Among Texas cities, Dallas stands out as perhaps the most high-profile. Dallas criminal defense attorneys are among the best and most specialized in the state, owing at least in part to the city’s statewide and national prominence.

Based in Dallas, Texas, our firm has deep roots in the Dallas area. Attorneys Paul Saputo and Nick Toufexis both started their criminal defense careers in Dallas. The attorneys have long served the Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and they have tried many cases in Dallas county.

If you’re looking for the best Dallas 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 Dallas.

Our history of success in includes representation of numerous high-profile Dallas clients and notable high-profile victories. We have also disposed of many other cases quietly and out of the sight of the public. We use our experience to fight to keep all our clients out of Lew Sterrett and out of prison.

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

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

• Dallas Aggravated Assault Attorney
• Dallas Aggravated Kidnapping Attorney
• Dallas Assault Attorney
• Dallas Continuous Sexual Abuse Attorney
• Dallas Continuous Smuggling Attorney
• Dallas Criminal Attempt Attorney
• Dallas Criminal Conspiracy Attorney
• Dallas Criminally Negligent Homicide Attorney
• Dallas DWI Attorney
• Dallas Failure to Identify Attorney
• Dallas Improper Relationship Between Educator and Student Attorney
• Dallas Indecency With a Child Attorney
• Dallas Indecent Assault Attorney
• Dallas Indecent Exposure Attorney
• Dallas Intoxication Manslaughter Attorney
• Dallas Invasive Visual Recording Attorney
• Dallas Kidnapping Attorney
• Dallas Manslaughter Attorney
• Dallas Murder Attorney
• Dallas Public Lewdness Attorney
• Dallas Sexual Assault Attorney
• Dallas Sexual Coercion Attorney
• Dallas Smuggling of Persons Attorney
• Dallas Trafficking of Persons Attorney
• Dallas Unlawful Disclosure or Promotion of Intimate Visual Material Attorney
• Dallas Unlawful Restraint Attorney
• Dallas Voyeurism Attorney

How to choose a Dallas criminal defense attorney

It is not easy to find the best Dallas criminal defense attorney for your case. It’s difficult to even figure out where to start.

You can start by looking at reviews and testimonials, but as everyone knows these days, so much of that can be fake, purchased, or misleading.

It’s important to consider experience, but remember that lots of experience can sometimes lead to stagnation, carelessness, and cynicism.

You should consider reputation, but remember that some of the best criminal defense attorneys challenge the status quo in court, and this can result in them not being very popular.

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 Dallas 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 Dallas County Criminal Courts?

The Dallas County Criminal Courts are located inside of the Frank Crowley Criminal Justice Center located at 133 N Riverfront Blvd, Dallas, TX 75207.

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

You can find records related to Dallas county criminal cases on the county’s case records page.

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

Dallas County has 13 county criminal courts. These are the courts that handle most misdemeanor offenses. Dallas County has 17 district courts. These are the courts that handle felony offenses.

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

Parker County Misdemeanor Courts

• Criminal County Court 1 (MA Court).
  • A former Dallas criminal defense attorney, Judge Marilynn Mayse currently presides over Criminal County Court 1 in Dallas. Judge Mayse defeated Judge Dan Patterson in the Democratic primary in 2022 and won the general election for this court. Criminal County Court 1 is on the 3rd floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal County Court 2 (MB Court).
  • As of 2015, Judge Julia Hayes presides over Criminal County Court 2 in Dallas. Judge Hayes took the bench in 2010 after beating Republican Dan Motalvo in the general election. She is on the Democratic ticket. Criminal County Court 2 is on the 3rd floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal County Court 3 (MC Court).
  • Judge Audrey Moorehead presides over Criminal County Court 3 in Dallas. Judge Moorehead ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and eventually won her bench after defeating Symone Redwine in the general election in 2018. Criminal County Court 3 is on the 3rd floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal County Court 4 (ME Court)
  • Judge Dominique Torres Williams took the bench in 2023 after defeating Democratic party opponent Angel Mata in the primary. Criminal County Court 4 is on the 3rd floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal County Court 5 (MF Court)
  • Judge Lisa Green is also a newcomer to the bench, having been elected in 2014 to replace Judge Etta Mullin. Judge Green beat both Etta Mullin and Trey Bunch in the Democratic primary before beating Etta Mullin in a primary runoff. She then defeated Leah Lucius in a hotly contested general election. She attended St. Mary’s University for both college and law school. Criminal County Court 5 is on the 3rd floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal County Court 6 (MG Court)
  • Judge King has presided over Criminal County Court 6 in Dallas since 2006. Most recently she was re-elected in 2014. Criminal County Court 6 is on the 3rd floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal County Court 7 (MH Court)
  • Judge Remeko Edwards presides over Dallas’s Criminal County Court 7. She recently ran and won an unopposed election in both the primary and general election in 2022. Criminal County Court 7 is on the 4th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal County Court 8 (MJ Court)
  • Another former Dallas criminal defense attorney, Judge Carmen White also ran and won an unopposed election in both the primary and general election in 2022. Criminal County Court 8 is on the 4th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal County Court 9 (MK Court)
  • Judge Peggy Hoffman presides over Criminal County Court 9 in Dallas. She defeated Republican Leigh Logan in 2010 and has maintained her bench ever since. Criminal County Court 9 is on the 4th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal County Court 10 (ML Court)
  • Judge Monique J. Huff presides over Criminal County Court 10 in Dallas. She defeated Elissa Wev and Etta Mullin in the Democratic primary. Criminal County Court 10 is on the 4th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal County Court 11 (MN Court)
  • Judge Shequitta Kelly presides over Criminal County Court 11 in Dallas. Judge Kelly defeated Melodee Armstrong Mota in the primary election in 2014 before running unopposed in the general election in Dallas. Criminal County Court 11 is on the 4th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal Court of Appeals 1 (MD Court)
  • Judge Kristin Wade presides over the Criminal Court of Appeals 1 in Dallas. Judge Wade has held the bench since 1999 and was most recently re-elected in 2014. She attended Trinity University and the SMU Dedman School of Law. Criminal Court of Appeals 1 is on the 3rd floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal Court of Appeals 2 (MM Court).
  • Judge Pamela Luther presides over the Criminal Court of Appeals 2 in Dallas. She has held the bench since 2019, after defeating Marilynn Mayse, Johnny Lanzillo IV, and Bruce Kaye in the Democratic primary. Criminal Court of Appeals 2 is on the 3rd floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.

Dallas County Felony Courts

• Criminal District Court 1 (FH Court)
  • Judge Tina Clinton presides over Criminal District Court 1 in Dallas. She took over the bench in 2019 after defeating Monique Ward in the primary. Criminal District Court 1 is on the 6th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal District Court 2 (FI Court)
  • Judge JJ Koch presides over Criminal District Court 2 in Dallas. Judge Koch was appointed to the bench in 2023. Criminal District Court 2 is on the 7th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal District Court 3 (FJ Court)
  • Judge Audra Riley presides over Criminal District Court 3 in Dallas. Judge Riley took the bench in 2021 after defeating Teresa Hawthorne in the primary. Criminal District Court 3 is on the 6th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal District Court 4 (FK Court)
  • Judge Dominique Collins was elected to take the bench of Criminal District Court 4 in 2012. Judge Collins has served in the United States Air Force and has extensive experience in the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office. Criminal District Court 4 is on the 6th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas. Judge Collins is a former Assistant District Attorney and former U.S. Air Force member. She also has recently revamped the Dallas Veteran’s Court Program.
• Criminal District Court 5 (FL Court)
  • Judge Carter Thompson was re-elected in 2014. He ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and in the general election. Criminal District Court 5 is on the 5th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal District Court 6 (FX Court)
  • Judge Nancy Mulder presides over Criminal District Court 6 took over this bench in 2023. She was previously the judge of County Criminal Court 4. Criminal District Court 6 is on the 6th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• Criminal District Court 7 (FY Court)
  • Judge Chika Anyiam presides over Criminal District Court 7 in Dallas. She took the bench in 2019. Criminal District Court 7 is on the 7th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• 194th Judicial District Court (FM Court)
  • Judge Ernest White sits on the bench of the 194th Judicial District Court. Texas’s 194th Judicial District Court is on the 7th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• 195th Judicial District Court (FN Court)
  • Judge Hector Garza presides over the 195th Judicial District Court in Dallas. He was elected to the bench in 2015 after beating Republican civil attorney Mike Lee in the general election. Judge Garza bested a wide array of hopefuls in the Democratic primary. He has been on the bench ever since. Judge Fred Tinsley retired from this bench in July of 2015. Texas’s 195th Judicial District Court is on the 7th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• 203rd Judicial District Court (FP Court)
  • Judge Raquel ‘Rocky’ Jones presides over the 203rd Judicial District Court. Judge Hawthorne was elected in 2018 after beating Teresa Hawthorne in the Democratic primary. Texas’s 203rd Judicial District Court is on the 7th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• 204th Judicial District Court (FQ Court)
  • Judge Tammy Kemp presides over the 204th Judicial District Court. Judge Kemp ran against Lena Levario in the Democratic primary in 2014. She was unopposed in the general election, and has been on the bench ever since. Texas’s 204th Judicial District Court is on the 7th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• 265th Judicial District Court (FR Court)
  • Judge Jennifer Bennett presides over the 265th Judicial District Court. Judge Bennett is a Democrat who ran against Anthony Eiland and William R. Barr in the 2014 primary before defeating Republican Lisa DeWitt in the Dallas general election. She has remained on the bench ever since. Texas’s 265th Judicial District Court is on the 7th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• 282nd Judicial District Court (FS Court)
  • Judge Amber Givens-Davis was first elected to the bench of the 282nd Judicial District Court in 2014. She took office January 1, 2015. Texas’s 282nd Judicial District Court is on the 5th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• 283rd Judicial District Court (FT Court)
  • Judge Lawrence Mays was first elected in 2018. Texas’s 283rd Judicial District Court is on the 6th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• 291st Judicial District Court (FU Court)
  • Judge Stephanie Huff took office in 2019 after running unopposed. Texas’s 291st Judicial District Court is on the 7th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• 292nd Judicial District Court (FV Court)
  • Judge Brandon Birmingham was elected judge of the 292nd Judicial District Court in 2014 after running against Larry Mitchell in the Democratic primary and later defeating Janet Cook in the general election. He attended Baylor for college before graduating from the University of South Texas College of Law. The 292nd Judicial District Court is on the 6th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.
• 363rd Judicial District Court (FW Court)
  • Judge Tracy Holmes presides over the 363rd Judicial District Court. She competed against and defeated Nigel H. Redmond in the 2014 Democratic primary, and she has been on the bench ever since. The 363rd Judicial District Court is on the 5th floor of the Frank Crowley Criminal Court Complex in Dallas.

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