Criminal Defense Case Results in Ellis, TX

Charge

Possession of a Controlled Substance (Felony)

Location

Ellis County, 443RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT

Allegations

After a traffic stop for a missing front plate, officers removed the occupants and expanded the encounter into a vehicle search, ultimately finding a torn baggie with a single speck that field testing largely consumed. We pulled the dashcam and compared it to the report, noting gaps in the officer’s timeline and the prolonged detention before any drug-related basis emerged. The lab later reported only trace amounts. We pressed the weaknesses in the search and the sufficiency of the residue-based evidence. The prosecution dismissed the possession case.

Charge

Tampering with Physical Evidence

Location

Ellis County, 443RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT

Allegations

A traffic stop for an equipment violation culminated in a tampering accusation after the officer reported that the driver said he swallowed drugs, and a torn baggie with only trace residue was recovered. We pulled the video and compared it to the narrative, flagging inconsistencies about the stated reason for the stop and the length of the detention, along with the minimal physical evidence. We pressed these issues in negotiations to avoid prison exposure. The result was straight probation on the tampering charge.

Charge

DWI - First Offense

Location

Ellis County, COUNTY COURT AT LAW NO 3

Allegations

After a late-night highway crash, troopers found our client at the scene and documented slurred speech, swaying, and other signs of impairment. The client declined testing, a warrant was obtained, and a blood sample was drawn hours later that returned well above the limit. We secured the reports and video, mapped the timeline from the collision to the blood draw, and emphasized the multi-hour gap and post-crash conditions that influenced the field evaluations. Leveraging these issues, we negotiated straight probation and avoided additional jail time.

Charge

Abuse of a Corpse

Location

Ellis County, COUNTY COURT AT LAW NO 3

Allegations

The client was accused of defacing a gravesite during an ongoing dispute with peers. We obtained the report from a prior incident in which the client's home was vandalized with similar language, and collected screenshots of social media posts showing ongoing taunts and threats. We presented this context to the prosecutor, explaining how it complicated the state's narrative and raised concerns about fairness and proof. After sustained negotiations and review of our materials, the state dismissed the case.

Charge

Deadly Conduct (Felony)

Location

Ellis County, 443RD JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT

Allegations

The case stemmed from an allegation that shots were fired toward a residence during a heated dispute. After reviewing the reports and the client’s statements, we anticipated the state would rely heavily on those admissions. We gathered mitigation, including documented social media threats directed at the client, prior vandalism of the client’s home, and video showing a rival pointing a gun at the client on a separate occasion. We presented that context and a plan for counseling and compliance. The prosecution offered deferred probation.

Charge

DWI - First Offense

Location

Ellis County, COUNTY COURT AT LAW NO 3

Allegations

The case began after a minor sideswipe on a highway, and the other driver called police. Officers conducted field sobriety tests and arrested the client, who consented to a blood draw that later reported a very high BAC. We obtained the video, reports, and lab records, examined the basis for the stop and testing, and compiled mitigation, including documented sobriety monitoring and an alcohol evaluation completed after the arrest. We highlighted the absence of injuries and the client’s cooperation. The state agreed to a plea to straight probation.

Charge

Misdemeanor Motion to Revoke Probation

Location

Ellis County, COUNTY COURT AT LAW NO 3

Allegations

The client was jailed on a probation revocation warrant after supervision alleged she missed required classes and payments. By the time of the arrest she had already completed the programs, with only a small balance remaining. We moved immediately, filed to get a hearing, pulled the revocation packet, and contacted probation to verify completion certificates. We presented those records to the prosecutor and pressed for reinstatement rather than punishment. The state dismissed the motion to revoke, and the client was released.

Charge

Assault - Family Violence

Location

Ellis County, COUNTY COURT AT LAW NO 3

Allegations

Police responded to a domestic dispute at a residence. Based on the complainant's initial account and photos of minor injuries, the client was arrested. We secured the 911 calls, body and dash camera footage, and scene photos, which documented broken candle and vase debris and supported that objects were thrown first. We contrasted those facts with shifting statements from the complainant and noted a reluctance to participate. After we presented this and made clear we were ready for trial, the prosecution dismissed the case.

Charge

DWI - First Offense

Location

Ellis County, COUNTY COURT AT LAW NO 3

Allegations

Police were called to a convenience store after an employee reported an intoxicated person in the parking lot. The employee said the driver arrived alone and got out of the driver’s seat. Officers noted slurred speech and balance issues. Our client maintained a friend had been driving and that the keys were left in the vehicle. She declined testing and a blood draw was later obtained by warrant. We pressed for surveillance footage, scrutinized the witness account, and challenged the driving element and field sobriety procedures. The case resolved with probation.

Charge

DWI - First Offense

Location

Ellis County, COUNTY COURT AT LAW NO. 2

Allegations

After missing an exit and trying to turn around on a narrow roadway, the client left the pavement and became stuck, leading to a single-vehicle incident. Officers transported the client to a hospital for a blood draw without conducting roadside tests, and the result came back roughly three times the legal limit. We dug into the videos, reports, and the circumstances of the draw, and made sure the client quickly complied with ignition interlock and pretrial requirements. With no prior record, we focused on damage control and avoiding jail. The state agreed to a straight probation outcome.

Charge

Possession of a Controlled Substance (Felony)

Location

Ellis County, None

Allegations

During a highway stop for a minor registration issue, officers shifted from giving a warning to asking for consent to search the client's vehicle. The client agreed, and officers reported finding a THC vape cartridge, which they used to file a felony possession case. We obtained the police reports and case evidence and broke down the basis for the stop, the request for consent, and the scope of the search. We challenged the escalation from a traffic warning to a drug investigation and flagged problems with how the item was seized and recorded. Facing those suppression issues, the state dismissed the case.

Charge

Possession of Marijuana

Location

Ellis County, None

Allegations

During a traffic stop for a minor registration issue, officers asked to search the vehicle. The driver consented, and a small amount of marijuana was found. We obtained the police reports, broke down the timeline of the stop, and challenged the extension from a warning to a consent search. We also questioned the voluntariness and scope of the consent and the state's ability to prove knowing possession. After presenting these problems to the prosecutor, the case was dismissed.