The Colony Criminal Defense Lawyers
Direct-to-attorney criminal defense for The Colony arrests and Denton County criminal-court matters. Co-founders Reggie and Njeri London handle every retained case personally — from arraignment through trial or appeal — from our The Colony office, which is The Colony-based — Reggie and Njeri's home community.
L and L Law Group represents clients arrested in The Colony, Texas and clients facing charges in the Denton County Courts Building 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 The Colony matter. Our The Colony office is 7 miles southwest of our The Colony office (about 15 minutes). Free 24/7 consultation: (972) 370-5060.
Common The Colony criminal charges we defend
The Colony arrests cover the full Texas charge spectrum but cluster predictably around several offense categories. DWI is the most common — The Colony Police Department runs visible DWI enforcement, particularly on Dallas North Tollway and around the entertainment districts. Drug-possession cases follow closely, typically Penalty Group 1 (cocaine, methamphetamine) and Penalty Group 3 (alprazolam) under Texas Health & Safety Code Ch. 481. Family violence, assault, and theft charges fill out the bulk of the misdemeanor docket.
Felony filings from The Colony arrests proceed in Denton County Courts Building for indictment and trial: aggravated assault under Tex. Penal Code § 22.02, burglary under § 30.02, robbery under § 29.02, sex offenses under Chapters 21-22, weapons offenses including felon-in-possession under federal 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) and Texas-state unlawfully-carrying-weapon under Tex. Penal Code § 46.02, and the full Penal Group 1 drug trafficking ladder under § 481.112.
We accept the full The Colony charge spectrum. Practice areas at Criminal defense (overview) map each category in detail with statutory references and the defense playbook.
Local court coordination for The Colony cases
The Colony criminal cases are routed to the Denton County Courts Building: Denton County Courts Building, 1450 E McKinney St, Denton, TX 76209. Class C municipal-court matters originating in The Colony are heard at the local municipal court; Class B and Class A misdemeanors and all felonies are filed at the Denton County courts complex in Denton (Denton County matters) or Denton (Denton County matters). The Denton County Criminal District Attorney’s Office prosecutes felonies and most misdemeanors; the County Attorney’s Office handles select misdemeanor categories in counties that maintain separate County Attorney offices.
The Denton County criminal docket has its own scheduling rhythm, plea-evaluation thresholds, and bond-setting norms. We have current working knowledge of all three. Our The Colony office sits on Preston Road, with quick access to Dallas North Tollway and Sam Rayburn Tollway (SH 121) for clients traveling from Plano, McKinney, Allen, Carrollton, and Lewisville. Most The Colony consultations can begin remotely by phone or video; we appear in person at the Denton County courthouse on every retained matter.
The Colony Police Department — investigative practice we work against
The Colony Police Department is the primary law-enforcement agency in The Colony. We review The Colony Police Department incident reports, body-cam footage, in-car video, and patrol-supervisor logs early in every retained case — before the first plea conversation, before the first motion deadline, before the case posture hardens. The patrol-stop patterns, the DWI-detection protocols, the field-sobriety administration norms, the K-9 deployment thresholds — each of these affects what suppression-motion arguments are viable and what the State’s evidentiary posture will look like at trial.
Where we identify protocol deviations (Fourth Amendment stop-extension under Rodriguez v. United States, NHTSA field-sobriety administration failures, breath-test 15-minute-observation lapses, blood-draw warrant-affidavit insufficiencies under Franks v. Delaware), we build the suppression record before the State has time to prepare its response. The first 60 days of a The Colony case are decisive; we move fast.
How we handle a The Colony criminal case
- 1Initial consultation and engagementA free 30-45 minute conversation with one of the founding partners — not an intake clerk. We listen to the facts, identify the time-sensitive deadlines (ALR window on DWI cases, grand-jury timing on felonies, protective-order responses on family-violence cases), and quote a flat fee if we are the right firm for the The Colony matter.
- 2Bond and pretrial releaseIf you are in custody, we file an emergency bond motion under Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.15 in the Denton County court. Where bond conditions are excessive, we challenge them on art. 17.40. If a capias warrant is pending, we coordinate voluntary surrender or file an emergency motion under art. 17.151.
- 3Discovery and motion practiceWe file the Michael Morton Act discovery demand under Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 39.14 within 14 days of arraignment. We review the The Colony Police Department incident report, body-cam, and physical evidence; we identify the Fourth Amendment, evidentiary, and procedural attack points; we draft motions to suppress, motions in limine, and (where appropriate) motions to dismiss.
- 4Plea negotiation or trial preparationDenton County DA plea evaluation. Where the facts support dismissal or reduction (pretrial diversion, deferred adjudication, charge downgrade), we negotiate from a documented record. Where the case proceeds to trial, we prepare voir dire, witness orders, and the cross-examination roadmap.
- 5Disposition and post-conviction reliefFinal disposition (plea, jury verdict, or bench verdict). If the case resolves favorably, we calendar the expunction or non-disclosure petition for the eligibility window. If appellate review is appropriate, we file notice of appeal within 30 days under Tex. R. App. P. 26.2(a).
Why hire local counsel for a The Colony case
Two reasons. First, we appear in the Denton County Courts Building regularly and have current working knowledge of the courthouse personnel: the clerks who process bond paperwork, the court coordinators who set hearings, the prosecutors who handle Denton County misdemeanor and felony dockets, and the judges’ standing-orders practices that don’t appear in the rulebook. Second, Reggie’s prosecutor background in Dallas County and the firm’s combined experience across Denton County mean we understand the State’s evaluation framework — what arguments move plea offers in this county, what evidence triggers trial-prep escalation, what defense moves materially change the case posture.
That dual perspective shortens the path to the outcome you want. We don’t guess at how the prosecution will value the case; we read the affidavit the way the prosecutor who wrote it does.
The Colony criminal defense FAQs
Where will my The Colony case be heard?
Class C municipal-court matters originating in The Colony are heard at the The Colony Municipal Court. Class B misdemeanors, Class A misdemeanors, and all felonies proceed to the Denton County Courts Building (Denton County Courts Building, 1450 E McKinney St, Denton, TX 76209) in Denton (Denton County matters) or Denton (Denton County matters). The Denton County Criminal District Attorney’s Office prosecutes; we appear regularly in this courthouse.
How quickly can I post bond on a The Colony arrest?
After magistration (typically within 24-48 hours of booking), bond is set under Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.15. A bondsman premium (typically 10-15% of the bond amount) secures release. Where the bond is unaffordable or excessive, we file an emergency motion to reduce; many Denton County trial courts hear bond-reduction motions within 5-7 business days of filing.
Do I need a The Colony-based lawyer, or does a The Colony firm work?
A The Colony-based office is not required; courthouse familiarity is. Our The Colony office is 7 miles southwest of our The Colony office (about 15 minutes) — easy reach to courts and the police department. We appear in the Denton County Courts Building regularly. What matters is current working knowledge of the Denton County DA office, the trial-court practices, and the local enforcement patterns — not the firm’s street address.
What if my The Colony arrest involves a DWI?
DWI arrests trigger two parallel proceedings: the criminal case in the Denton County misdemeanor or felony court, and the Administrative License Revocation (ALR) hearing at the State Office of Administrative Hearings. The ALR has a 15-day request deadline from the date of arrest under Tex. Transp. Code § 524.031 — miss it and the suspension takes effect automatically. We file the ALR request the same day we are retained on a The Colony DWI. See DWI defense for the full DWI playbook.
Can a The Colony arrest be expunged from my record?
An arrest that ended in dismissal, acquittal, or no-bill is typically eligible for expunction under Tex. Code Crim. Proc. ch. 55. A successful deferred-adjudication probation completion is typically eligible for an order of non-disclosure under Tex. Gov’t Code ch. 411 (record stays in law-enforcement databases but is shielded from public). Straight-probation completions are generally not eligible for either. See our expunction page for the full eligibility matrix.
How much does The Colony criminal-defense representation cost?
Flat fee, quoted in writing at the free initial consultation. The flat fee covers the entire defense through final disposition or trial in chief on the underlying charge — bond hearing, discovery, motion practice, plea negotiation or trial preparation, sentencing or verdict, and any related ancillary proceedings (ALR, protective order). We do not bill criminal-defense matters hourly. Appeals and post-conviction relief are scoped separately.
More The Colony questions
Where is the The Colony criminal court located?
The Colony criminal cases are heard at the Denton County Courts Building, 1450 E McKinney St, Denton, TX 76209. Class C municipal-court matters stay local; Class B/A misdemeanors and all felonies are filed at the Denton County courts complex.
What is bond typically set at in Denton County?
Bond is set under Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 17.15 based on the charge, prior criminal history, and community ties. Typical first-time misdemeanor bonds in Denton County range from $500 to $2,500; typical first-time felony bonds range from $5,000 to $50,000 depending on degree. DWI second-or-more bonds and family-violence bonds run higher; the magistrate may impose conditions including ignition interlock and protective-order terms.
Does Denton County have a drug court or other diversion program?
Yes. Denton County maintains the following specialty courts and diversion programs: DIVERT (first-time misdemeanor), Mental Health Court, Veterans Treatment Court, Drug Court (felony Penalty Group 3-4). Eligibility is fact-specific; a documented motion with treatment-plan and risk-assessment exhibits is generally required.
How long do criminal cases typically take to resolve in Denton County?
Misdemeanor cases generally resolve in 4-8 months in Denton County; felony cases generally resolve in 8-18 months. Cases that proceed to jury trial take longer; cases that resolve at the motion-to-suppress hearing or via early-stage plea negotiation take less. The single biggest variable is whether motion practice is required to compel discovery or to litigate a suppression issue.
What is the Denton County Criminal District Attorney's plea-negotiation policy?
Denton County Criminal District Attorney plea practice is documented in the prosecutorial-posture section above. Plea offers are generally tied to (1) the strength of the State's case under the discovery record, (2) the defendant's prior criminal history and community ties, and (3) the procedural posture (early plea, post-suppression motion, eve of trial). We negotiate from a documented suppression record where the facts support it — that posture is what moves offers materially.
Arrested in The Colony?
Free, confidential consultation — direct to attorney, 24/7. We pick up jail-release calls at all hours.
Call (972) 370-5060Why a The Colony charge is heard in Denton, not in town
A The Colony case lives in Denton County, which sets where it goes. Unlike a county seat, the city does not host the courthouse that hears its serious charges — those travel to the Denton County courts in Denton. Felonies and Class A and B misdemeanors are filed there by the Denton County Criminal District Attorney, and anyone booked in is held at the Denton County Jail. So a stop on SH-121 or near Grandscape may happen in The Colony, but the file, the bond, and the court dates all sit in the county seat a drive up the highway. Knowing that the matter moves to Denton from the outset shapes how we plan the first appearance.
Not every The Colony case leaves the city, though. The Colony Municipal Court keeps the Class C, fine-only matters — traffic citations, city-ordinance violations, and similar tickets — and resolves them here in town, separately from anything heading to Denton. That line matters because it decides which building you answer to and what is actually at stake. A speeding ticket from FM-423 and a Class B charge from the same corridor follow different tracks entirely: one stays local and fine-only, the other becomes a county case with jail exposure and a record that can follow you. We sort which court a charge belongs to before anything else, since that answer drives every step that comes after.
Enforcement here tends to cluster where the traffic does. SH-121 carries commuters across the north side of the city, FM-423 feeds the retail strip, and the roads along Lewisville Lake fill on weekends and warm evenings — all of which makes DWI and traffic stops a recurring local pattern. The pull of Grandscape and the Nebraska Furniture Mart adds steady visitor and shopping traffic on top of the lake crowd, and a night out on the water can turn into a roadside stop on the way home. We pay attention to how a particular stop unfolded along these corridors, because the reason an officer gave for the stop and what happened next often shape the strongest part of a defense.
For someone charged in The Colony, the practical takeaway is to know the destination early. A fine-only citation can be handled at the municipal court in the city, but a felony or Class A or B misdemeanor means preparing for Denton — its jail, its district attorney, and its docket. Our team works both tracks and lines up the right approach for whichever court holds the file. If you are facing a charge out of The Colony, you can reach us at (972) 370-5060 to talk through where your case is headed and what the next step looks like.
About the Authors
Criminal Charges We Defend in The Colony
L&L Law Group represents clients throughout The Colony and Denton 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.