Dallas Post-Conviction Attorney

When Something Went Wrong With the Case

Your family sees the missing piece.

Does Texas law provide a way to address it?

Maybe the trial lawyer never interviewed a witness your family identified. Maybe records you handed over were never used, or an expert was never consulted. A conviction in Dallas County can leave a family asking a hard question:

Did the defense miss something that could have changed the case?

You do not need to decide whether the legal label is “ineffective assistance of counsel” before contacting a post-conviction attorney. Start with the specific event: what the lawyer was told, what the lawyer did or did not do, and what the missing information would have shown. From there, an attorney can assess the trial record, information outside it, and the case’s procedural history.

Blizzard & Zimmerman Attorneys is based in Abilene and represents people in post-conviction matters across Texas, including convictions from Dallas and the surrounding metro area. Our team, led by Sarah Durham, helps families across the state distinguish a troubling outcome from a claim that can be supported with facts and raised through an available legal procedure.

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The lawyer didn’t investigate.

What would an attorney need to know?

A family may have a detailed account of what went wrong without having the documents needed to prove it. For example, “the lawyer never called our witness” leads to several important questions:

  • What would the witness have said, and how do we know?
  • Did counsel know about that witness before the plea or trial?
  • Was the witness available and credible?
  • Does the trial record show a reason the testimony was not presented?
  • How might the missing information have affected the outcome?

The same approach applies to an unfiled motion, unchallenged evidence, a missing expert, plea advice, or sentencing preparation. A missed step alone does not establish ineffective assistance. The legal review must examine counsel’s conduct and the significance of the alleged error in the context of the whole case.

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Why families contact our Texas post-conviction team

Sarah Durham leads the firm’s post-conviction practice and is Board Certified in Criminal Appellate Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Managing Partner Jacob Blizzard is Board Certified in Criminal Law and Criminal Appellate Law. Senior Associate attorney Morgan Walker focuses solely on post-conviction cases. The first useful outcome is a more clear account of what happened in the case, what can be documented, and which legal questions deserve review. Results in other cases do not predict the outcome of yours.

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The appeal and the next step

An unsuccessful direct appeal does not, by itself, answer every concern a family has about facts outside the trial record. Depending on the judgment and procedural history, a lawyer may evaluate an Article 11.07 writ of habeas corpus application for a final, non-death-penalty felony conviction or a different procedure. Prior applications, timing, and other limits matter. An attorney should identify the applicable route before promising one.

Our initial review asks where the Dallas County case stands, what issues were already raised, and what proof may be available now. We then explain whether further investigation or a more detailed legal review makes sense.

What to have ready for a Dallas case review

The person’s full name; Dallas County court and cause number if available; conviction and sentence dates; whether the case ended by plea or trial; appeal, PDR, or prior writ information; and a short description of the specific concern. If you have a judgment, appellate opinion, witness statement, or newly found record, keep a copy. You can still begin the conversation if some documents are missing.

Faq’s

Frequently Asked Questions about Dallas post-conviction

Yes, a family member can make an inquiry and help gather records even if the conviction occurred in Dallas and the person is now held in another part of Texas. Representation and communication with the incarcerated person must be arranged for the particular case.

Not automatically. However, the witness’s proposed testimony, counsel’s knowledge and choices, available proof, and the legal effect of the omission all need review.

A denied appeal does not settle every possible post-conviction question. The available procedures depend on the conviction, appeal history, prior applications, and the particular claim.

Still asking

Why didn’t the jury hear this?

Tell us what was missed and when your family learned about it.

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or call (325) 252-6064