Bellaire is an independent municipality completely surrounded by Houston within Harris County. Despite having its own police department, criminal cases for Bellaire residents that reach the felony level, or misdemeanors filed in county court, are handled at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center in Houston. The Bellaire Municipal Court handles Class C misdemeanors and city ordinance violations. Knowing which court handles which charge in Bellaire, and what the defense options are in each, is the starting point for building an effective defense.
At David Smith Law Firm, we represent Bellaire residents in both the Harris County courts and in Bellaire municipal proceedings. David Smith is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and a former Brazoria County prosecutor. DWI enforcement in Bellaire and along the Bellaire Boulevard and Loop 610 corridors is consistent, and the Bellaire Police Department actively prosecutes these cases. He handles Bellaire DWI cases regularly and understands how Harris County prosecutes them. Contact our firm today for a free consultation.
Bellaire is a professional community where a criminal conviction carries consequences that extend well beyond any fine or sentence. Many Bellaire residents hold professional licenses, work in finance or healthcare, or hold positions where a criminal record would be professionally disqualifying. Our defense strategy for Bellaire clients accounts for those stakes from the beginning. We pursue dismissal, deferred adjudication, and expunction options aggressively because we understand what a conviction on the record actually costs our clients in this community.
DWI defense is by far the most common reason Bellaire residents contact us, particularly arrests on Bellaire Boulevard, Loop 610, and Highway 59. Theft charges, drug possession cases, and expunction petitions for past charges are also regular matters. Professional clients seeking to protect their records through nondisclosure after favorable case outcomes represent a significant part of our Bellaire practice.
Bellaire clients benefit from a firm that understands both the legal charge and the professional stakes that come with it.
Arrests in Bellaire are made by the Bellaire Police Department, and you will be processed at the Harris County Jail in Houston. Your case will be filed in the Harris County court system based on the charge level.
Bellaire clients receive a defense strategy that accounts for both the criminal charge and the professional and personal consequences that matter most in this community. We do not apply a generic approach. We build each defense around the client’s specific situation and goals.
