10 Best Criminal Defense Attorneys in Sugar Land, TX

This guide covers 10 criminal defense attorneys who represent clients in Sugar Land and throughout Fort Bend County, Texas. Every firm on this list either has an office based in Sugar Land or maintains a regular presence in the Fort Bend County courts, and each was evaluated on the same criteria: whether the attorney has prosecutorial or trial-level courtroom background, how much of their practice is dedicated specifically to criminal defense rather than treated as a side offering, and whether they have hands-on experience with the charge types most common in Fort Bend County, from DWI and drug possession to violent and white collar offenses.

When comparing options, it helps to ask a few practical questions: Does the attorney appear regularly in the Fort Bend County courts, or are they traveling in from another jurisdiction? Do they have first-hand knowledge of how the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s office typically builds and negotiates a given type of case? And if the charge involves a parallel process, such as an Administrative License Revocation hearing after a DWI arrest, can the firm handle that alongside the criminal case?

This list is not ranked and no firm paid for inclusion. Attorney backgrounds and case histories were pulled from each firm’s own website and cross-checked against the State Bar of Texas, Avvo, and Martindale-Hubbell profiles; specific ratings or figures are cited to their source.

1. Segura & Kiatta Criminal Defense

• Attorneys/Key Figures: Anthony R. Segura, Founding Partner; David Kiatta, Partner
• Headquarters: 345 Commerce Green Boulevard, Suite 200, Sugar Land, TX 77478
• Phone: (281) 570-6400
• Website: segurakiattacriminaldefense.com
• Practice Areas: DWI (ALR hearings, breath alcohol testing, intoxication assault/manslaughter, occupational driver’s license, DWI record sealing, SFSTs); Drug Crimes; Sex Crimes; Theft & Robbery; Violent Crimes; White Collar Crimes; Expunction and Record Sealing
• Firm Size: Boutique; two named partners with a combined 60-plus years of experience
• Social Profiles: Facebook, LinkedIn

About The Firm: Anthony Segura has practiced criminal law in Fort Bend and Harris County for more than three decades, building a docket concentrated almost entirely on DWI defense and the administrative hearings that follow an intoxication arrest. His partner, David Kiatta, is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a credential earned through a formal review of trial experience and peer references rather than simple years in practice.

The firm’s DWI work goes beyond the criminal charge itself: they routinely handle the separate Administrative License Revocation hearing that determines whether a driver’s license is suspended, and they offer services like sealing a prior DWI record once a client becomes eligible. Between the two partners, the firm has built relationships with prosecutors and judges in the Fort Bend County courts that come only from regular local appearances rather than occasional out-of-county cases.

2. Greco Neyland, P.C.

• Attorneys/Key Figures: Jeffery L. Greco, Managing Partner; Dustan Neyland, Founding Partner
• Headquarters: 701 N Post Oak Rd #425, Houston, TX 77024 (Fort Bend office: 77 Sugar Creek Center Blvd #230, Sugar Land, TX 77478)
• Phone: (281) 769-7544 (Fort Bend office)
• Website: greconeylandtx.com
• Practice Areas: Criminal Defense (Assault, Aggravated Assault, Child Pornography); DWI (all offense levels, aggravated, blood/breath test, DWI with child passenger); Drug Crimes; Federal Crimes; Burglary; Theft, Shoplifting, Gun Charges, Sexual Assault, Prostitution
• Firm Size: Mid-size; offices in Houston, Sugar Land, and Kingwood
• Social Profiles: Facebook

About The Firm: Both founding partners spent time as Assistant District Attorneys before moving to defense work: Jeffery Greco started his firm in 2008 after several years as a prosecutor, and Dustan Neyland built his caseload as a Harris County felony prosecutor before shifting sides. That prosecutorial background shapes how the firm evaluates a case from the outset, since both partners have seen how the state assembles evidence for charges ranging from assault to felony DWI.

With a dedicated Fort Bend office on Sugar Creek Center Boulevard, the firm maintains a consistent presence in the local courts rather than commuting in from Houston for isolated hearings. The practice also covers federal criminal defense, which gives the firm added depth for Fort Bend cases that cross into federal court, such as certain drug trafficking or firearms charges.

3. Surginer Stewart PLLC

• Attorney/Key Figure: Justin T. Surginer and David Stewart, Founding Partners
• Headquarters: 8831 Long Point Rd, Suite 401, Houston, TX 77055
• Phone: (713) 589-8855
• Website: surginerandstewart.com
• Practice Areas: Criminal Defense; Federal Crimes (White Collar Crime); DWI/DUI; Drug Crimes; Family Violence; Gun Crimes; Sexual Assault
• Firm Size: Boutique criminal defense practice; 30 years of combined experience
• Practice Area Page: Sugar Land Criminal Defense Lawyer

About The Firm: David Stewart brings valuable perspective to the firm as a former prosecutor, combining forces with Justin Surginer to practice exclusively in criminal defense. Both attorneys bring over 15 years of dedicated experience to handling cases ranging from misdemeanors to serious felonies.

The firm prides itself on maintaining direct client access and continuous communication throughout the legal process rather than passing clients off to junior associates. Operating out of Houston, their caseload spans the local and federal courts, leveraging their extensive courtroom background to build strategic defenses tailored to the Texas criminal justice system.

4. Smith | McDonald | Bolin, Criminal Trial Lawyers

• Attorneys/Key Figures: Shawn McDonald, Partner; Pheobe Smith, Partner; Amanda Coker Bolin, Partner
• Headquarters: 77 Sugar Creek Center Blvd, Suite 230, Sugar Land, TX 77478
• Phone: (281) 302-5513
• Website: defenseattorneys.co
• Practice Areas: Murder; Sexual Assault of a Child; DWI/DUI; Violent Crimes; Drug Crimes; Juvenile Defense; Criminal Appeals
• Firm Size: Boutique; 5 attorneys with over 75 years of combined criminal trial experience

About The Firm: Shawn McDonald began his career as a felony trial prosecutor in Henderson County before moving to the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office in 2004, where he prosecuted felony cases and taught at the county’s law enforcement academy. He is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has also taught criminal trial simulation as a law professor, supervising a criminal trial clinic and directing an Innocence Project at Thurgood Marshall School of Law.

With three named partners and a total of five attorneys, the firm takes on cases that require more than one lawyer’s attention, including multi-week jury trials on charges like murder and continuous sexual assault of a child, both tried to verdict in Fort Bend County’s district courts. Every client’s first consultation is with one of the three named partners rather than a paralegal or associate, and the firm keeps an in-house investigator who is also a certified peace officer, giving it more independent case-building capacity than a typical solo practice.

5. Looney, Smith, Conrad & Hefti, P.C.

• Attorneys/Key Figures: Paul Looney, Trial Attorney; Clay Conrad, Partner; Matthew J. Hefti, Partner
• Headquarters: 11767 Katy Freeway, Suite 740, Houston, TX 77079
• Phone: (281) 597-8818
• Website: looneysmithconrad.com
• Practice Areas: Assault, Robbery, White Collar Crime, Drug Charges, DUI/DWI, Murder/Homicide; also Appellate Law, Business Law, Professional License Defense
• Firm Size: Mid-size, founded 1997; over 40 years of combined trial experience

About The Firm: Lead trial attorney Paul Looney has tried 60 criminal jury trials since 1995, and according to the firm’s own materials, has not had a client convicted at final verdict in any of them. Partner Clay Conrad concentrates on appellate and criminal defense work, giving the firm a resource for clients who need to challenge a conviction after the fact rather than only defend against the initial charge.

The firm is based in west Houston rather than Fort Bend County itself, which means clients in Sugar Land are working with attorneys who commute into the local courts rather than practicing there daily; the firm’s caseload and reach into state and federal courts across the country are broader as a result, but that comes with less day-to-day presence in Fort Bend specifically compared to a firm headquartered there. The firm also handles appellate work and professional license defense, giving it range beyond the trial-level criminal cases most Fort Bend firms focus on.

6. The David Hunter Law Firm

• Attorney/Key Figure: David S. Hunter, Owner
• Headquarters: 345 Commerce Green Blvd, Suite 200, Sugar Land, TX 77478
• Phone: (281) 265-1515
• Website: davidhunterlawfirm.com
• Practice Areas: Assault; Domestic Violence; DWI; Drug Possession Charges; Juvenile Defense
• Firm Size: Solo

About The Firm: David Hunter’s background is unusual among Sugar Land criminal defense attorneys in that he has sat on both sides of the bench: he served as an associate judge for Fort Bend County Court at Law #1, was chief prosecutor for the City of Katy, and later became a law professor before returning to private practice. That combination gives him a view of how a case looks from the judge’s chair as well as the prosecution’s side, which he applies specifically to cases involving minors, since the firm has particular experience representing juveniles accused of alcohol and drug offenses.

Hunter is a former president of both the Fort Bend Bar Association and the Fort Bend County Criminal Defense Bar Association, positions that reflect long-standing involvement in the local legal community rather than a recently arrived practice. The firm’s marketing and case history are built almost entirely around DWI defense, including underage DUI cases, alongside more general assault and drug possession matters.

7. Lawrence Law Firm, PLLC

• Attorney/Key Figure: Jason David Lawrence, Founder & Owner
• Headquarters: 695 Industrial Blvd, Suite 100, Sugar Land, TX 77478
• Phone: (832) 356-4404
• Website: bettercalljlaw.com
• Practice Areas: Criminal Defense; DUI Law; Assault Crimes; Drug Crimes; Domestic Violence Defense
• Firm Size: Solo; 12 years in practice

About The Firm: Jason Lawrence is Texas-born and Houston-raised, and has built his practice specifically around Fort Bend County and the surrounding Houston-area counties rather than a broad statewide footprint. He is a member of the Fort Bend County Bar Association, the Fort Bend Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, reflecting a practice concentrated in the local courts he appears in regularly.

The firm has earned a Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star recognition and maintains client reviews describing the process as straightforward and well-communicated. As a solo practice, clients generally work directly with Lawrence himself throughout a case rather than being handed off between associates, though that also means less bench depth on a firm with multiple attorneys to draw on for complex or multi-defendant cases.

8. The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC

• Attorneys/Key Figures: Jeremy B. DuCote, Partner; Leigh Love, Partner; Hon. Brady G. Elliott, Of Counsel
• Headquarters: 1600 Highway 6, Suite 480, Sugar Land, TX 77478
• Phone: (281) 798-2926
• Website: loveducotelaw.com
• Practice Areas: Violent Crimes; Domestic Violence; Aggravated Assault; Sex Crimes; Drug Crimes; Juvenile Defense; DWI/DUI; Misdemeanor Defense
• Firm Size: Boutique; over 40 years of cumulative experience among attorneys

About The Firm: The firm’s attorney team includes Hon. Brady G. Elliott, a former judge, alongside partners Jeremy DuCote and Leigh Love, giving the practice a bench-level perspective on how cases are decided in addition to trial experience on both sides. Both DuCote and Love hold a 10.0 average attorney rating according to the firm’s own site, and the practice handles both criminal defense and family law, which can be useful for clients whose criminal case intersects with a divorce or custody matter.

The firm also handles cases involving immigration consequences tied to a criminal charge, a detail worth knowing for clients whose case could affect their status. As a firm with multiple named partners rather than a single practitioner, clients have some flexibility in which attorney handles their case, though that structure means less guaranteed continuity with one specific lawyer compared to a true solo practice.

9. Law Office of Rachelle D. Carter

• Attorney/Key Figure: Rachelle D. Carter, Owner
• Headquarters: 14090 Southwest Freeway, Suite 300, Sugar Land, TX 77478
• Phone: (713) 228-3542
• Website: rdcarterlaw.com
• Practice Areas: Criminal Defense; DUI/DWI; Drug Crimes; Federal Crime; Felonies; Homicide; Sex Crimes; White Collar Crime; Family Law
• Firm Size: Solo; established 2012
• Practice Area Page: Criminal defense (site navigation)

About The Firm: Rachelle Carter began her career at the Law Offices of Robert A. Jones, P.C. in Houston, where she gained experience in both state and federal criminal defense litigation before opening her own practice. She is admitted to practice not only in Texas but also in the Southern District of Texas federal court and the Eastern District of Louisiana, which supports the firm’s federal criminal defense work alongside state-level cases.

Carter previously served as an Associate Judge for the Sugar Land Municipal Court, giving her direct experience with how the local court handles cases before they escalate to more serious charges. Her practice covers a wide span of criminal matters, from drug possession to homicide defense, and she also handles family law, which can matter for clients facing a criminal charge with an overlapping custody or divorce proceeding.

10. The Law Office of Annie Scott

• Attorney/Key Figure: Annie LaVerne Scott, Founder
• Headquarters: 19901 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, TX 77479
• Phone: (281) 846-5020
• Website: anniescott.net
• Practice Areas: DWI; Domestic Violence; Assault; Theft; Drug Crimes; Family Law
• Firm Size: Solo; founded 2010

About The Firm: Annie Scott gained her early legal experience interning with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office before serving as an Assistant District and County Attorney in Cameron County. She opened her own Fort Bend County practice in 2010, and her site describes an ongoing focus on making sure clients understand their rights before they speak with police or prosecutors.

The firm serves Sugar Land, Richmond, and the broader Fort Bend County area, along with parts of Harris, Waller, Austin, Washington, and Brazoria Counties. Scott is a member of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and holds a 4.8-star client rating across reviews collected on the firm’s profile pages, and her practice combines criminal defense with family law matters.

Sugar Land, TX Criminal Defense Resources

• Fort Bend County Courts: The central hub for local misdemeanor, felony, and civil court proceedings is located at the Fort Bend County Justice Center in Richmond, TX, just minutes from Sugar Land.
• Sugar Land Municipal Court: Handles local ordinance violations, traffic citations, and Class C misdemeanors originating within the Sugar Land city limits.
• Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office: Responsible for prosecuting felony and misdemeanor crimes, providing vital case information, and overseeing victim assistance programs in the county.
• Local Bail Bond Services: Numerous licensed bondsmen operate near the Fort Bend County jail facilities to assist with prompt inmate release and pre-trial processing.
• State Bar of Louisiana / Texas Lawyer Referral: Essential for connecting defendants with board-certified criminal defense specialists experienced in Fort Bend County courtrooms.

Also Read:

• Best Tax Lawyers in Southlake, TX
• Best DWI Lawyers in Houston, TX

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a DWI arrest and an ALR license suspension in Fort Bend County?

A DWI charge in Texas is a separate legal process from the Administrative License Revocation (ALR) proceeding. The ALR hearing determines whether your driver’s license is suspended based on whether you failed or refused a breath or blood test, and it operates on a strict deadline, typically within 15 days of arrest, independent of the criminal case. Missing that window can result in an automatic suspension even before the criminal charge is resolved, which is why several Fort Bend County firms handle both processes together.

Does Fort Bend County have its own criminal courts, or are cases heard in Houston?

Fort Bend County has its own county and district courts, including the Fort Bend County Courthouse in Richmond, where misdemeanor and felony cases originating in Sugar Land are typically heard. Attorneys who appear there regularly tend to have working familiarity with the specific judges, prosecutors, and local procedures, which can differ from how a case is handled in neighboring Harris County.

How much does a criminal defense lawyer cost in Sugar Land, TX?

Fees vary by the severity of the charge, whether the case is a misdemeanor or felony, and whether it is likely to go to trial. Some Fort Bend County attorneys charge a flat fee that covers the case through resolution, including any trial, while others bill hourly, particularly for cases with an uncertain scope, such as a pre-arrest investigation. Most firms on this list offer a free initial consultation to review the charge and provide a fee estimate.

Should I hire a former prosecutor for a criminal defense case?

A background as a former prosecutor is not a requirement for effective defense representation, but it can offer insight into how the district attorney’s office typically evaluates evidence and negotiates plea offers for a given type of charge. Several attorneys in Fort Bend County, including multiple firms on this list, previously worked as prosecutors in Harris, Tarrant, Brazoria, or Cameron County before moving into defense work.

What happens if I am charged with a crime in Sugar Land but live outside Fort Bend County?

You are not required to hire an attorney based in the county where you were charged, but many defendants choose a Fort Bend County-based firm because those attorneys have regular experience with the local court’s scheduling, plea negotiation patterns, and personnel. If your case involves multiple counties, such as a charge that started in Fort Bend but has ties to Harris County, look for a firm that has handled cases across both jurisdictions.

Can a criminal charge in Sugar Land be sealed or expunged from my record?

Texas law allows certain criminal records to be sealed through an order of nondisclosure or removed entirely through expunction, but eligibility depends on the type of charge, whether it resulted in a conviction, deferred adjudication, or dismissal, and how much time has passed. Several Fort Bend County criminal defense attorneys, including multiple firms on this list, offer expunction and record-sealing services as a follow-up step once a case has been resolved favorably.

Disclaimer: This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice or an attorney referral. It is not a ranked or sponsored list, and inclusion does not imply an endorsement by, or affiliation with, any named firm beyond what is stated. Attorney credentials, case results, and contact details change over time; confirm current information directly with each firm before making a hiring decision. Past results described here do not guarantee similar outcomes in any other case.