Hays County Criminal Defense Attorneys

It is extremely important to hire the right Hays County criminal defense attorney. Criminal offenses in Hays County are not taken lightly. Criminal prosecutors are known for charging as many counts as they believe they can support and for building their cases with wide-reaching investigations. Remember, they have the full support of government investigative agencies to aid their efforts, which means they will not skimp on building the most robust case possible. 

If you are facing criminal charges, it's in your best interests to quickly hire a strong defense. Choose Cofer & Connelly, PLLC and you’ll be backed by a firm with deep Texas roots.

• We understand the culture and the people that make up Hays County.
• We have more than 100 years of combined legal experience.
• We are former prosecutors and judges, so we know how to prep your case effectively.
• We have represented over 300 cases at trial.

We aim to get the most satisfactory results for our clients by putting our best work into every case we represent. We understand the techniques and tactics of criminal prosecutors, we are familiar with the Texas court system that covers Hays County, and we are prepared to meet the prosecutors head-on.

It's the job of a defense attorney to investigate the facts of each case that comes through our office and formulate a defense strategy specific to the evidence and charges in the case.

Our Hays County criminal defense attorneys are here to review your case during a consultation and then build a defense strategy to move forward. Call now: (512) 991-0576. 

We Can Help You Fight Your Charges

While there are some misdemeanors and lower-level prosecutions, a lot of the serious criminal charges we see are at the felony level, meaning there is a substantial risk of 5, 10, or even 20-40 years in prison if convicted. A knowledgeable defense attorney will understand the nuances of the law and can get to work immediately in assessing the facts and building your defense.

We can craft a solid defense to criminal charges that include:

• Juvenile Crimes
• Felonies and Misdemeanors
• Assault and Family Violence
• Driving While Intoxicated
• Drug Possession

Many crimes we see in court are felony offenses that carry the possibility of years in prison and hefty monetary penalties. You can anticipate a sentence ranging from 5-40 years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines if you are convicted. In addition, you stand to lose your gun rights and could face employment and housing challenges. Don’t risk losing everything. Call Cofer & Connelly, PLLC for help.

Our Approach Is Different. And It Should Be.

Criminal prosecutors have all the capabilities of the government to draw on for investigation, experts, and case support. If you are going to have a fighting chance of standing up to the criminal charges that have been made against you, you need a skilled defense team that knows how to strategize. You need a team that has faced the same types of prosecutors before, both in the courtroom and at the negotiating table. You need Cofer & Connelly, PLLC.

Don't assume all attorneys are equally capable of taking on serious criminal charges – it takes a seasoned criminal defense attorney in Hays County to combat the prosecutor's tactics.

When we take on a defense case, we bring all our resources to the table. Our investigators dig into the facts alleged by the prosecutor and weigh all the evidence. So, you can rest assured that you've got seasoned professionals looking over every detail for flaws and limitations in the prosecution’s case, which will leverage to your advantage when building our defense.

About Hays County

Hays County is located about an hour south of downtown Austin. Over 250,000 people live in Hays County and the county is continuing to grow. The County Courthouse is located in San Marcos and serves the communities of Buda, Dripping Springs, Hays, Kyle, Mountain City, Niederwald, San Marcos, Uhland, Wimberly, Woodcreek, and Bear Creek.

The Hays County Sheriff’s Office, six of the Sheriff’s Sub-Stations, and Texas Department of Public Safety patrol the area. 

The Courts

Hays County encompasses the 275^th, 428^th, 483^rd, 453^rd, 207^th, and 22^nd District Courts with Judge Gary Steel, Judge Bruce Boyer, Judge Tracie Wright-Reneau, Judge Joe Pool, and Judge Sherri K. Tibbe. These Courts handle civil and felony criminal cases in Hays County. 

Hays County Court at Law handles Class A and Class B misdemeanors. Judge Jimmy Hall, Judge Chris Johnson, and Judge Elaine Brown, preside over these cases as well as juvenile matters. 

The Prosecutors

The Honorable Kelly Higgins serves as the District Attorney and prosecutes Felonies and Misdemeanors. District Attorney Higgins works with local law enforcement agencies to investigate, protect, and enforce the law in Hays County. District Attorney Higgins was elected to served as the District Attorney of Hays County in 2023.

The Prosecutors in the Hays County District Attorney’s Office are divided by who oversees felony versus misdemeanor prosecutors.

Court Resources

Felony and misdemeanor cases in Hays County are held in the Hays County Government Center. Misdemeanors are set on the second floor and felonies are set on the third floor. 

Hays County Government Center:

712 South Stagecoach Trail 
San Marcos, TX 78666
Phone 512.393.7625
Fax 512.393.7633

There are five Justice of the Peace Courts that oversee Class C misdemeanor cases including traffic, penal, health & safety, education, parks and wildlife, and alcohol & beverage codes. 

Justice of the Peace Precinct One (San Marcos), Judge Jo Anne Prado

712 S. Stagecoach Trail Ste. 2235
San Marcos, Texas 78666
512-393-7871

Justice of the Peace Precinct One, Place Two (San Marcos), Judge Maggie H. Moreno 

712 S. Stagecoach Trail Ste. 2235
San Marcos, Texas 78666
512-393-7636

Justice of the Peace Precinct Two (Kyle), Judge Beth Smith

5458 FM 2770
Kyle, Texas 78640
512-268-3151 

Justice of the Peace Precinct Three (Wimberley), Judge Andrew Cable

200 Stillwater Rd Ste. 104
Wimberley, Texas 78676
512-847-2000

Justice of the Peace Precinct Four (Dripping Springs), Judge John Burns

195 Roger Hanks Parkway, Suite 2
Dripping Springs, Texas 78620
512-858-7446

Justice of the Peace Precinct Five (Buda), Judge Sandra Bryant

500 Jack C. Hays Trail
Buda, Texas 78610
512-295-2700

For help accessing a case, the Hays County Case Records Search:

Hays County Law Enforcement Resources

The Hays County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) is located right by the Hays County Government Center. The HCSO is led by Sheriff Gary Cutler. Sheriff Cutler’s duties include, but are not limited to: 

• He oversees criminal investigations.
• He is responsible for providing security for county and district court operations.
• He enforces traffic laws, county ordinances, and state laws.
• He oversees service of process.
• He accepts bail for prisoners in his custody.
• He is responsible for conducting sales of seized and unclaimed properties.
• He oversees the operation of the county jail and is responsible for the inmates.

Hays County Sheriff’s Office 

• Sheriff Gary Cutler
• 810 S. Stagecoach Trail
• San Marcos, Texas 78666
• 512.393.7800

The San Marcos Police Department is led by Chief Stan Standridge. 

• 2300 IH 35 S
• San Marcos, TX 78666

The Buda Police Department is led by Chief Bo Kidd.

• 405 E. Loop Street, Building 200
• Buda, TX 78610
• (512) 312-1001

The Kyle Police Department is led by Chief Jeff Barnett.

• 111 North Front St
• Kyle, TX 78640
• 512-268-3232

Hays County Zip Codes

• Buda, Creedmoor, Mountain City, 78610
• Driftwood, 78619
• Dripping Springs, 78620
• Kyle, Niederwald, Uhland, 78640
• San Marcos, 78666, 78667
• Wimberley, 78676
• Woodcreek, 78676
• Austin, 78737

Cofer & Connelly, PLLC Is on Your Side

A meeting with our talented legal team can help you understand your rights when you are under investigation, guide you in developing and supporting your defense to charges, and plot a course of tactics and strategies we can employ to counter the charges.

When you are facing criminal charges, you need the best. This is certainly not the time to handle your own defense. Government prosecutors will come at you with all the force of the government behind them, and you need the most effective defense you can get.

Call us today at (512) 991-0576 or visit us online to schedule a consultation.