I was arrested and charged with an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon felony in Nov. 2021…read more Now an older man, had raised a good family, having no criminal background, built a successful, well known local/statewide business, I was literally terrified. I had contacted and met with 3 of the most recommended, lawyers in Smith County. But I wasn't convinced that they truly had my back in this case. Frustrated, I read Erick Platten's web page bio and knew he seemed to have a strategic, well thought out plan of attack/defense mentality. I contacted him the day before my arraignment to appear in court. He said, man you have an emergency situation, I can be there to represent you in court tomorrow. So I rolled dice with Erick for my future, paid him over the phone and met him the next day in court for the first time. The judge, and DA presented the charges to us for the first time to review. They looked really incriminating but I knew they were not fact. Erick absolutely knew how to handle it and put my wife, the only witness/victim on the stand to testify right there. Later I found out that allowing us to put a witness on the stand in arraignment is very rare. Calling up witnesses usually comes later or in a trial. Erick showed up that day with a let's get this dismissed today mentality. But the DA here rarely goes down easy, Erick stated this over and over during our talks. He stated; "they know me WELL and they know they better have their facts straight, I'm in this to win this for you". Erick holds his law cards close to his chest (like a seasoned poker champion) and plays them at exactly the right time. I found that the Smith County DA has an everyone is guilty as charged, hang-em-high mentality no matter how clean of a life you have led in the past many years of life. They do NOT care who's life they ruin, guilty or not! I had raised a large, loving productive family and we are big local supporters of many charities. I was a good citizen! They don't care about that Erick explained. They will indict a "Ham Sandwich"! And with no review of the evidence they had planned to do just that. Until Erick played a few of his cards and convinced them not to indict me the day before they were going to go before the Grand Jury. Just the way they do things in a Grand Jury hearing ought to be illegal, we don't have the right to be there to defend ourselves. They roll the cases through, indict you, then it's trial by jury time all right in front of my peers in our town of Tyler. They could ruin a person's reputation even if their not convicted in trial. From the very beginning Erick's mission was to get ALL charges dropped, PERIOD! No plea bargain, no probation, Erick would have none of this and knew EXACTLY how to play the legal game for my life and future. I must admit, I got very anxious many times. I would call and or text Erick and his calming response was immediate!!!! He always stated, trust me, I have YOUR back, don't worry about this! And I must say he did. In only 5 months he got this dismissed, no hearing, no more fines, the entire nightmare of facing a potential sentence from minimum 2 years - 20 maximum was over. Just like that it was over. Erick had his timing, defense negotiations/strategies completed precisely and flawlessly and on my 63rd birthday it was completely over with a phone call. Erick has a great attitude, he's personable, he knows his job and he cares greatly about his clients future, We matter greatly to Mr. Platten! In business I have attorneys. But none quilt like Mr. Erick Platten...THANK YOU SIR!!!!! This man has the experience, the passion and I believe Erick is one of the GREATS of Defense law!

Very good attorney. Highly recommended. Working on a very important case for me. When I get…read moreconcerned he reassures me everything will be alright. Nice to have a real attorney that fights for you.

The lawyer you want beside you in court If you're reading…read morethis and you're scared, overwhelmed, and unsure of what's going to happen next in your life -- I've been there. I was standing in court, terrified, alone, and trying not to fall apart. My own attorney didn't even show up for my hearing. I was left there completely alone, with no one to speak for me and no clue what to do. That's when Thad stepped in. A complete stranger, who didn't know my name or anything about me, saw me sitting there by myself and walked over. He gently pulled me aside and said, "I'll help you." No judgment. No hesitation. He offered his help without knowing a single detail about my charges, my history, or my story. He just saw someone in need -- and he showed up. That act of kindness changed the entire direction of my life. I wasn't facing something small. The charges against me were serious -- the kind of thing that could've destroyed my future and everything I had worked for. I was terrified that my dreams were over, that my worst mistake was going to define the rest of my life. But Thad didn't see me as a lost cause. He saw someone who was worth fighting for. He treated me with respect and dignity, explained everything clearly, and never once made me feel like I was less than human because of what I was facing. Thad fought for me as if he had known me forever. He got me the best possible outcome -- everything deferred, no conviction, and a path forward to rebuild. I now have the chance to continue pursuing my dream of becoming a nurse -- something I thought I had lost forever. What makes Thad so extraordinary isn't just his knowledge or skill -- it's his heart. He didn't have to help me. He wasn't obligated. But he chose to. He stood beside me when I had no one else, and I will never forget that. If you are looking for someone who will truly fight for your second chance, someone who leads with compassion and integrity, Thad is the attorney you want in your corner. I'll never be able to fully express how grateful I am for what he did for me. He gave me back my hope, my future, and my voice -- at a time when I felt like I had none left. Thank you, Thad. I will carry your kindness with me for the rest of my life.

Thad davidson is a great lawyer I will recommend him to anyone who is in need of his services very…read moreprofessional and gets the job done quick definitely the best I've ever dealt with

Great service. I was informed of the worst and best possible outcome. They were able to get me the…read morebest deal possible. I would recommend for anyone. Prices are reasonable and they work with you.

If you need a great attorney in Smith County... this is the place to contact. Joe Murphy and Joel…read moreBaker will go above and beyond for you, they truly fight for you and will have your back. The have so much experience between them. You will not feel lost. You will feel safe. They offer free consultations, which means a lot to clients who need to know what lies ahead, and for planning their future. When you get caught in a situation and need someone fighting in your corner, give them a call. Their staff is also fantastic, knowledgeable and friendly... not there to judge you or give you the run around,but to help any way they can.

I hired Mr Patteson in mid November, 2023 to reopen probate on an estate for which I am Executor. I…read morehad a few loose ends to clean up that required getting Letters Testamentary. I was having issues with being "ghosted" by my former attorney who wasted months of my time. I hired Mr. Patteson and on the same day of consultation, I gave him a check, he called me within an hour of my getting home to tell me he had already filed with Probate Court and we had a hearing date set for 11/27/23, 13 days later. Mr. Patteson is personable, easy to talk to, easy to understand, very fast, very efficient and very affordable. I HIGHLY recommend him and his services!!

We contacted Patteson Law and within hours we not only had our initial appointment; all the…read morerequired documents were ready for signature. We were caught up with a sudden death and near impossible task of probating 2 estates. Richard and his staff went way above the call of duty to assist us as we left for our own home and needed not only the wills probated but a complicated vehicle issue resolved. Truly a professional who is called to just help the common folks he encounters. You will do no better than to take your legal affairs to him.

Mrs. Wulf is the best family law attorney around! I would recommend her to anyone going through a…read morelegal family matter. She takes time to listen with empathy and she understands how emotional and stressful family issues can be. Tough situations are easier with Cheryl Wulf by your side!

From the owner: Criminal Lawyer in Tyler, TX. Board Certified in Family Law and Personal Injury by the Texas Board…read moreof Legal Specialization. Cheryl Wulf, Attorney at Law represents families in Tyler, Tx for divorce, child custody, family law matters, personal injury, car accidents, and other civil matters.

$10k retainer and she threw my case. I hired her in June. She told me to agree to permanent…read moreinjunction vs permanent restraining order for abusive ex, which benefited him. I met with her and 'my great friend that is the supervisor at CPS and hiring me gives you a personal 'in' at the organization.' My ex was required to get an ABEL evaluation that basically assesses your likelihood to be a predator. I, legally and morally, was supposed to give my side of what went on. She obstructed me, her own client from doing so. She had my husband's completed ABEL and psych eval in her hands Sept. 15 and told me point blank 'DO NOT CONTACT 'THE EVALUATOR YOURSELF, I WILL HANDLE IT' is what she told me repeatedly. She never contacted the police or the evaluator and she and the amicus both colluded to prevent me and my children our basic rights as humans on Earth. It gets even worse. The day of court with my ex, I go up to her office for what I think is prep. She sits me down and tells me he's getting unsupervised visitation. I ask how could that be possible when the predator evaluation wasn't even complete, to my knowledge. She said she and the other lawyers basically sat down and decided there wasn't enough to keep him from unsupervised (after they intentionally created 'not enough'). I was shattered in this moment. I thought I was walking in to a game plan and I walked into this, about 3 hours before court. She clasped her hands across from me and with a horribly empty look, watched me wail for minutes. She told me I didn't have to go to court and she could just answer/agree to things for me. I attended court that afternoon virtually, as I was too distraught to be inside of the court. I watched the amicus and judge congratulate her for her good work. Oh, my ex brought a courtroom full of people that morning and my lawyer didn't call a single witness or person to be be there for me/ with me. My lawyer never contacted any of my potential witnesses. My lawyer never told the judge anything from my side (which apparently is what they are supposed to do, I hear) so the judge, after getting new counsel, had never heard any of my allegations until after I fired her but she already threw the dynamite into my and my children's lives. $10k for a family law retainer, of an unemployed woman, fleeing child abuse and domestic violence, and to then do all of this to her, seemingly with spite or venom is unfathomable for me. The Tyler landscape for lawyers is bad, bad. Please research and research harder. She coasts on the name of Beau Sinclair. 'Sinclair is great IF they are on your side'

Horrible experience you have no control of what they will do you and have to get a court date…read morefinally got a court date. The attorney Alicia all sudden quit moves out of state gives me another attorney that's in the office he gets Covid so nobody shows up for my court date. They expected me to wait another 14 to 16 months to get another court date, and keep paying plan to report them to the bar association, Better Business Bureau they're horrible representation do not hire these people

They are professional, experienced, and knowledgeable. Brian Rollings did an excellent job. I…read morehighly recommend them.

From the owner: Were you charged with a crime? The most important thing to do is get the representation you need to…read morefight the allegations made against you. With thousands of cases handled since they opened in 2005, Rollings Wood & Pace is the firm you can trust. Whether you face charges for DWI, a violent crime, or theft, their Smith County criminal defense lawyers understand the strategies that work when protecting your future. Rollings Wood & Pace offers free consultations, so you can get started on planning your case today. You can get a clear picture of what to expect and how to proceed. They serve clients in Cherokee County, Van Danzt County, and the surrounding areas. They also offer services in Spanish. Don't wait to get started on your case. Call their experienced team now and begin planning for your future.

My experience with Mr. Matt Bingham and his amazing team was beyond greatness. Mr. Bingham and his…read moreassistant Mrs. Arin are undoubtably the best in the game. They are very professional and handle your case very well to get the best results for you. I will definitely recommend Mr. Bingham because he is the definition of satisfaction guarantee. I was blessed to have Mr. Bingham and his team on my side.

From the owner: The Law Offices of D. Matt Bingham serves East Texas as a premier Criminal Defense Firm. No matter…read morethe scale or complexity of your case, Matt Bingham will thoroughly investigate your case and aggressively defend your rights. There's nothing more important to our firm than being a strong advocate for our clients and helping them navigate through this difficult time in their life. When you are facing criminal charges, you want the most experienced criminal trial lawyer you can hire. Matt has that experience, having successfully litigated many of the highest profile criminal cases in East Texas over the past 23 years. We would love to help in the resolution of your criminal case as your Criminal Defense Attorney. Please contact us to set up your initial consultation, at no cost to you.

Rushed high pressure mediation. Ellis was supposed to be non partial as the mediator and wasn't let…read morethe other attorney run around the office freely and to try and intimidate the other party. Allowed the opposing attorney to speak to the other counsels client and did nothing. If you have a choice don't use him if the court request you to use them do what it takes not to. Ellis couldn't properly negotiate a used car much less custody of children.

Highly recommend him! Very professional and gets the job done! Reasonable prices !!!!! Please use…read morehim , you will not be disappointed! this I promise you!