdict of acquittal during the jury trial, after the court granted our motion to suppress based on unnecessarily long detention.

• State v. Phillips, Jefferson County Court at Law No. 2 – Judge Cory Crenshaw – DWI (2nd, Class A misdemeanor). Not guilty verdict from the jury after less than 15 minutes of deliberation.
• State v. Griffin, Jefferson County Court at Law No. 2 – Judge Cory Crenshaw – DWI (2nd, Class A misdemeanor). Not guilty verdict from the jury after only 20 minutes of deliberation.
• State v. Jennings, Orange County Court at Law No. 2 – Judge Troy Johnson- Assault (Class A misdemeanor). Not guilty verdict from the jury.
• State v. D.R.W., Hardin County Court- Judge Wayne McDaniel- DWI (2nd Class A misdemeanor). Client was accused of being intoxicated on prescription medication. The blood test revealed three medications in the normal or sub-therapeutic ranges, for which the client had a prescription. The client had a prior DWI from more than 20 years ago. Not Guilty Verdict from the Jury.
• State v. Smith, Criminal District Court, Jefferson County – Judge John Stevens– 1st Degree Murder (1st Degree Felony). Ryan Gertz sat second-chair to legendary trial lawyer Lum Hawthorn: not guilty verdict from the jury.

• State v. Arceneaux, 252nd District Court, Jefferson County – Judge Lindsey Scott – Intoxication manslaughter (2nd Degree Felony): not guilty verdict from the jury. 
• State v. Copenhaver, Jefferson County Court at Law #3 – Judge Langston Adams – DWI (1st – Class B misdemeanor): not guilty verdict from the jury.
• State v. RLT, Jefferson County Court at Law #3 – Judge Langston Adams – electronic communications harassment (Class B misdemeanor) – Ryan sat second chair to legendary trial lawyer Lum Hawthorn: not guilty verdict from the jury.

• State v. Wilson, Tyler County 88^th District Court – Judge Earl Stover – Insurance Fraud State Jail Felony: not guilty jury verdict from the jury.