McLennan County Criminal Defense Attorney

How to Handle Criminal Charges in McLennan County

Cofer & Connelly, PLLC handles serious felony and misdemeanor criminal charges in McLennan County, Texas. Here’s what you need to know if you’re facing a criminal charge in McLennan County. 

Background

McLennan County is located about 90 minutes from Austin in the Central Texas area dividing the Hill Country and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. About 270,000 people live in McLennan County with the majority of residents in and around Waco, the County seat. In Waco you’ll find Baylor University, the County Courthouse, the Sheriff’s Office, and the County Jail. Outside of Waco, Hewitt and Robinson are the County’s largest communities. 

The largest law enforcement agencies in the area are Waco Police Department, McLennan County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Waco also has a sizable law enforcement contingent assigned to Baylor University, which has its own agency responsive to the expansive campus. 

If your loved one has been arrested in Waco or McLennan County, they are likely to end up detained at the McLennan County Jail, also known as the Jack Harwell Detention Center, which is located 3101 Marlin Hwy, Waco, TX 76705. This Waco based jail has a jail roster which is available to the public at https://www.mclennan.gov/185/Sheriffs-Office, which is updated hourly. Visitation rules are also available at the above web address so that if you have a loved one incarcerated pending the resolution of their McLennan County case, you may schedule visits with them in Waco at their visitation center, also known as The Sheperd Mullens Correctional Visitation Center which is located at 3421 Martin Hwy, Waco, TX 76705. 

Big Picture

McLennan County is a law-and-order jurisdiction. Criminal charges are viewed seriously by the community and the McLennan County District Attorney prosecutors, particularly in felony cases where prosecutors make high prison sentence plea offers and juries brought to the Waco courthouse have been known to assess significant sentences upon conviction. 

However, first-time offenders in McLennan county do have opportunities in both felony and misdemeanor court for potential diversion of their charges, leading ultimately to dismissals. 

Cofer & Connelly has a growing practice in McLennan County, where they handle both felony and misdemeanor charges, and routinely work on jail releases from the Waco centered detainment facilities, bond reductions, and criminal case resolutions for the sake of their clients. 

The Courts

McLennan County has a significant number of District and County Courts that handle criminal matters. 

The 19th and 54th District Courts handle McLennan County’s Felony criminal cases. Additionally, the 474th District Court handles the County’s Juvenile cases, which are considered a mix of criminal and family law. Each of these courts are housed in the McLennan County Courthouse in downtown Waco. 

Honorable Judge Thomas West presides over the 19th District Court of Texas in McLennan County. Judge West first took the District Court bench in 2021. Prior to that, he practiced both as a McLennan County prosecutor for 10 years, and as a Criminal Defense Attorney for 18 years in McLennan County, as well as an associate Judge for the City of Hewitt. Judge West’s campaign and courtroom have been characterized as efficient and tough on crime.

Honorable Judge Susan Kelly presides over the 54th District Court of Texas in McLennan County. Judge Kelly first took the District Court Bench in 2020. Before taking the bench, Judge Kelly had 21 years of private practice in the Waco area, is board certified in criminal law, and has been a member of a wide range of local attorney and government associations, including previously president of the Waco-McLennan County Bar Association and McLennan County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. 

Honorable Judge Alan Bennett presides over the 474th District Court of Texas in McLennan County, and handles the Juvenile cases for McLennan County. Judge Bennett took the bench in 2023 after working in McLennan County as a prosecutor for nearly 20 years, and then in private practice for another 11 years, and is board certified in criminal law and criminal appellate law. Judge Bennett is also the Chair of the McLennan County Juvenile Board. 

McLennan County also has 3 County Courts at Law that handle misdemeanor criminal cases. These are also located at the McLennan County Courthouse in downtown Waco. 

Honorable Judge Vikram “Vik” Deivanayagam presides over McLennan County Court at Law #1, first taking the bench in 2017. Before taking the bench, Judge Vik worked as a private practice attorney representing adult and juvenile clients, became board certified in criminal law, and continues to be involved in a number of local civic organizations, including as an adjunct professor for the Baylor Law School in Waco. Judge Vik also presides over McLennan County’s DWI/Drug Treatment Court. 

Honorable Judge Thomas Cates presides over McLennan County Court at Law #2, first taking the bench in 2011, practicing for nearly 30 years previous to that as both a prosecutor in McLennan County and then as a private practice attorney before being elected as a judge. Judge Cates continues to participate in a number of local charitable and professional boards, including the Waco Baptist Academy, and Waco-McLennan Young Lawyers Association. 

Honorable Judge Pat Atkins presides over McLennan County Court at Law #3, first taking the bench in 2024. Judge Atkins practiced in McLennan County for 30 years in McLennan County as a private practitioner with deep ties to the local community, including servicing on the Waco ISD Board of Trustees, Hospital Board of Directors for Ascension Providence in Waco, and the Friends of Waco-McLennan County Library. 

McLennan County has 6 Justices of the Peace covering 5 precincts that address traffic citations and other Class C misdemeanors that occur outside the incorporated cities of McLennan County, including the Honorable Dianne Hensley, Walter Peterson, James Lee Jr., David Pareya, Brian Richardson, and Lucy Ann Sanchez-Miramontez. These courts are spread throughout McLennan County. 

Finally, McLennan County has a number of Municipal Courts that handle Class C misdemeanors that occur within those incorporated portions of that county, such as the Waco Municipal Court located at 201 W. Waco Dr., Waco, Texas 76707. 

Prosecutors 

The McLennan County District Attorney’s Office handles the prosecution of both misdemeanor and felony prosecutions in McLennan County. The District Attorney’s Office collaborates with police to decide if criminal charges will be brought, and prosecution of cases in the District and County courts up to and including trial. Their offices are housed next to the McLennan County Courthouse in downtown Waco, and are accessed by first entering the McLennan County Courthouse and then taking the skywalk. 

The Honorable Joshua Tetens is the District Attorney for McLennan County. District Attorney Tetens was elected to the position of District Attorney 2022, previously working as a Defense Attorney in McLennan County since 2006. As a unified office, McLennan County does not have a separate County Attorney’s Office, and so District Attorney Tetens and his prosecutors handle both felony and misdemeanor cases. 

Logistics 

Both felony and misdemeanor cases in McLennan County are heard at the McLennan County Courthouse, also known as the Courthouse Annex, located at 501 Washington Avenue, Waco, Texas 76701. The entrance to the courthouse is beneath the large stone stairs at the front face of the building across from the public parking lot. 

Many of McLennan County’s court settings are still held via Zoom and each court maintains a different schedule for when they hold their hearings, so its important to read each setting notice carefully to know where to be and when.