Harlingen Appeals & Appellate Lawyers

With more than 40 years of experience as a dedicated criminal defense attorney, Van Hilley confidently represents individuals from across Texas who have been charged with criminal offenses. He has diligently served as a respected member of Goldstein, Goldstein & Hilley through many complex and high profile cases, ranging from misdemeanor drug crimes to felony white collar fraud offenses. His many awards and leadership roles have made him an esteemed member of the legal community. In addition to practicing law throughout Texas courts, Mr. Hilley also is licensed to appear before the U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit and...

Steve Jumes is Certified in Criminal Law by the State of Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2003. Before becoming a defense practitioner, he was supervisor of the Grand Jury Division of the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office as well as specialized in the prosecution of sexual and physical child abuse cases for that office. While working as a a prosecutor for the Dallas County District Attorney's Office he specialized in Public Integrity prosecutions. Additionally, while working for the United States Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Texas he handled white collar cases involving tax refund fraud, wire fraud,...

As one of the founding partners at Lyons & Simmons, LLP, Attorney Michael Lyons is dedicated to providing top-tier legal services for each and every one of his clients. Currently, he handles a wide range of cases in several practice areas, including those that involve personal injury, products liability, professional liability, wrongful death, and complex business disputes. Before committing his life to trial work, Lyons attended The University of Texas where he achieved his Bachelor of Arts degree. Following his undergraduate studies, he attended South Texas College of Law where he achieved his Juris Doctorate, graduating cum laude and as a...

David Scoggins was born in Dallas, Texas and has been a lifelong Texan. He graduated from the University of Texas with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and thereafter graduated from Texas Tech University School of Law with a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree. He immediately obtained his license to practice law from the Supreme Court of the State of Texas and shortly thereafter was licensed in the Federal Courts of the United States. In 1981, David Scoggins commenced the practice of law in the Dallas-Ft. Worth metroplex and has resolved over 6,000 criminal cases. He has represented citizens accused in...

Jacob Blizzard stands out in the legal field, recognized for his exceptional skills and profound contributions as an attorney. His unparalleled dedication to the practice of law is demonstrated by his nationally recognized achievements and the professional certification that distinguishes him within the legal community. Born and raised in the Texas, Jacob Blizzard pursued his dream of becoming an attorney at the Texas Tech University School of Law, where he honed his skills and prepared to leave an indelible mark on the legal world. Post-graduation, he quickly demonstrated his competence and dedication, leading him to become the managing partner at Blizzard...

Jack Ternan's practice includes extensive experience in commercial litigation, business litigation, arbitration, appeals and appellate, corporate litigation, real estate litigation, breach of contract, open government litigation, partnership / business divorce disputes, and other civil litigation. Mr. Ternan also has experience in advising businesses and individuals on how to resolve or settle disputes without litigation. Jack Ternan grew up in Plano, Texas, where he currently resides with his wife and sons. Prior to starting the Ternan Law Firm, Mr. Ternan was a partner at Bickel & Brewer, now known as Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors. He has been...

Ms. Walter is an experienced trial lawyer, with a practical, business-oriented approach to handling cases. Her practice focuses on business litigation matters, including contracts, leases, construction, real estate, collections and Deceptive Trade Practices case and business owners' disputes. It Feels Good to Prevail!

1997 to Present President, Walter Law Firm, P.C., Houston, TX

2011 to 2012 Burleson, LLP, Houston, TX
Senior Counsel. Business litigation matters, including contracts, leases, collections, construction, real estate title, DTPA, fraud. Preparation of oil and gas title opinions.

1991 to 1996 Whittington, Pfeiffer & Vacek, Houston, TX
Associate Attorney....

I practice criminal defense in both state and federal court throughout Texas state courts and in federal courts all over the United States. I handle all criminal cases from misdemeanors to serious and complicated felonies at both the trial court level and post conviction. We handle trial cases, appeals, writs and parole as well as personal injury matters. As a former prosecutor, I can offer valuable insight and an aggressive defense in criminal cases and real experience in front of juries in all trial cases. We try cases when so many lawyers are at a disadvantage because they...

Admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the Texas Supreme Court and all inferior Texas state courts, the Northern District of Texas and the Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas.
Admitted to the State Bar of Texas November 3, 1990.
Have won appeals, trials, and a probation revocation in Texas state courts, have undone criminal convictions with Texas state post-conviction writs of habeas corpus.
Former Matagorda County Assistant District Attorney, Section Chief of State Counsel for Offenders for appeals and Sexually-Violent-Predator Civil Commitment and also former criminal trial lawyer at State Counsel for Offenders.
Lifelong domiciliary of Texas,...

Fred Dahr is a Houston-based criminal lawyer who represents clients in criminal litigations from misdemeanors and felonies to appeals, writs of Habeas Corpus, and clearing record cases in state and federal courts. He has won dismissals or acquittals for clients charged with different assault cases, aggravated robbery, driving while intoxicated, possession of a controlled substance, theft, and unlawful carrying of a weapon.

Colin McLaughlin is a principal partner at Hoeller McLaughlin PLLC and is a former Assistant District Attorney (Prosecutor) and experienced trial attorney. Colin is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Note: we are only accepting new criminal and DWI cases in Tarrant County, Texas only. Colin's goal is to get the best outcome on your case and will fight to protect your rights, your future, and your freedom. His leadership has helped Hoeller Mclaughlin PLLC obtain over 250 5 star reviews in Google alone. Colin has over 15 years of experience dealing...

Spolin Law P.C.’s founder, Aaron Spolin, is a former prosecutor and award-winning criminal appeals attorney. He has achieved successful outcomes on hundreds of criminal cases, including numerous dismissals of major felony cases; non-criminal resolutions to complex fraud and insurance fraud defense cases; successful appellate outcomes from various appellate courts; and multiple not-guilty jury verdicts at trial. Innocent Spolin Law clients wrongfully accused of murder and other serious crimes are now free because of his work. Aaron is the recipient of various awards for his advocacy, including the American College of Trial Lawyer’s Medal for Excellence in Oral Advocacy as well as...

Chris is an experienced trial and appellate attorney respected throughout the State of Texas who is frequently called on to handle high-profile matters. He served as Chair of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of Texas and has worked to reform and standardize custody and possession rules statewide. Chris is well known for his appellate experience and deep understanding of marital property laws. He is especially adept at dividing business ownership and ensuring value and security for the non-owning spouse. Dual Board Certified in Family Law and Civil Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Chris...

We are tough and practical regardless of the type of case that you bring to our office. In more than one consult, we find other attorneys or law firms offering services that the law simply doesn't allow, or that the client may not actually need. We pride ourselves on helping client's find practical, cost effective solutions. However, we are always ready to take a case to trial when needed. It is this balance of tough, but fair, that allows us to assert effective advocacy for all of our clients. We proudly serve clients in Kaufman...

Jim Dunnam is a Board Certified Specialist in both Civil Trial Law and Family Law. Jim was born and has spent his entire life in Waco. He graduated from Baylor University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and from Baylor Law School in 1987 with a Juris Doctor degree. Since being licensed to practice law in 1988, Jim has worked as a member of Dunnam & Dunnam, where he is a partner. Jim was named Young Lawyer of the Year by Baylor University in 2001. Among other positions, Jim has served on...

John S. “Jack” Edwards, Jr. handles a wide variety of civil matters in state and federal courts throughout the country. He has represented clients in antitrust, contracts, copyright, ERISA, fraud, insurance coverage, product liability, securities, trade secrets, toxic tort, and wrongful death cases. Many of his cases involve highly technical industries, such as vehicle manufacturing or radio-communication systems. Others involve representing victims of financial fraud, whether in single-plaintiff actions or in class actions under ERISA or securities law. He has tried cases in Texas and Pennsylvania.

Gerald “Gerry” Harris Goldstein is a nationally known and respected defense lawyer and Past President of both the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. He is listed in The Best Lawyers in America and Texas Lawyer’s Legal Legends, has been profiled in numerous publications, has served as an adjunct professor of law at University of Texas School of Law in Austin and at St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio, and is a fellow in the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of...

Ky Jurgensen is an experienced business and probate litigation attorney with an additional focus on estate administration. "I was attracted to probate work because, for many clients, it’s the first time they’ve worked with an attorney. They are going through a difficult personal loss and, in the midst of that, they must also complete a reckoning of their loved one’s estate. It is a complicated process. As an attorney, I can help people through that process and make it more manageable. Personally, that is very rewarding." Ky has advised and assisted numerous estate executors and beneficiaries through probate disputes, from contested wills...

Adam Lewis was born in Clear Lake, Texas. Due to his father’s employment in the oil and gas industry, Adam moved to various places such as Louisiana, Nigeria, Scotland, and England. After graduating high school in England, Adam returned to his roots to attend Texas Tech University. While there, Adam pursued History and Political Science before receiving his diploma in 2008. After graduation, he went to Houston, Texas, where he worked in numerous legal industries such as pharmaceutical litigation and litigation support and technology.

Adam’s career choices led him to Park City, UT, where he worked in the legal department of...

After working at Houston mega-firms, Corpus Christi and Victoria mid-size firms, and two different Courts of Appeals, Leslie A. Werner opened her own firm in Victoria, TX, in 2007 under The Soliz Law Group, her then-married last name. Leslie has taken what she learned from her variety of experiences and has not only become a well-rounded attorney but created a firm that has embodied the best attributes of her previous workplaces. Her experience at the 1st and 13th Court of Appeals and her association with the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for Civil Appeals has allowed her to be the...

I help people and businesses solve legal problems and plan for the future. My clients range from individuals who have never used a lawyer to banks and multi-national corporations. I provide honest, straight forward advice and solutions that are designed to accomplish your goals, protect your assets, avoid disputes, and save you time, money, and headaches. So, if you need to plan your own estate, need help handling the estate or affairs of a family member, or have a legal issue impacting your business, give me a call. In addition to myself, my firm has lawyers who specialize in real...

After attending both undergraduate and law school at the University of Texas, Corey Young began his legal career as an appellate prosecutor in Montgomery County, Texas.

A native of Commerce and Temple, Texas, Attorney Paul F. Wieneskie brings over 30 years of practice experience to Bailey & Galyen, with an emphasis on civil appeals, municipal law (representing cities or private citizens), economic development concerns, and land use and planning. He has been board-certified in civil appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 1994, an honor accorded to less than one in every ten lawyers in the state of Texas. He is also AV-rated by his colleagues in the legal profession under Martindale-Hubbell’s Peer Review Rating System®* (since 1997). Paul has successfully represented clients...

An attorney with more than thirty-four years' experience in domestic and international trademark, copyright, licensing, unfair competition, anti-counterfeiting and mass media law, with a broad legal background, including active practice before state and federal administrative agencies, United States District Courts, United States Courts of Appeals, and the Supreme Court of the United States.

I’m an Austin criminal defense lawyer that puts in all the effort required of an attorney striving to be recognized as one of the best criminal defense lawyers in Austin. I investigate evidence, hire experts when needed, and locate and interview witnesses on behalf of my clients. Some Austin defense lawyers choose to help the state by coaching a defendant into a plea-deal for the sake of convenience. Unless the circumstances of the case demands it, that’s not how business is done at the Law Office of Jackson F. Gorski. I prefer to fight for the accused. My law firm provides...

Robert Chisholm's law practice focuses on representing disabled veterans in the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims and before the Department of Veterans Affairs. Robert has been representing disabled veterans since 1990. During his extensive career, Robert has successfully represented veterans before the Board of Veterans' Appeals, Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Robert is a founding member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims Bar Association and served as President of that organization for the year 2002-2003. Mr. Chisholm served as the President of the...

John T. Floyd is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is rated as a Super Lawyer by the prestigious rating service of Thomson–Reuters, distinguishing him as a lawyer who has attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Mr. Floyd takes great pride in leading his premier criminal defense litigation firm, which focuses exclusively on successfully defending Individuals and businesses accused of serious crimes in Houston, throughout the State of Texas and in Federal Court across the United States. Mr. Floyd’s experience, determination, and talent has also earned him...

I worked in the Dallas County crime lab (SWIFS) after graduating from college. I worked as a DNA Technologist in the Forensic Biology department. Part of my job included testifying as a Forensic Biology expert in court. After three years of working at the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences I decided to attend law school with the purpose of being a lifetime prosecutor. Although I enjoyed being a prosecutor, my work in criminal defense is where I belong. I became part of an elite group of criminal defense attorneys when I became Board Certified by the Texas Board...

Matthew Ploeger is dedicated to serving Sutliff & Stout’s clients with diligence, skill, and commitment. He enjoys the intellectual challenges, but even more importantly, finds great satisfaction in helping people understand and navigate the legal system and championing them in the courts. ———— Matthew Ploeger began his legal career serving as a judicial clerk to the Honorable Nathan L. Hecht, the Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court. He then joined the appellate practice group at a major law firm, where, for over ten years, he handled all manner of appeals and worked closely with trial teams, providing crucial support...

James P. Whalen is the owner of Whalen Law Office in Frisco, Texas.

James graduated from Southern Methodist University School of Law in May 1995 and was admitted to the Texas Bar in November 1995 and is admitted to practice in the federal courts of the Eastern, Northern, Western and Southern Districts of Texas, Northern District of Illinois, as well as the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. James has been Board Certified in Criminal Law since 2002 and has been Board Certified in Criminal Appellate Law since 2017. Mr. Whalen practices exclusively in federal...

Attorney Camille Knight focuses her practice on Federal Criminal and Civil Law matters. She has represented individuals and companies in investigations and dispositions pre-indictment. She has also represented individuals and companies in criminal proceedings post-indictment, through trial, to appeals and post-conviction litigation. Call today for a consultation.

Attorney Michelle May O’Neil earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in 1989 from Baylor University Hankamer School of Business, her Juris Doctorate in 1991 from Baylor University School of Law, and her Mediation Certificate in 2003 from Texas Women’s University. Ms. O’Neil has been practicing law for over 30 years, and is the founding partner of the Dallas family law firm, O’Neil Wysocki. Through the use of genuine compassion for her client’s difficulties, and her determination to help them maintain their most favorable outcomes, Attorney O’Neil has the ability to assist individuals through complicated matters including divorce, child custody, and...

Tracy J. Willi focuses on civil, commericial, and intellectual property litigation and appeals in Federal and Texas courts. Having been licensed to practice law in Texas since 1992, Ms. Willi has extensive trial and appellate experience in business law, civil and commercial law, real estate law, patent, copyright, and trademark litigation, and probate litigation, much of which is reflected in numerous published trial court and appellate decisions. Ms. Willi has represented clients at all levels of Texas courts including County Courts, District Courts, Courts of Appeals, and the Texas Supreme Court. She has also represented clients at...

Beginning her legal career as a prosecutor with the Bexar County District Attorneyâs Office and as a special prosecutor at the Medina County District Attorneyâs Office, Attorney Kerrisa Chelkowksi has gained invaluable experience. Knowing and understanding how the other side of the courtroom operates provides a tremendous advantage to her overall case defense. Using creative strategies, she is more easily able to protect her clientsâ rights in a way that is both aggressive and strong. Ranked as a 10.0 Superb Avvo rated lawyer by both her peers and past clients, this is the highest possible score that an attorney can...

Keith is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and is a former First Assistant District Attorney for Brazoria County.

Austin, Texas based criminal defense lawyer, E. G. "Gerry" Morris, has since 1977 represented individuals accused of state and federal crimes, both in trial and on appeal. He is Board Certified as a Criminal Law Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He has been elected by other criminal defense attorneys to leadership positions in both state and national organizations. He served as president of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association during the 1997-98 term and is also Past President of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

The legal community as a whole has, through peer rating, given him...

Over my eighteen years of practice, I have worked in all areas of business and commercial litigation at both the trial and appellate levels. This experience includes mass toxic tort litigation, products liability, admiralty, first-party and third-party insurance litigation, multi-million dollar commercial litigation disputes, personal injury suits and public law matters. My appellate practice includes representing plaintiffs and defendants throughout the Texas intermediate courts of appeals, the Texas Supreme Court, the Southern District of Texas, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.

My representative experience includes attending to various commercial litigation matters; representing plaintiffs and defendants...