The Office of the Federal Public Defender, Western District of Texas, operates under authority of the Criminal Justice Act of 1964 (CJA), 18 U.S.C. § 3006A. It provides defense services in federal criminal cases and other covered matters to individuals who are financially unable to obtain adequate representation. A person’s eligibility for defender services is determined by the federal court. Defender organization attorneys may not engage in the private practice of law.
The defender organization for this district is headquartered in San Antonio, and it has staffed branches in El Paso, Del Rio, Austin, and Alpine.
The primary purpose of this site is to support CJA panel attorneys of the Western District of Texas in their appointed cases. Additionally, information is provided for federal defendants and others interested in criminal cases in our district. None of the information on this site is intended as, or should be taken as, legal advice.
The San Antonio Bar Association, the San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and the Office of the Federal Public Defender for the Western District of Texas, will be cosponsoring three (3) free seminars on forensic science. The exacts dates are currently unknown, but will be annouced soon (most likely late summer 2012). The seminars will each take place from 9:30 - noon in the Bexar County Jury Assembly Room. Topics will include:[2 hrs. CLE] Arson Cases & Forensic Dentistry; [2.5 hrs. CLE] Shaken Baby Syndrome & Child Sexual Abuse; and [2.5 hrs. CLE] Fingerprints & Firearm Tools.
The Fair Sentencing Act of 2010, Pub. L. No. 111-220, lowered crack cocaine sentences based on quantity-based statutory minimums. After substantial litigation, the Department of Justice has agreed that the new lower minimums apply to all cases sentenced on or after the Act's effective date, August 3, 2010. Despite the Government's concession, the courts of appeals remain divided over whether the reduced minimums apply to crack offenses committed prior to that date. The Supreme Court recently granted certiorari in a pair of cases—Hill v. United States and Dorsey v. United States—to resolve that question.