If you’ve been charged with a crime in Houston, TX, it can be an incredibly stressful, confusing and daunting situation.

Penalties are stiff, and the idea of going up against Harris County prosecutors may seem impossible. Especially if the facts of your case aren’t great.

But there’s one thing to remember: the system is designed in your favor. Anyone accused of a crime has the right to be innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Our justice system was designed to give defendants rights, one of them being the right to an attorney.

With the right Houston criminal defense attorney advocating on your behalf, your chances go way up. We believe that anyone accused of a crime is entitled to not just a defense, but one by a Zealous Advocate.

A Zealous Advocate is a defense attorney who:

• Has at least a decade of experience in criminal defense
• Has a track record of excellence throughout their career
• Does a complete and thorough investigation of all evidence
• Is far more prepared than the prosecution on every case
• Has relationships with the prosecutors and judges
• Knows how to earn dismissals for clients and works tirelessly until we have gotten you the best possible outcome

If you’ve been charged with a crime in the Houston area, do not hesitate to contact us for a free, no commitment case review today.

Why Michael & Associates?

Michael & Associates is a premium Houston law firm with over 100 years combined experience getting great outcomes for clients.

Our team includes defense attorneys with a diverse set of backgrounds, so that no matter what gets thrown our way, we are among the best equipped to handle it.

Our team includes a former FBI Agent, former Judges, former prosecutors, three Certified DWI Scientists, ALR specialists and career defense attorneys. A few awards include:

• Perfect 5 Star Rating from Clients on Google, Thumbtack and Trustpilot
• Rated 10/10 Superb Rating on Avvo
• Ranked Top 10 by American Institute of DUI/DWI Attorneys
• Ranked Top 10 Defense Attorney by Attorney & Practice Magazine
• 40 Under 40 by American Academy of Attorneys

Additionally, our attorneys are often go-to authorities in the field, having been cited in Bloomberg, CNET, Business Insider, Newsweek and the Statesman.

How We Beat Charges in Houston

At Michael & Associates, we understand that every case is unique, and requires a tailored approach.

But the one thing that is true for all cases: we perform an investigation deeper and more thorough than anybody else – the prosecutors, the police, a public defender, or another defense attorney.

Once our investigation is complete, we choose the best defense. Common defense strategies include:

• You did not actually commit the crime
• A police officer violated procedure or the law during the arrest
• A police officer has a history of violations or taking shortcuts
• You have been framed
• Your Constitutional rights have been violated
• There are issues with the evidence in question
• You were acting in self defense or defense of others
• The laboratory that processed your blood may have made an error

Throughout the entire case, we hold ourselves to extremely high standards to:

• Protect Your Rights and Interests: This starts from day one. Everybody in this country has rights, and you are innocent until proven guilty.
• Minimize Bond Conditions: We will fight to get you the least amount of restrictions when it comes to traveling out of area, ignition interlock devices, bail amounts
• Negotiate Hard with Prosecutors: One of the reason we only hire experienced attorneys is their rapport and knowledge of the prosecution. Our relationships with prosecutors are cordial. But the prosecutors also know that we’re heavy hitters, and the last thing they want is to lose in trial to us. All this combines to favorable case outcomes.
• Leverage the Weaknesses in the Justice System: For example, Harris County is notoriously understaffed. Many prosecutors simply want to get cases over with, and we use this to our advantage to secure the best deal possible. In some DWI cases, we know that blood processing is backed up for a year – we’ll leverage this in our favor as well. It’s important to realize that while the justice system isn’t fair, it’s setup to protect your rights, and we do whatever it takes to use that to our advantage.
• Suppress Evidence when Possible: If there are issues with the state’s evidence, we’ll go in front of a judge to get it thrown out, increasing the chances your case gets thrown out.
• Select Sympathetic Jurors: If a case goes to trial, we’ll go to great lengths to ensure the jurors are likely to rule in your favor.
• Prepare Solid Arguments in Your Favor: Our goal is always to get the prosecutor and judges to agree with our argument that you deserve a dismissal or a favorable deal.

Types of Cases we Handle

Michael & Associates handles nearly every type of criminal charge in the Houston area. Below are some of the common case types:

• DWI Charges – One of our most common charges, Driving While Intoxicated involves operating a motor vehicle in a public place while impaired – usually because of alcohol. We have an extremely high rate of DWI dismissals, and handle all types including 1st DWI, 2nd DWI, 3rd+ DWI, intoxication manslaughter and DUI. Our team has several Certified DWI Scientists that know more about breath and blood testing than anybody on the opposing side.
• Drug Charges: Drug crimes vary from possession of small amounts to drug trafficking. No matter what the charge, our attorneys have the knowledge to fight it.
• Felony Charges: In Houston, there are four types of felony charges ranging from Felony DWI to Felony Murder, all of which can result in massive fines and long prison sentences. Whether it’s a first degree felony, second degree felony, third degree felony or a state jail felony – our goal is to get it dismissed or reduced to something far less. If you’re charged with a felony, be sure to hire an experienced Houston defense attorney – it will be well worth your money.
• Misdemeanor Charges: While misdemeanors are less serious than felonies, penalties can still be harsh. We handle Class A and Class B misdemeanors, and many Class C misdemeanors as well.
• Assault Charges: In Texas, Assault covers a wide variety of case from Assault Family Violence, which is a fairly easy charge for us to beat, to Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, which can carry many years in prison.
• Probation Violations: Typically covered under a Motion to Revoke Probation, these charges are particularly dangerous because they can mean that you face consequences for not only the probation violation, but also the original charge. We have a strong track record of beating these.
• Homicide Charges: Homicide charges require the utmost care and preparation. They can range from Involuntary Manslaughter, to Involuntary Manslaughter, to Felony Murder.  Any sort of manslaughter or murder charge requires a meticulous investigation of evidence and carefully planned strategy. If you are facing one of these, do not leave your future to an inexperienced Houston defense attorney.
• Other Charges: We handle nearly every type of criminal charge there is. Other common cases we defend include Theft, Harrassment, Criminal Tresspass, Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon, Burglary, Evading Arrest, Terroristic threat, and more.

Meet your Defense Team

Charlie Pelowski – Head Houston Trial Attorney

Charles Pelowski is a seasoned criminal defense attorney with a rich career spanning over a decade. He currently holds the position of Senior Trial Attorney at Michael & Associates. His journey in the legal field began as a Public Defender, eventually leading him to oversee the Houston office of Texas’ largest criminal defense firm before joining Michael & Associates.

With a proven record in handling criminal cases across the state, from minor infractions to high-profile murder cases, Charles has demonstrated his prowess in dozens of jury trials and successful appeals. His approach to defense is marked by creativity, a deep commitment to the jury trial system, and an unwavering pursuit of justice. Charles prides himself on being the most prepared presence in any courtroom, firmly believing that sound investigations are the cornerstone of preparing a defense.

Charles believes American freedom is rooted in the country’s commitment to trial by jury. He will always fight for the underdog if their cause is just. Outside the courtroom, Charles is an avid practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a discipline that reflects his tenacity, strategic thinking, and love for the fight.

Dedicated to the principles of freedom, Charles’s extensive trial skills and strategic insights make him a formidable advocate for those accused of a crime in the Greater Houston area.

Our Philosophy on Building an A+ Defense Team

It Starts With the People

It all starts with the legal team that we hire.

Michael & Associates conducts an extensive interview process for all attorneys, only hiring about 1% of all applicants. We have a multi-person team dedicated to making sure that all top-tier attorneys end up at Michael & Associates.

Every attorney we hire is experienced – that’s table stakes. We do not hire ‘associates’ – also known as ‘baby lawyers’. On average, our attorneys have 15 years of legal track record.

Each attorney goes through a rigorous screening process where we walk through the candidates entire career, starting from high school up through their legal career. This takes many hours. We dive into legal cases, their approach to different cases, their track record, and most importantly – their commitment to Zealously Advocating for clients. From there, we call every single one of their past bosses and do an interview with each of them. By the time someone joins our firm, we have vetted that they have a track record of excellence and will do the same for our clients.

Extremely High Standards

Our bar for hiring attorneys is high, but our standards for their performance are even higher.

In addition to hiring only the top percentile of defense attorneys, we have established, extremely high standards for how cases get treated. For instance:

• Evidence Review: We expect attorneys to go through in-depth review of evidence that far surpasses what the police, the prosecutors, or any other defense firm would expect.
• Case Speed: This time is stressful for you, so we want to get this over as quickly as possible, while earning an excellent outcome.
• Client Communication: Our attorneys are expected to return all client calls the same business day.
• Court Date Preparation: You’ll receive a call 7 days ahead of any court dates so that

Contact Information

The easiest way to get in touch is to schedule a free case review. From there we will set up a time with a senior attorney to walk through preliminary details of your case, and determine if it’s a good fit for us.

Michael & Associates Criminal Defense Attorneys