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Central Austin Criminal Defense Attorney

Arrested in Central Austin, downtown, or on Sixth Street? Travis County courts handle your case. The Hull Firm is blocks from the courthouse. Former prosecutor on staff. Over 930 dismissals or rejected cases since 2021. 24/7.

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✓ Over 930 dismissals or rejected cases since 2021 ✓ Former Prosecutor on Your Side ✓ Austin Office ✓ Available 24/7

Criminal Defense in Central Austin, Austin TX

Central Austin — the 78701, 78703, and 78705 zip codes — encompasses downtown Austin, the Sixth Street Entertainment District, West Campus, and the surrounding urban core. Every criminal charge above a Class C misdemeanor in Central Austin is prosecuted at the Travis County Courthouse at 509 W. 11th Street — blocks from The Hull Firm’s Austin office at 1004 West Ave. APD’s Downtown, Central, and Mounted Patrol divisions all operate in this area. The Entertainment District Unit runs dedicated enforcement along Sixth Street and the Red River Cultural District on weekend nights.

Central Austin generates more DWI, assault, and public intoxication arrests per square mile than any other part of Travis County. The Sixth Street corridor, Red River District, Rainey Street, and West Campus area around UT Austin collectively produce enormous arrest volume on Thursday through Saturday nights. This is the area APD’s specialized units were built to police. It is also the area where the difference between going home and spending the night in Travis County Jail comes down to exactly what happened in the 90 seconds before the arrest.

The Hull Firm’s Austin office is at 1004 West Ave — less than a mile from the Travis County Courthouse and less than a mile from the Sixth Street and Red River entertainment corridors. I’ve been a criminal defense attorney in Austin for over 20 years. Allison Tisdale prosecuted cases in these same Travis County courts before becoming a criminal defense lawyer at our firm. We are as local as it gets for Central Austin criminal defense.

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Criminal Charges We Defend in Central Austin

These are the charge types that flow most commonly from Central Austin arrests into Travis County courts. Each has its own defense strategy and its own urgency.

DWI & DUI Defense

Downtown Austin and the Sixth Street corridor are the highest-volume DWI arrest zones in Travis County. APD’s Entertainment District Unit runs dedicated DWI enforcement on weekend nights. A downtown Austin DWI arrest triggers the 15-day ALR window immediately. Our DWI attorneys file the ALR request the day you retain us and challenge the stop, the FSTs, and the BAC simultaneously.

DWI Defense → First-Time DWI → DUI Defense →

Assault & Family Violence

Central Austin assault arrests come from two primary scenarios: bar and venue incidents on Sixth Street and Red River, and domestic disturbance calls from residential areas in 78703 and 78705. Both feed into Travis County courts. Bar fight assaults and assault family violence cases are handled by different DA units with different prosecution approaches. The Hull Firm defends both.

Assault Defense → Family Violence → Aggravated Assault →

Drug Charges

Drug arrests in Central Austin typically come from foot patrol stops, pedestrian stops near entertainment venues, or traffic stops on IH-35, Congress Avenue, or Cesar Chavez. Fourth Amendment analysis for pedestrian stops in entertainment districts follows different legal standards than traffic stops — we challenge both. The legality of the encounter is always the first question.

Drug Charge Defense →

We also handle theft charges, probation violations, weapons charges, juvenile defense, and record expungement for Travis County clients.

Travis County Criminal Courts — What Central Austin Residents Need to Know

Every Central Austin arrest above a Class C misdemeanor feeds into Travis County courts in downtown Austin. That means the Travis County DA’s office, Travis County judges, and Travis County procedures. The court system handling your case is not generic — it has specific prosecutors assigned by charge type, specific docket management practices, and specific ways of evaluating and resolving cases at each charge level.

The Hull Firm has built a complete guide to Travis County criminal courts covering courthouse location, how the DA’s specialized units are organized, the arraignment and bond process, and how DWI, assault, and drug cases are handled in those specific courts.

Travis County Court Guide →
Travis County
Courthouse: Downtown Austin
✓ Court locations & divisions ✓ DA’s office specialized units ✓ Arraignment & bond procedures ✓ DWI, assault & drug charge handling ✓ Dismissal & diversion options
Full Travis County guide →
Over 930dismissal or rejected cases since 2021
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Central Austin Criminal Defense FAQ

The questions we hear most from Central Austin residents after an arrest in Austin.

All Central Austin criminal cases above Class C misdemeanor are heard at the Travis County Courthouse at 509 W. 11th Street — misdemeanors in Travis County Courts at Law, felonies in Travis County District Courts. The Hull Firm's Austin office is less than a mile from the courthouse.

Sixth Street is in Travis County and City of Austin jurisdiction. APD's Entertainment District Unit handles enforcement on Sixth Street. Your case is prosecuted by the Travis County DA's office at the Travis County Courthouse. The Hull Firm appears in those courts weekly.

APD's Entertainment District Unit is a specialized patrol division that operates specifically on and around Sixth Street and the Red River Cultural District on Thursday through Saturday nights. Officers in this unit are experienced with bar-related arrests and carry body cameras. Their reports and footage are part of the evidence package on any case arising from this area.

A DWI arrest in Texas triggers an Administrative License Revocation separate from the criminal case. You have 15 days from arrest to request a hearing — miss it and your license is automatically suspended. The Hull Firm files the ALR request the day you retain us, then works both the ALR and criminal case simultaneously.

Yes. Even in high-enforcement zones like downtown Austin, the stop or detention has to be legally justified. Field sobriety tests must be administered correctly. BAC evidence must have a clean chain of custody. When any of these breaks down, dismissal becomes a realistic outcome. The Hull Firm has secured over 930 dismissals or rejected cases since 2021 including downtown Austin DWIs.

DWI, assault (both family violence and non-FV), public intoxication, drug possession, and theft are the most common Central Austin charge types. Sixth Street and Red River generate primarily DWI, assault, and PI arrests. West Campus around UT Austin generates drug possession and theft charges alongside DWI. The Hull Firm handles all of them in Travis County courts.

West Campus is in Austin city limits and Travis County jurisdiction. APD patrols West Campus. UT Austin campus is covered by UT Police (UTPD), but crimes occurring off campus grounds are APD matters. If you were arrested on a public street in West Campus, your case is in Travis County court.

Yes. Non-family violence assault charges from bar incidents are prosecuted by the Travis County DA's office. Unlike family violence cases, these don't carry the same no-drop policy — the complaining witness's cooperation matters more. Evidence quality, the complaining witness's credibility, and the circumstances of the incident all affect how aggressively the DA pursues the case.

A Class B misdemeanor carries up to 180 days in jail and up to a $2,000 fine — this is the level of a first-offense DWI and simple assault. A Class A misdemeanor carries up to one year in jail and up to a $4,000 fine — this is the level of DWI with a child passenger, assault causing bodily injury, or second-offense DWI. Both are permanent on your record without expungement.

A Class C public intoxication conviction can be expunged once the case is fully resolved if it meets Texas Chapter 55 eligibility requirements. If the charge was dismissed or deferred adjudication was successfully completed, expungement may be available sooner. The Hull Firm evaluates expungement eligibility on every case.

If you were arrested — not just given a citation — you need a lawyer. An arrest generates a criminal record that persists regardless of the charge level. The question is not whether you need representation. It's whether you want an attorney who knows the specific Travis County courts, prosecutors, and judges handling your case, or one who doesn't.

Austin & Travis County Areas We Serve

The Hull Firm represents clients from every Austin neighborhood and Travis County community whose cases run through Travis County courts.

Austin Pflugerville Travis County Courts

What Our Clients Say

RL
Ronnicka Lopez
★★★★★
Google

“After two years, the case was dismissed and dropped. They made this whole ordeal easy, kept me in the loop, told me exactly what to expect. Mrs. Allison is such an amazing and sweet lady — the whole team. I see exactly why they received multiple awards for best law firm in the state.”

BS
Blake Shires
★★★★★
Google

“My case was dismissed. Mr. Hull was patient, attentive, and consistently communicative from start to finish. He explained every step and made sure I felt supported throughout. I highly recommend Mark Hull and The Hull Firm.”

SH
Shawn Hallman
★★★★★
Google

“These attorneys were responsive, intelligent, and relentless. I appreciated how they always had a plan and stayed one step ahead. If you’re facing criminal charges, you want them on your side.”

Facing Criminal Charges in Central Austin? Call The Hull Firm Now.

The Travis County DA’s office starts building its case the day of your arrest. The 15-day ALR window on DWI cases starts the same day. Every hour that passes affects the evidence available for your defense. Call our Austin criminal defense attorneys at 512-599-9999 — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Request Free Consultation 512-599-9999

The information on this page is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed by reading this page. Contact The Hull Firm for a free, confidential consultation specific to your case.

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