If you’re looking for serious Denton County criminal defense attorneys, you’ve come to the right place. The Saputo Toufexis | Criminal Defense team is comprised of seasoned legal professionals who are dedicated to defending the rights of individuals facing criminal charges in Denton County. We are committed to providing you with the highest level of legal representation.

Our Denton County criminal defense attorneys have a wealth of experience in the Denton County courts and have successfully defended clients through trial in Denton against a broad range of criminal charges. Many of our clients have hired us after other attorneys advised them against going to trial in Denton because Denton juries always convict. We’ve proven that to be untrue.

If you’re looking for the best Denton criminal defense attorney, then we want to represent you.

At Saputo Toufexis | Criminal Defense, we are looking for clients who want to hire the top criminal defense attorneys in Denton County.

We have successfully represented many people in Denton County, including through trial and acquittal. We’ve achieved success where other Denton County criminal defense attorneys have warned of failure.

If you are looking for an authoritative Denton County criminal defense attorney, call us or book a consultation today.

What kinds of cases do our Denton criminal defense attorneys handle?

• Denton Aggravated Sexual Assault Attorney
• Denton Assault Attorney
• Denton Continuous Sexual Abuse Attorney
• Denton DWI Attorney | DWI Defense
• Denton Failure to Identify Attorney
• Denton Indecency With a Child Attorney
• Denton Indecent Assault Attorney
• Denton Manslaughter Attorney
• Denton Online Solicitation of a Minor Attorney
• Denton Sexual Assault Attorney

How to choose a Denton criminal defense attorney

Finding the best Denton County criminal defense attorney for your case is a challenging endeavor. Reviews and testimonials can be fake, purchased, or misleading. Some attorneys seem popular, but is that just because they’re really prosecutors who are out of a job?

There’s no magic recipe for what makes the best attorney for your case, so we suggest you talk to the attorneys and get a feel for where their passion lies. Are they passionate about criminal defense or did they just start doing this because they got kicked out of the Denton County DA’s office? Whose side is your attorney really on?

We have never worked as prosecutors. We have dedicated our entire legal careers to perfecting the art of Texas criminal defense. Learn more about us >

Where are the Denton County Criminal Courts?

The Denton County criminal courts are located inside of the Denton County Courts Building located at 1450 E McKinney St, Denton, TX 76209.

Where can I search for and find criminal cases in Denton County?

You can find records related to Denton County criminal cases on the county’s records inquiry page.

Who are the Denton County Criminal Court judges? What courts are in Denton County?

Denton County has five County Criminal Courts. These are the courts that handle most misdemeanor offenses. Denton County has eleven District Courts. These are the courts that handle felony offenses.

This list starts with the Denton County misdemeanor courts. Jump to the felony courts.

Denton County Misdemeanor Courts

• County Criminal Court 1
  • Judge Lauri Ragland presides over County Criminal Court 2 in Denton County. She ran unopposed in the Republican primary and won the general election in 2022. County Criminal Court 1 is located on the 1st floor of the Denton County Courts Building. Her current term ends in 2026.
• County Criminal Court 2
  • Judge Susan Piel currently presides over County Criminal Court 2 in Denton County. She won the Republican primary and the general election in 2018. County Criminal Court 2 is located on the 1st floor of the Denton County Courts Building. Her current term expires in 2026.
• County Criminal Court 3
  • Judge Forrest Beadle currently presides over County Criminal Court 3 in Denton County. He was successful in winning the Republican primary and then won the general election without opposition in 2018. County Criminal Court 3 is located on the 4th floor of the Denton County Courts Building. His term ends in 2026.
• County Criminal Court 4
  • Judge Chance Oliver currently presides over County Criminal Court 4 in Denton County. He ran unopposed in both the Republican primary and general election in 2018. He will be up for reelection in 2026. County Criminal Court 4 is located on the 4th floor of the Denton County Courts Building.
• County Criminal Court 5
  • Judge Coby Waddill currently presides over County Criminal Court 5 in Denton County. In 2014 he was successful in winning the Republican primary and then won the general election without opposition. He was reelected in 2022 and his current term will expire in 2026. County Criminal Court 5 is located on the 4th floor of the Denton County Courts Building.

Felony Courts in Denton County

• 16th District Court
  • Judge Sherry Shipman presides over Texas’s Criminal 16th District Court. She was elected in 2012 and has won every reelection since. She won the Republican primary in March 2024 and is running for reelection in the general election in November 2024. The 16th District Court is located on the 3rd floor of the Denton County Courts Building.
• 158th District Court
  • Judge Steve Burgess presides over Texas’s Criminal 158th District Court. He was elected to this position in 2010 and was reelected in 2014 after winning both the Republican primary and general election unopposed. He was reelected in in 2022 and his current term ends in 2026. The 158th District Court is located on the 3rd floor of the Denton County Courts Building.
• 211th District Court
  • Judge Brody Shanklin presides over Texas’s Criminal 211th District Court. He ran unopposed in both the Republican primary and general election in 2014. He was reelected in 2022 and his current term expires in 2026. The 211th District Court is located on the 2nd floor of the Denton County Courts Building.
• 362nd District Court
  • Judge Bruce McFarling presides over Texas’s Criminal 362nd District Court. He has been serving this court since he was first elected in 2000. He won the 2024 Republican primary unopposed and is up for reelection in the general election taking place November 5th 2024. The 362nd District Court is located on the 3rd floor of the Denton County Courts Building.
• 367th District Court
  • Judge Brent Hill presides over Texas’s 367th District Court. He won both the Republican primary and general election in 2022. He will be up for reelection in 2026. The 367th District Court is located on the 3rd floor of the Denton County Courts Building.
• 393rd District Court
  • In 2023, Governor Greg Abbott appointed Karen Alexander to the 393rd Judicial District in Denton County for a term set to expire on December 31, 2024. Karen Alexander was a prosecutor for the Town of Ponder and formerly a Denton County Criminal Defense Attorney. 
• 431st District Court
  • Judge Jim Johnson presides over the 431st District Court in Denton County. He won the Republican primary and general election in 2020. He is running for reelection in the general election in November 2024, having won the Republican primary in March 2024 unopposed. The 431st District Court is located on the 2nd floor of the Denton County Courts Building.
• 442nd District Court
  • Judge Tiffany Haertling presides over Texas’s 442nd District Court. She assumed office in 2015 and is running for reelection in the general election in November 2024, having won the Republican primary in March 2024 unopposed. The 442nd District Court is located on the 2nd floor of the Denton County Courts Building.
• 462nd District Court
  • Judge Lee Ann Breading presides over the 462nd District Court in Denton County. She was appointed to the court by Governor Greg Abbott in 2018. She won the Republican primary election in 2024 unopposed and will be on the ballot for the general election in November 2024.
• 467th District Court
  • Judge Derbha Jones presides over Texas’s 467th District Court. She was appointed to the bench by Governor Greg Abbott in 2020. Her current term expires in 2026. The 467th District Court is located on the 2nd floor of the Denton County Courts Building.
• 481st District Court
  • Judge Crystal Levonius presides over the 481st District Court in Denton County. She was elected in 2022 without appearing on the ballot, assuming office in 2022. Her current term expires in 2026. The 481st District Court is located on the 4th floor of the Denton County Courts Building.

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