Casteel & Associates is neither efficient nor client-focused, and they show little interest in…read moreresolving cases in a timely manner. They take what could be a relatively peaceful and straightforward process and turn it into an expensive, drawn-out conflict over items that often end up where they started. Excessive paperwork and poor communication with opposing counsel on straightforward matters frequently lead to increased billable hours and a more contentious case. Instead of reaching out for negotiations by telephone or correspondence, Casteel tends to file for court dates, using combative language that states "opposing counsel has been unwilling..." without ever attempting to negotiate. Like most attorneys, going to court incurs a minimum of $2,000 from your retainer. However, with Casteel, you may find yourself making multiple trips without ever actually seeing a judge. Instead, you will likely wait in a conference room for hours while the attorneys negotiate back and forth, eventually reaching an agreement that could have been proposed and accepted weeks earlier through a couple of conversations--making the court trip entirely unnecessary. Barron is an average attorney at best and often displays laziness. Discussions with other attorneys in town will likely validate this assessment. Carter, on the other hand, is a competent attorney but has a tendency to engage in disputes over virtually anything, regardless of its significance. She prefers fighting over negotiating, making it a costly process for even the simplest items that could be settled easily. It's essential to understand that not every aspect of a case has to be contentious; finding middle ground allows for greater willingness to compromise on more significant issues. Casteel frequently relies on temporary orders, which serve as rules of engagement until the case is finalized. More rules equate to more expenses and unnecessary tension. They will file motions requesting obscure and restrictive conditions without any supporting evidence, only to advise you later in court to concede to more generous terms. This approach is a waste of both time and money. During mediation, which is meant to facilitate compromise towards a final agreement, Casteel tends to focus on unnecessary temporary orders instead of discussing anything final. Their goal during mediation appears to be avoiding a resolution, as final settlements would not generate additional fees for them. Barron and Carter often swap cases, meaning that Barron could be your attorney while Carter represents you at mediation. Unfortunately, they do not communicate effectively about the details of the case, wasting time by rehashing events from months prior. Moreover, Carter may reopen previous agreements, choosing to fight for a different direction than what Barron previously agreed upon. They will request extensive discovery information from the opposing party while openly admitting that they do not review it unless it goes to court. Understanding both the strengths and weaknesses of the case is crucial in finding agreement outside of a courtroom. However, their team often spends an excessive amount of billable hours "reviewing" your own discovery response, which will ultimately be submitted incomplete to opposing counsel. This incompleteness leads to further requests and additional billable hours to respond. While it may not be accurate to label Casteel as a bad firm, they clearly capitalize on billable hours and lack a sense of urgency when it comes to settling cases.

I called to see if I could schedule a consultation to see what my my options are and to decide if I…read morewanted to retain them and represent me with my legal issue. The consultation fee is a flat $250, which I wouldn't mind paying if I decided to retain them, but not if it's just an initial consultation! I'm glad I didn't because I look at some of the reviews now and it's disheartening

Emily Barkdull is hands down the BEST family law attorney! She saw my son through a complex divorce…read morecase involving child custody and she was very prepared and knowledgeable all the way through! You can also tell that she cares about her clients!

Helpful and sensitive to my situation. I appreciated how nice everyone was to deal with. Thank…read moreyou for everything!

[Not a client of this firm] Informational comment: It appears that calling in for information, such…read moreas for a deed change, apparently requires sharing your home address. According to them, this is necessary so they can provide the address to the lawyers, allowing them to retrieve your deed and review the details before contacting you. I chose not to provide my address since this was just an informational call, and as a result, the clerk informed me that they couldn't assist me. While I found this surprising, it is within their rights to enforce such a policy.

Mike and his team were focussed, educated, professional, and most of all won in a difficult…read morebusiness civil issue. Thank you Mike!

I was very impressed with Mrs Oglesbys detailed knowledge in recommending that I have Medical POW,…read moreHIPPA Release and Statutory POW and Directive to Physicians documents drawn up when my children went off to College. I had no idea how important these documents were and I hope I never have to use them, but I do have Peace of mind knowing that I have the proper information should I need it. She was patient with my questions, extremely kind and explanatory and I also thought the price she charged for this important information was very reasonable. I will definitely call her office again should I need any legal advise or support!

Very unprofessional and unprepared EVERY time I called. Requested information on the first call and…read moreI tried to ignore her attitude multiple times while HAVING the information the second time I called. I needed to set up an appointment. It should not take more than 2 weeks/3+ calls to set up an appointment. She answers the call like it ain't a business giving so much attitude before we can even give any names. EVERY time I called she always had an excuse for not taking my information or setting up an appointment and never called back. Worst experience ever. The area needs to improve as it is. No time to deal with law firms like this. On top of that, she keeps texting me to continue some sort of "point" with no remorse after saying "Not interested". I come to you as a client dealing with a life event. I cannot confide in you in this business manner. Keep that in mind.

I needed some legal work and Gloria came over to my house with the documents for me to sign. She…read morethen filed them with the Guadalupe Courthouse. I highly recommend her. I am new to New Braunfels and now I have an excellent lawyer.

If you are looking for a Probate attorney whether the estate is from rags to riches, I would highly…read morerecommend James "Jimmy" Carter. He has helped my family through our tough time with the loss of my mother and probating her estate. He was patient into listening and hearing our request that my brother and I had by allowing us to have an open communicate. His staff Rebecca Velasquez is such an angel to let us know step by step what may happen from worse case scenarios to a good smooth case scenarios and keeping it 100% honest. If they don't know the answer the team is quick to get you the response and information the same day by text, phone call or/ and e-mail.  On my court day, Jimmy was by my side talking and walking me through the steps, letting me know not to stress that we were ready for whatever may happen in court.  I had the honor to observe all the other well-respected attorneys and judges greet him from old firms to present firm he works with. I trust his quality of judgement and guidance, in our time when our world is turn upside down from a loss of a loved one. Sometimes you need that support to represent you and say "it's okay we can get through this and we will work with you".

I have encountered and worked with dozens of attorneys and law firms in my 10+ years as an…read moreaddiction and mental health professional. This time around, having found myself as the one in the cross hairs of the legal system, I turned to the Law Offices of Mr. David Hardaway for my personal defense. Mr. Hardaway was and has been extremely efficient and responsive from the very beginning. My initial request for his services came on a Sunday when I sent him a request by email through his website. Within hours, on a Sunday in the middle of the Holiday season, Mr. Hardaway himself responded to me by phone. During our initial conversation I was extremely anxious and stressed out about my pending charges because I have an extensive past record. Mr. Hardaway did an amazing job of calming me with his patience, understanding, and demeanor- he gave me the impression that my case was not too big to handle and I left that initial conversation calmed and confident that I made the right call. All I will say from there is that there were no broken promises, no false hopes, no shattered dreams. Long story short, he was extremely affordable, extremely knowledgeable, extremely responsive, and... he was able to get my case dismissed. I cannot stress to you enough that Mr. Hardaway is bar none the best in the business. Give him a call, you'll know within the first few minutes that he is a standup guy that actually gives a damn about the people he represents. Thank you, Mr. Hardaway. My family and I are extremely grateful and I could never repay you for the stability you have restored in our lives.

One word: LAZY. Talks a good game, but is too incompetent to…read moredeliver. Promised 2nd charge wouldn't happen... Failed. Labs came back at .019, not .19, but .019. So prosecutor dismissed... no help from lawyer. Now they failed at expungement. Find another attorney, this guy sucks.

Paul is amazing! He has helped me since 2017, and I feel blessed to have found him to help me with…read moremy case!

He represented me in a civil case and is as sharp as a whip. He genuinely cares about his clients…read moreand I have known him for 8 years now. He pays attention to all the details, has an incredible memory and his recall is spectacular, even using the smallest detail to score big. I would give him 10 stars if available!!!