Criminal Defense

When you are charged with a crime, it's important to find an attorney that has the experience to handle your case. Cathy S. Compton is board certified in criminal law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. She is a former prosecutor with a lot of trial experience. She has the unique perspective of having worked on both sides of the courtroom, something that gives her a distinct advantage when advocating for her clients.

 

Negotiating a Positive Outcome

No matter how serious the case, having a qualified and experienced attorney can make a difference. There are times when going to jury trial is the only answer to a criminal charge. There are other circumstances where a jury trial might not be the best solution. Negotiating alternatives to trials are very often in our clients' best interests. Whether working before a client is charged to avoid an arrest, crafting pretrial diversion agreements to keep a case from proceeding to court, or working hard to come up with a plea bargain, we are commited to negotiating in our client's best interest. 

 

Trying Your Case

Jury trials are without a doubt one of the most critical events in the criminal justice process. A trial is where the citizens of a community are the most involved in what happens to someone accused of a crime. We know that what a jury decides can change lives and we prepare knowing that the rest of our client's life depends on the job we do. We are honored to have the trust of our clients. We bring years of experience and successes in the courtroom to our trial practice. We are experienced heavy hitters and we are ready to help you protect your rights.

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Post-Conviction Assistance

Our clients sometimes come to us later in the journey of their cases. The needs of these clients often begin when the trial ends. We offer case evaluations for post-conviction assistance at any stage in the process: motions for new trial, appeals, petitions for discretionary review, or writs of habeas corpus. We are available to assist those who are hoping to seek parole or those who may be having issues once they are on parole. Our office is here to help families navigate the process for loved ones in prison who may have special health issues or other needs that are not being addressed.

In addition to serving our traditional clients, we also offer services to our professional colleagues. If you are an attorney who is in need of our services, feel free to contact us and find out how we can assist you in your practice. Our focus is on jury selection and immigration evaluations, but we are always open to discussing unique or challenging criminal issues of any sort.

Professional Services

Voir Dire/Jury Selection 

Most experienced trial attorneys will agree that trials are often won or lost in voir dire. This is something that we understand from having tried many cases, having assisted in countless jury selections, and having supervised other trial attorneys ourselves. Are you a solo practitioner in need of a trial consultant? Do you need someone to help you make sure you get the most out of your time conversing with the jury panel? Would you like to have a work group in which to frame and explore potential issues that may come up in trial? We can help. We enjoy trial work and we can lend a fresh eye to any case.

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Trial Assistance

Even the most experienced attorneys can sometimes use the assistance of a colleague when it comes time to walk into the courtroom with a client for trial. Cathy S. Compton is someone who is trusted by other attorneys to step into a case that is ongoing and become part of the defense team. It is absolutely critical to go into a jury trial as prepared as you possibly can be. Cathy has the experience from both sides of the courtroom to help even seasoned colleagues avoid pitfalls or deal with difficult issues that may come up during trial. Because she also handles a large number of post-conviction cases, Cathy can help watch for those errors that might make the difference to the case if the trial outcome is a negative one for the client.