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AUSTIN CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER - LAW OFFICE OF ROBERT L. KEATES
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Austin Criminal Defense Lawyer - Why We're Different
There is no substitute for experience. When you are facing criminal charges, be it a Traffic Ticket, DWI, Theft, or Drug Offense, you cannot afford to gamble with sub-par legal representation. You need an experienced attorney who understands the how to properly defend a case using investigation, expert witnesses, and the facts to form your defense.
As experienced Attorneys, we effectively and efficiently handle cases throughout the state of Texas, specifically the Austin area, involving all Felony and Misdemeanor arrests, cases, and jury trials. By contacting us, you will find experienced Austin Criminal Defense Lawyers who know the law.
We believe a client is entitled to be informed of everything that is happening with respect to the client's case -- not remain in the dark concerning investigation, pending motions, and strategies. Mr. Keates works closely with each client to promote open communication, empowering Clients with the knowledge and information to effectively assist in the representation of the case.
Robert Keates has been a criminal defense attorney from the beginning of his legal career, focusing on defending clients against charges. He has represented a large number of clients in a vast array of criminal proceedings in both State and Federal court. He has tried both felony and misdemeanor jury trials and he has appeared in over a thousand pretrial or post trial court proceedings. He has successfully defended clients in all types of serious criminal matters such as DWI cases, possession of drugs, sale or delivery of drugs, domestic violence, assault and battery cases, illegal deadly weapons, sex offense cases, and white collar offenses such as indentity theft, fraud, and forgery.
Mr. Keates has earned an excellent reputation in the community, with his clients, and among prosecutors and judges in State and Federal courts. He is well known for providing his clients with vigorous representation, and used his knowledge to have many cases dismissed due to his skilled use of investigators and experts to prove that charges filed against his clients were not true.
CONTACT US FOR A FREE CONSULTATION
Whether you have just been arrested, are awaiting a jail release or bail, are under investigation, or have a pending court date for a crime in Austin or the surrounding Counties, contact us today for a free phone consultation to learn the best way to defend your criminal case by calling (512)216-3211.
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| Driving on Suspended Driver's License |
| Failure to Provide or Maintain Insurance |
| Occupational Driver's Licenses |
| Traffic Tickets, Speeding, Red Lights, Stop Signs |
| Hit & Run |
| Evading an Officer |
| Resisting Arrest |
| Vandalism |
| Criminal Trespass |
| Statutory Rape |
| Prostitution |
| Warrants, Arrest Warrants |
| Deferred Pleas, Deferred Disposition, Adjudication |
| Probation Violations, Revocation of Probation Hearings |
| See Our Full List of Practice Areas |
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AUSTIN CRIMINAL LAW FAQ: COMMON LEGAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
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| What are your Legal Fees and Rates? Do you accept payment plans? Do you offer Student Discounts? |
| What is the difference between Deferred Adjudication and Deferred Disposition? |
| If I hire a Lawyer, do I still need to go to Court? |
| How can I be eligable to get my Driver's License back? |
| Where can I find information on my Surcharges from Texas DPS? |
| Should I hire a Lawyer? |
| What is the Difference between a Misdemeanor and a Felony? |
| What are the Punishments in Texas for Misdemeanors and Felonies? |
| How can I clear or erase a Criminal Arrest from my record? (Expunctions, Motions of Non Disclosure, Pardons) |
| Texas Criminal Law Overview (What to Expect in Court when charged with a Crime) |
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WARRANT & ARREST WARRANT FAQ
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TEXAS COURTHOUSE INFORMATION
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JAIL & INMATE FAQ
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| What is an Arrest Warrant? |
Travis County Criminal Court Dockets (Calendar) |
Travis County Inmate Search |
| What is a Search Warrant? |
Courthouse Address & Criminal Court Directions |
Sheriff's Inmate Search |
| How do I get rid of or clear an Arrest Warrant |
Travis County General Court Dockets |
Jail Directions & Address |
| Do I have a Warrant for my Arrest? |
Hays County Criminal Court Case Records |
Inmate Visits & Jail Visitation Hours |
| How Can I Avoid going to Jail if I have a Warrant? |
City of Austin Municipal Court Records |
Inmate Money Info: Putting money on the books? |
| Where can I see the Law and Statutes for Warrants? |
Texas DPS Surcharge Online Records |
Jail Credits: Good Time Work Jail Credit Calculator |
| What is Bail or Bond? |
Traffic Ticket Fine Schedule |
Other County Jails (Hays County, Blanco County) |
| Bailbond FAQ |
Travis County Court Useful Phone Numbers |
Useful Jail related Phone Numbers |
| Warrant Search: Travis County or City of Austin |
Hot Check Search |
How to get out of Jail: Bail Bond FAQ |
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Texas Criminal Law Guide
The Texas Criminal Justice system typically begins when an officer observes or is informed of a crime, thereby establishing probable cause to make an arrest. Once the arrest is made, the arrested person is either taken into custody (jail or local holding cell) or is cited and released with a written promise to appear in court to answer to the charge (often done on lesser charges).
From the arrest, depending on whether the defendant is in or out of custody, a criminal case can take different routes to the first formal court date, which is called an arraignment. If in custody, a defendant will be taken before a magistrate to determine the amount of bail before being given an arraignment. As mentioned above, if a defendant is out of custody and given a promise to appear, that individual will merely show up for the scheduled court date.
At arraignment, a defendant will verify his or her identity to the court, be informed of the charges, and enter a plea. The plea to be entered can be guilty, not guilty, or no contest, although a no contest plea is generally reserved for civil type cases (since it deals only with liability and has no bearing on a criminal plea, being considered the equivilent of a guilty plea for all criminal purposes).
Even if a defendant has intentions of pleading guilty, it is almost always a better option to plead not guilty while the criminal defense lawyer completes not only a review of all the legal documents and police reports, but also has a chance to conduct investigation and speak with the district attorney concerning a plea bargain.
It is often said, "If you're guilty, you plead guilty," however, such a comment misses the point concerning plea bargaining. For instance, imagine you are buying a car. After your own research, you decide a certain car is valued near $10,000, and you would like to find such a model, in good condition, for between $8,000 and $9,500. Once you select a car for purchase, the seller informs you the car is priced at $15,500. Would you instantly accept the offer and buy the car? Of course not. You would bargain with the seller for what you believe is a fair value.
In the context of a criminal case, it is very common for the defendant to not know the value of their case in terms of punishment; for example, what is the appropriate punishment for a person arrested for shoplifting when that person has a prior record containing two other theft related crimes as well as a DWI? Or is a fraud check case worth jail time when it is the first offense and the value of fraud is less than $30? These are the types of questions criminal defense lawyer or attorneys know and answer everyday.
After arraignment, the next couple of court dates are sometimes called Pretrials, where the criminal defense attorney is gathering information via investigation and interviewing witnesses, as well as contacting expert witnesses if applicable. At the same time, the criminal defense attorney is contacting the district attorney concerning evidence and if the defendant requests, plea bargaining.
After the Pretrial stage is complete, and if the case is still progressing forward with either no luck at plea bargaining or rejections of offers by the defendant, the case progresses to jury trial, where motions to supress evidence can be argued prior to selecting a jury.
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