Dismissed
Charge
Driving While Intoxicated
February of 2026
Our San Antonio Criminal Defense Office
One Charge Shouldn't Cost You Everything. Get a Former Prosecutor on Your Side.
Austin Hagee spent years as a felony and family-violence prosecutor at the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office in the criminal trial division and in the special victims unit. He now uses that advanced insider’s knowledge of how the State charges people with crimes to give them the strongest criminal defense possible.
A Former Prosecutor Who Knows How the Other Side Thinks
A criminal charge does not stay contained to the courtroom. It reaches your job, your license, your family, and the way people see you, often before a judge has heard a word. We keep our practice narrow on purpose, focused on the charges that carry the heaviest consequences, and we prepare each one as though a jury will decide it.
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Former Prosecutor
Former Bexar County Felony and Family Violence Prosecutor
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350+
Cases Dismissed
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5-Star
Rated by Local Clients
How We Defend Clients in Bexar County
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DWI and DUI Defense
A DWI arrest starts a clock most people do not know is running. You have roughly two weeks to protect your driver's license before the case even reaches a courtroom. We step in early, question the stop and the testing, and work to keep a first, second, or repeat charge from defining your record and future.
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Assault and Violent Crimes
Most assault cases turn on whose version the State decided to believe. We rebuild the parts of the story the police report skips, including self-defense, mutual conflict, and allegations that grew in the retelling.
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THC Vape Defense
Texas treats THC oil and concentrates as a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance, which is why a single cartridge can be filed as a felony while the same amount of marijuana flower would not. After July 2026, synthetic cannabinoids are charged under Penalty Group 1. We review and challenge how the substance was weighed and whether the search that found it was legal.
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Drug Crimes
Possession, delivery, and manufacturing charges usually rest on two things: a search and a lab result. Both can be challenged. We look at whether officers had the right to search and whether the testing holds up.
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Family Violence
An accusation here can cost you your home, your firearms, and contact with your own children before anything is proven. As a former family-violence prosecutor, Austin knows how these case files are built and where the weaknesses lie. Due to the regular overlap, we also handle affidavits of non-prosecution and protective-order defense.
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Intoxication Assault and Manslaughter
Once a DWI involves a serious injury or a death, it becomes one of the most serious felonies the State prosecutes. These cases demand a slow, evidence-first defense, and that is how we build them.
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Expunction and Record Sealing
A dismissal does not wipe the arrest off your record on its own. We handle the expunction and nondisclosure process so background checks come back clean, and we tell you the exact date you become eligible.
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Juvenile Defense
A charge against a minor moves through a separate juvenile system with its own rules and its own long-term consequences for school and financial aid. We work with parents, not around them, and fight to keep the case in the most favorable forum.
Where Your Case Is Heard in Bexar County
Almost every criminal case in San Antonio runs through the same downtown court system, and knowing that system is half the work.
After an arrest by San Antonio police, the Bexar County Sheriff, or state troopers, the case first reaches the Central Magistrate Office, where bond, bond conditions, and the first court date are set. Class A and Class B misdemeanors, such as a first or second DWI, simple assault, and smaller drug charges, are filed in the Bexar County Courts. Felonies go to the criminal district courts at the Cadena-Reeves Justice Center. Fine-only Class C matters stay in the San Antonio Municipal Court or the municipal courts of the individual cities.
Austin charged all of these cases from the other side of that same courthouse. He knows the prosecutors, the judges, and the way each court tends to handle bond conditions, pretrial motions, plea negotiations, and trial. That is not something an out-of-town firm can offer.
Charges We Defend Across the County
- First-time and repeat DWI, including breath-test refusals and blood-draw cases;
- THC vape and cartridge charges, frequently involving students and young professionals;
- Assault and family-violence allegations arising from domestic and personal disputes;
- Drug possession and delivery cases that follow a traffic stop or a home search;
- Charges against minors handled through the juvenile system.
Top-Tier Defense Shouldn't Be Out of Reach
A defense strong enough to protect your future should not be reserved for people with the deepest pockets. Austin Hagee Law Firm finances its own clients directly, with flexible payment plans and a low initial payment, so you can put a team of former prosecutors in your corner today instead of settling for whoever happens to be available. You will know your full flat fee in writing before you sign, with no hourly meter and no surprise invoices.
Ask About Our Payment Options
(210) 500-3700
Available 24/7 for new inquiries
Every client deserves to have their
story told and their rights protected.
Real Results: 350+ Cases Dismissed for Our Clients
After more than 350 dismissals, we have learned that pressure applied early, and in the right place, changes outcomes. A few examples of results we have secured:
See If Your Charges Can Be Dismissed
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different.
See more case results
Top-Tier Defense Shouldn't Be Out of Reach
A defense strong enough to protect your future should not be reserved for people with the deepest pockets. Austin Hagee Law Firm finances its own clients directly, with flexible payment plans and a low initial payment, so you can put a team of former prosecutors in your corner today instead of settling for whoever happens to be available. You will know your full flat fee in writing before you sign, with no hourly meter and no surprise invoices.
Ask About Our Payment Options
(210) 500-3700
Available 24/7 for new inquiries
Why San Antonio Clients Choose Austin Hagee Law Firm
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Former Prosecutor Insight
Austin charged these exact cases for the county. He knows where the State's evidence tends to break because he used to work for the prosecution.
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We Are in These Courtrooms Every Week
Regular appearances in San Antonio and the surrounding counties mean we know the local judges, prosecutors, and procedures. That familiarity shapes bond arguments, pretrial motions, and negotiations in ways an outsider cannot match.
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You Are Never Just a Case Number
We keep our caseload deliberately low. You will reach your attorney directly, get straight answers, and never feel like a file moving through a high-volume mill.
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Available 24/7 for New Client Inquiries
An arrest does not wait for business hours. New inquiries reach us any hour, any day, so help can start immediately.
The result of that approach: 350+ cases dismissed and a large client base built, one protected future at a time.
Meet Austin Hagee, Former Prosecutor and Trial-Tested Defender
Before defending the accused, Austin Hagee prosecuted cases as a felony prosecutor for the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office in the criminal trial division and special victims unit. Mr. Hagee graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law with honors and was inducted into the Order of Barristers. As a trial lawyer, he has been recognized by Super Lawyers, the National Trial Lawyers as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer, SA Current, SA Scene, and Forbes as a distinguished Texas criminal defense attorney. Austin Hagee has first-chaired and won many jury trials, ranging from misdemeanors to first-degree felonies. Austin Hagee has never taken a case to trial and not beaten the pre-trial offer by the other side. In addition to his trial success, Mr. Hagee has used his elite negotiation skills to get hundreds of cases dismissed for his clients, including more than one hundred felony charges. As a former felony special victims unit prosecutor and award-winning criminal defense lawyer, there is no case that Austin isn’t comfortable taking to trial alongside the great attorneys that work at his firm.
Trial Attorneys
Meet the Full Team-
Hannah Hawkins-Cunningham
Trial Attorney
- Purdue University, Bachelor of Arts
- Indiana University School of Law, Doctor of Jurisprudence
- Order of the Barristers
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Kyra Falcone
Trial Attorney
- The University of Texas at Austin, B.A. with double minor
- St. Mary’s University School of Law, J.D.
- Dean’s Scholarship Recipient
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Jeremy Best
Trial Counsel
- Texas State University, B.A. Business Finance
- St. Mary’s University School of Law – Juris Doctor Degree
- All Texas Courts – 2016
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Ruby Livas
Paralegal
- University of Texas at San Antonio, Bachelor of Arts in History
- Texas A&M University Corpus Christi, Certification in Elementary Education
- University of Texas at San Antonio, Paralegal School
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Ana Sofia Mohamed
Legal Assistant
- New York University, Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
- Bilingual in English and Spanish
What Our Clients Say
What Happens Next
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1
Free Confidential Call
Tell us what happened. We will explain what you are actually facing, not the worst-case version playing in your head.
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Review of Your Evidence
We examine the stop, the arrest, the testing, and the State's file for every weakness.
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Build Your Defense Strategy
We map a clear plan: dismissal, reduction, a favorable plea, or trial.
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4
Consistent Updates
Your case never goes quiet. Every two weeks, no matter what, we reach out with a status update, including what has happened, what is next, and what it means for you, so you are never left wondering where things stand.
Areas We Serve
We are based in San Antonio and defend clients across Bexar County. Our office sits on Austin Highway near Alamo Heights. We take cases throughout the surrounding region and, for serious matters, elsewhere in Texas. See our areas we serve page for the full list of counties and communities we cover.
Our Office
120 Austin Hwy #103 San Antonio, TX 78209
San Antonio
Arrested in San Antonio? Talk to a Former Prosecutor Today.
Call or request your free, confidential consultation online. We answer new inquiries 24/7.
Frequently Asked Questions
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I was just arrested in San Antonio. What happens first?
Your case goes through the Central Magistrate Office, where a magistrate sets your bond, your bond conditions, and your first court date. The prosecution will now start building their case. The sooner you have a lawyer, the sooner someone is working on the bond and your legal defense at the same time.
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How much does a criminal defense lawyer cost?
Fees depend on the charge and its complexity. We work on flat fees with flexible, in-house payment plans and a low initial payment, so cost is not the reason you go without a strong defense. Some lawyers charge extremely high rates, but our firm offers fair pricing for excellent representation. For this reason, many former clients will send their family and friends to our firm.
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Should I talk to the police before hiring a lawyer?
You are rarely required to, and it rarely helps your case. Politely decline to answer questions and call a defense attorney first.
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What is the difference between a felony and a misdemeanor here?
Misdemeanors, such as a first DWI or an Assault Causing Bodily Injury, are handled in the Bexar County Courts. Felonies go to the criminal district courts and carry the risk of state prison. We defend both.
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Is a THC vape pen really a felony in Texas?
Often, yes. THC oil and concentrates are treated as a Penalty Group 2 controlled substance, more serious than marijuana flower, so even a single cartridge can be charged as a felony. As of July 2026, synthetic THC oil such as Delta-8, THCA, Delta-10, and other synthetic cannabinoid derivatives are treated as Penalty Group 1 controlled substances, and having a vape cartridge that was legal in early 2026 can now be charged as a felony.