Southlake Criminal Defense Lawyers
Direct-to-attorney criminal defense for Southlake arrests and Tarrant County criminal-court matters. Co-founders Reggie and Njeri London handle every retained case personally — from arraignment through trial or appeal — from our Frisco office, approximately 36 miles from Southlake.
L and L Law Group represents clients arrested in Southlake, Texas and clients facing charges in the Tarrant County Courthouse on the full Texas Penal Code and Health & Safety Code spectrum. Founding partners Reggie London (Texas Bar No. 24043514, former Dallas County Assistant District Attorney) and Njeri London (Texas Bar No. 24043266, admitted TXND, TXED, 5th Circuit) personally handle every Southlake matter. Our office is in Frisco, approximately 36 miles from Southlake (45 minutes). Free 24/7 consultation: (972) 370-5060.
Common Southlake criminal charges we defend
Before anything else in a Southlake case, one question has to be answered: did the offense happen on the Tarrant County side of the city or the Denton County side? The Census Bureau's 2020 place-to-county file lists Southlake city under both counties. That is not trivia. It decides which elected Criminal District Attorney prosecutes the case, which courthouse you report to, which jail an arrestee is booked into, and which diversion programs you can even ask for.
Two people arrested on the same night, a few streets apart, in a city of roughly 31,000 people, can end up in two different criminal justice systems.
Tarrant or Denton: what actually changes
| What changes | Tarrant County | Denton County |
|---|---|---|
| Prosecutor | Criminal District Attorney Phil Sorrells, Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center, 401 West Belknap, Fort Worth, 817-884-1400 | Criminal District Attorney Paul Johnson, 1450 E McKinney Street, Suite 3100, Denton, 940-349-2600 |
| Felony court | One of 11 district courts handling felony criminal matters, 401 W. Belknap, Fort Worth | The Denton County district courts, 1 Courthouse Drive, Denton |
| Misdemeanor court | One of 10 county criminal courts | County Criminal Court 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, plus a Magistrate Court |
| Jail | Tarrant County Corrections Center, 100 N. Lamar, Fort Worth, 817-884-3000 | Denton County Sheriff's Office at the Law Enforcement Center, 127 N. Woodrow Lane, Denton, 940-349-1600 |
Both counties elect a Criminal District Attorney, so on either side of the line a single office prosecutes felonies and misdemeanors alike. Booking differs. The Tarrant County Sheriff states that all inmates are centrally received at the Corrections Center, where they are booked, photographed and enrolled by iris, inside a five-facility system with capacity of roughly 5,000.
One building holds the police, the fire department and the court
Southlake does not run a standalone police department. Police, Fire, EMS and Emergency Management are organized together as the Southlake Department of Public Safety, and DPS Station 1 at 600 State Street houses the police department, the fire department, emergency management and the Southlake Municipal Court in a single building. Station 2 is at 2100 West Southlake Blvd and Station 3 at 100 East Dove Road. The municipal court, (817) 748-8188, hears Class C misdemeanor citations issued inside the city and offers deferred disposition, driving safety courses and compliance dismissals.
The department is small and well staffed: 65 authorized full-time sworn officers, 5 part-time sworn officers and 8 civilian staff, policing about 31,000 residents across 21.83 square miles, under a police chief, an assistant chief and five captains covering criminal investigation, patrol, school resources and professional standards. Southlake is also built out rather than expanding. The July 2025 population estimate of 31,175 is slightly below the 2020 count, and the city's land area barely moved between 2010 and 2020.
Accreditation cuts both ways
The Southlake Police Department has held CALEA Gold Standard accreditation since 2015, which the city describes as subjecting the department to rigorous review across nine major law enforcement subject areas. For a defendant, that is useful. Accredited agencies maintain written policies and documentation standards, and those written standards are discoverable in a criminal case. When an officer's handling of a traffic stop, a field sobriety test, an inventory search or an evidence transfer departs from the department's own written policy, the gap is something we can put in front of a prosecutor or a jury.
Charges we defend in Southlake
The mix here runs heavily to traffic-stop and residence-based cases: driving while intoxicated under Texas Penal Code section 49.04, including the Class A exposure that attaches at a 0.15 blood alcohol result; possession of a controlled substance under Health and Safety Code section 481.115; assault and family violence under section 22.01; theft under section 31.03, which moves up the punishment ladder purely on alleged value; unlawful carrying of a weapon; and student and juvenile allegations. Our criminal defense practice covers all of these on both sides of the county line.
Two counties, two different diversion menus
This is where the county split hurts most. Denton County publishes five specialized treatment court programs: a First Offender Drug Program that diverts low-risk first-time drug offenders into a court-supervised program with dismissal and expunction eligibility on completion; a Drug Court for high-risk felony offenders, run in four phases with random testing; a Mental Health Treatment Court for defendants with a legitimate mental illness diagnosis, also carrying dismissal and possible expunction; a DWI Treatment Court for repeat DWI defendants at high risk of re-offense; and a three-phase Veterans Treatment Court for veterans whose combat-related conditions contributed to the charge. The Denton County Criminal District Attorney separately lists a Pre-Trial Diversion Program.
Tarrant County's list is different again. The state roster shows nine Tarrant County programs, among them a Felony Alcohol Intervention Program, the D.I.R.E.C.T. Program, a Misdemeanor DWI Court, a Veterans Treatment Court, a Mental Health Diversion Court, a Family Drug Court, a juvenile drug court, the RISE Program and a Public Services Employees Treatment Court. The same Southlake defendant, with the same facts, may qualify for something on one side of the line that does not exist on the other. Admission is always the program's decision, never a lawyer's promise.
If the defendant is a teenager
Southlake administers Metroport Teen Court out of the municipal court at 600 State Street, (817) 748-8346, a diversion program jointly funded by Colleyville, Grapevine, Keller and Southlake. Participants must be 12 to 19, enrolled in middle or high school, must have entered a guilty or no-contest plea to a Class C violation, and must not have completed a Teen Court program anywhere in Texas in the past 12 months. Sessions run Tuesday evenings from 5 to 8 p.m., the program must be finished within 90 days, and there is a $20 administrative fee per offense. Participants under 17 need a parent present. A jury of peers sets the sentence, which includes community service hours, and alcohol, drug or tobacco offenses also require a state-mandated awareness course. On completion, Teen Court staff notify the court for ticket dismissal.
Southlake criminal defense FAQs
How do I find out whether my Southlake case is in Tarrant or Denton County?
Look at where the offense occurred, not where you live. The Census Bureau's 2020 place-to-county file lists Southlake city under both Tarrant County and Denton County, so the city genuinely straddles the line. Texas prosecutes an offense in the county where it happened, which means the location on the citation or offense report controls everything downstream: the prosecuting office, the courthouse, the jail and the available programs. Checking that address is one of the first things we do on a Southlake file.
Which jail would someone be taken to after a Southlake arrest?
It depends on which county the offense occurred in. A Tarrant County case routes to the Tarrant County Corrections Center at 100 N. Lamar in Fort Worth, 817-884-3000, where the Sheriff states all inmates are centrally received, booked, photographed and enrolled by iris. A Denton County case routes to the Denton County Sheriff's Office at the Law Enforcement Center, 127 N. Woodrow Lane in Denton, 940-349-1600. The City of Southlake does not publish its own booking and transfer procedure, so confirm the destination before driving anywhere.
Which courthouse will I report to?
On the Tarrant County side, criminal courts are at 401 W. Belknap in Fort Worth, with 11 district courts handling felony matters and 10 county criminal courts handling misdemeanors. On the Denton County side, courts are at 1 Courthouse Drive in Denton, where felonies go to the district courts and misdemeanors go to County Criminal Court 1 through 5, alongside a Magistrate Court. A Class C citation written inside the city stays at the Southlake Municipal Court, 600 State Street, unless it is appealed.
Who prosecutes a Southlake criminal case?
One of two elected officials, depending on the county. Tarrant County's Criminal District Attorney is Phil Sorrells, at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center, 401 West Belknap in Fort Worth, 817-884-1400. Denton County's is Paul Johnson, at 1450 E McKinney Street, Suite 3100 in Denton, 940-349-2600. Both are Criminal District Attorneys, meaning a single office handles felonies and misdemeanors rather than splitting them. Their charging policies, plea practices and diversion offerings are set independently, so the same facts can be handled differently.
Southlake police are part of a Department of Public Safety. Does that affect my case?
Organizationally, yes. Southlake does not run a standalone police department; Police, Fire, EMS and Emergency Management are all part of the Southlake Department of Public Safety, and DPS Station 1 at 600 State Street houses the police department, the fire department, emergency management and the municipal court in one building. The department is authorized 65 full-time sworn officers, 5 part-time sworn officers and 8 civilian staff. Practically, it means records requests and court appearances often point to the same address.
What is CALEA accreditation, and does it matter to my defense?
The city states that the Southlake Police Department has held CALEA Gold Standard accreditation since 2015, which it describes as subjecting the department to rigorous review across nine major law enforcement subject areas. It matters to a defense because accredited agencies maintain written policies and documentation standards, and those written standards are discoverable. If the handling of a stop, a field sobriety test, an inventory search or an evidence transfer departed from the department's own written policy, that inconsistency becomes a concrete issue rather than an argument about impressions.
More Southlake questions
My teenager got a ticket in Southlake. What is Metroport Teen Court?
It is a diversion program jointly funded by Colleyville, Grapevine, Keller and Southlake and administered from the Southlake Municipal Court at 600 State Street, phone (817) 748-8346. Participants must be 12 to 19, enrolled in middle or high school, must have entered a guilty or no-contest plea to a Class C violation, and must not have completed a Teen Court program anywhere in Texas in the past 12 months. A jury of peers sets a sentence that includes community service, and staff notify the court for dismissal on completion.
What are the requirements to finish Metroport Teen Court?
Participants must be available Tuesday evenings from 5 to 8 p.m., must finish within 90 days, and pay a $20 administrative fee per offense. Anyone under 17 needs a parent present. The sentence set by the peer jury includes community service hours, and alcohol, drug or tobacco offenses additionally require a state-mandated awareness course. Once everything is complete, Teen Court staff notify the court so the ticket can be dismissed. Missing the 90-day window or the Tuesday sessions puts the original citation back in front of the judge.
Are there diversion programs for a first-time drug charge in Southlake?
That depends entirely on the county. Denton County publishes a First Offender Drug Program that diverts low-risk first-time drug offenders into a court-supervised program with dismissal and expunction eligibility on completion, plus a Drug Court for high-risk felony offenders and a Mental Health Treatment Court. Tarrant County's roster is different, listing programs including the D.I.R.E.C.T. Program and a Felony Alcohol Intervention Program. Admission decisions belong to the courts and the prosecuting office, so no lawyer can promise placement in any of them.
I was arrested for DWI in Southlake. What should I expect?
First, which county. Tarrant County's specialty court roster includes a Misdemeanor DWI Court, while Denton County publishes a DWI Treatment Court aimed at repeat DWI defendants at high risk of re-offense. Those are different programs with different criteria, and the county line decides which is even available. Meanwhile the criminal charge proceeds under Texas Penal Code section 49.04, and the Department of Public Safety opens a separate license suspension with roughly 15 days from the notice to request a hearing. See our DWI defense page.
Can a Southlake charge be expunged later?
It depends on the county and on how the case ends. Denton County states that its First Offender Drug Program carries dismissal and expunction eligibility on completion, and that its Mental Health Treatment Court also offers dismissal and possible expunction. Outside a program, Texas expunction generally reaches acquittals, no-bills and qualifying dismissals, while an order of nondisclosure under Government Code Chapter 411 seals records in narrower circumstances. We handle expunction and record sealing in both Tarrant and Denton County.
I live on the Denton County side but was stopped near Southlake Blvd. Which county is my case in?
Where you live does not decide it. Texas venue follows the county in which the offense was committed, so the location of the stop or the alleged conduct controls, not your home address. That is why the same Southlake resident can have one case in Fort Worth and a later case in Denton. The offense report and citation should show the location, and if it is ambiguous or near the line, that ambiguity is worth examining early, because it changes the prosecutor, the court and the program options.
Arrested in Southlake?
Free, confidential consultation — direct to attorney, 24/7. We pick up jail-release calls at all hours.
Call (972) 370-5060Why a Southlake charge travels to the Tim Curry center in Fort Worth
Southlake sits inside Tarrant County, and that single fact shapes where a serious case is decided. A felony or a Class A or B misdemeanor here is filed by the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney and heard at the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center in Fort Worth, the county seat — not at any courthouse inside city limits. Pretrial detention runs through the Tarrant County Jail. So while an arrest may begin near Southlake Town Square or along SH-114, the file itself moves to Fort Worth, and the drive, the docket, and the prosecutor all belong to the county rather than the town.
That county routing is only half of the local picture. Southlake also runs its own municipal court, but its reach is limited to Class C, fine-only matters — traffic citations, city-ordinance issues, and similar low-level offenses written within the city. The municipal court and the Tarrant County courts are separate tracks, and the line between them is the level of the charge, not the place it happened. Confusing the two is a common early mistake: a Class C ticket stays in town, while anything heavier leaves for Fort Worth. Knowing which track a case is on tells you where to appear and who holds the discretion that matters.
Enforcement in Southlake clusters along a handful of recognizable corridors. SH-114 carries fast commuter and event traffic across the north end of the city; FM-1709, known locally as Southlake Boulevard, threads the retail core past Town Square; and Carroll Avenue links the older residential grid. With DFW International Airport bordering the city to the south, travel and visitor movement add to the mix. The result is a caseload that leans toward DWI, juvenile, and first-offense matters — the kinds of stops that surface on a Friday evening near the shops or on a highway interchange rather than in a high-crime corridor.
For someone charged in Southlake, the stakes often turn on a clean record. Many residents and the professionals who work nearby have never faced a court before, and a first DWI or a juvenile matter can reach a license, a job, or a school standing. Our team works these cases knowing the file will likely sit in Fort Worth, not Southlake, and we plan court appearances, bond questions, and early negotiations around that reality. If you have been arrested here, you can reach us at (972) 370-5060 to talk through where your case is headed and what the next steps look like.
About the Authors
Criminal Charges We Defend in Southlake
L&L Law Group represents clients throughout Southlake and Tarrant County against the full range of Texas criminal charges. These are the charges our defense team handles most often — or call (972) 370-5060 for a free, confidential consultation.