Need a criminal defense lawyer in El Paso or San Antonio? Every lawyer at West Texas Trial Lawyers prosecuted cases for the State of Texas before defending them. We handle state and federal criminal cases across Texas. Calls are answered 24/7. Your first consultation is free and confidential.
Call (915) 279-0000 in El Paso or (210) 401-1000 in San Antonio. Payment plans are available.
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It depends on the class of the charge. Texas Penal Code §§12.21–12.35 set the ranges, from a fine-only Class C misdemeanor (up to $500, §12.23) to a first-degree felony (5 to 99 years or life, §12.32). Your class depends on the statute, the facts alleged, and any prior record. The full table is on our page explaining how a Texas criminal case works.
Your first consultation is free and confidential. After that, the fee depends on the charge, the county, and whether the case is headed to trial. Payment plans are available. Ask about the fee during your free consultation.
Sometimes, yes. In Texas, a dismissal is a one-page motion signed by a prosecutor who has decided the case cannot be proven. Getting there means finding the weak points in the State's evidence early. Our number one goal in every case is a dismissal. That is a goal, not a promise. No lawyer can promise an outcome.
If someone you love was just arrested, have these four things ready if you can:
Missing one? Call anyway. We answer 24/7, in English or Spanish.
If police want to talk to you or your family member: don’t explain, and don’t try to make a deal. Say you want your lawyer. Then call us.
As reported by clients in public Google reviews. Every case is different. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
See what these results mean on our case results page.
Because they have sat on the other side of the table. A former prosecutor knows how the State builds a case and where the evidence tends to break. It is not a promise of any result. It is an inside view of the process.
No lawyer can tell you how your case will end, and we will never pretend to. What we commit to is the work. We will turn over every legal stone, chase down every fact, and follow every lead we can find to build the strongest defense possible. That is not a line from a commercial. It is how Adam Setra has practiced from day one, and it is how we handle every case.
Adam Setra is a former El Paso County prosecutor with the 34th Judicial District Attorney's Office, which covers El Paso, Hudspeth, and Culberson counties. He is admitted in all four federal districts of Texas and the District of New Mexico. He was selected to Super Lawyers Rising Stars in 2026. Read Adam Setra's bio.
From the moment of arrest, the State starts building its file. The sooner a defense lawyer is involved, the more of that process we can answer.
The officer’s report becomes the State’s first version of events. If you gave a recorded statement in custody, CCP art. 38.22 controls whether it can be used.
We handle misdemeanors and felonies in state court and federal charges in the Western District of Texas. Start with our Texas criminal defense overview, or go straight to your charge.
A first DWI is a Class B misdemeanor (Penal Code §49.04(b)). You have 15 days from notice to request an ALR hearing, per the Texas DPS ALR program.
An allegation of impeding breathing can make assault a third-degree felony (§22.01(b)(2)).
Sexual assault is a second-degree felony (§22.011).
Fentanyl possession under Health & Safety Code §481.115 is a felony at every weight.
Border-related cases such as illegal reentry (8 U.S.C. §1326).
Theft and fraud, from state value tiers (§31.03(e)) to federal wire fraud (18 U.S.C. §1343).
Murder is a first-degree felony (§19.02).
Both offices are open 24 hours, 7 days a week. Calls are answered 24/7. We also take cases across Texas.
Nearby courts: the El Paso County Courthouse at 500 E. San Antonio Ave. and the Albert Armendariz, Sr. U.S. Courthouse at 525 Magoffin Ave. for federal cases. State felonies here are prosecuted by the 34th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
Nearby courts: Bexar County criminal courts at the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center, 300 Dolorosa, and the U.S. Courthouse at 262 W. Nueva St. for federal cases. State cases here are prosecuted by the Bexar County Criminal District Attorney’s Office.
Usted o su familiar puede hablar con nosotros completamente en español, las 24 horas. Visite nuestra página de abogado criminalista en El Paso para más información.
The cost depends on the charge, the county, and whether the case goes to trial. At West Texas Trial Lawyers, the first consultation is free and confidential, and payment plans are available. Ask about the fee during that consultation so you can make an informed decision before hiring anyone.
Yes. West Texas Trial Lawyers offers a free, confidential first consultation at our El Paso office at 1005 N Mesa St, by phone at (915) 279-0000, or at our San Antonio office at (210) 401-1000. Calls are answered 24/7, so you can reach us the night of an arrest. Full service is available in Spanish.
For most people facing a Texas charge, yes. Even a Class B misdemeanor carries up to 180 days in jail under Penal Code §12.22, and a conviction can follow you for years. A lawyer can request the State's evidence under CCP art. 39.14, spot weaknesses, and pursue dismissal, a reduced charge, or trial. No lawyer can promise a result.
Do not explain and do not try to make a deal. Politely say you want your lawyer, then stop talking and call one. Statements you make can become part of the State's case, and Texas law sets specific rules for when recorded custodial statements can be used (CCP art. 38.22). A short call to a lawyer first protects your options.
As soon as possible. A person arrested in Texas must see a magistrate within 48 hours under CCP art. 15.17, and prosecutors start reviewing the case right away. Some deadlines are short, like the 15-day window to request an ALR hearing after a DWI arrest.
Yes. West Texas Trial Lawyers has offices in El Paso and San Antonio and handles state and federal criminal cases across Texas. In San Antonio, state cases are heard at the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center, and federal cases go to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. Call our San Antonio office at (210) 401-1000.
Yes. Both El Paso and San Antonio are divisions of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, and we defend federal cases there. Adam Setra is admitted in all four federal districts of Texas and the District of New Mexico. Federal cases move differently, starting with a detention hearing under 18 U.S.C. §3142.
The State is already preparing its case. Start preparing yours. Your first consultation is free and confidential, calls are answered 24/7, and we speak Spanish.
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See why clients trust West Texas Trial Lawyers to provide compassionate guidance, aggressive representation, and results when they need them most.
Reviews are quoted word for word from public Google reviews. Every case is different. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
