Blog
DNA FREES ANOTHER INMATE WRONGFULLY CONVICTED OF RAPE
False Allegations of Rape, Convictions Based Exclusively on Uncorroborated Testimony
By: Houston Criminal Defense Attorney John Floyd and Senior Paralegal Billy Sinclair
18 years ago Robert McClendon, then 34 years of age, was convicted and sentenced to 15 years to life in Franklin County, Ohio for allegedly raping a 10-year-old girl. Prosecutors charged that McClendon took a 10-year-old relative from her backyard and drove her to another house where he raped her. There was no physical evidence linking him to the alleged rape. The prosecution relied almost exclusively on the testimony of the child victim. The prosecution’s belief that it had the “right man” was influenced by the fact that McClendon, when he was 19 years of age, had been convicted of “corruption of a minor” involving consensual sex with a 15-year-old girl.
McClendon would have spent the rest of his life in prison. He had already been denied parole release in 2007. Parole release is nearly impossible for an inmate who refuses to acknowledge his guilt for the crime for which he stands convicted. But then in 2007 two law students, Dan O’Brien and Mike Harrington, who were working with the Ohio Innocence Project based with the University of Cincinnati Law School, were assigned McClendon’s case. They called the prosecutor’s office and learned that a pair of underpants worn by the victim had been sitting around the prosecutor’s office for years.
The Ohio Innocence Project, joined by the Columbus Dispatch newspaper, started applying pressure to have McClendon’s DNA compared to samples found in the victim’s underwear. Testing ultimately demonstrated that McClendon’s DNA did not match the DNA in the victim’s underpants.
Earlier this year two other UC law students, Megan Tonner and Courtney Cunningham, took over the case for the Innocence Project. They filed a motion for a new trial. On August 11, 2008 state District Court Judge Charles Schneider granted the motion and ordered McClendon freed from prison.
“You know, you go through times where you feel it might not happen, but you never, ever give up hope,” McClendon was quoted by Associated Press after his release. “You don’t ever use the word, ‘never happen.’ It’s not healthy.”
Closer to home.
In 1981 Charles Chatman, then 20 years of age, was convicted of raping a young woman in Dallas and sentenced to life in prison. Chatman became the 15th of a total of 17 inmates convicted in Dallas who have been exonerated by DNA evidence – the most in any one county in the United States. Altogether, DNA evidence has exonerated 33 inmates wrongfully convicted in the State of Texas – the most in any state in the country.
Chatman’s alleged victim picked him out of a photo lineup.
“But Charles has always maintained his innocence,” said Michelle Moore, the Dallas public defender who represented Chatman.
At the time of the rape identification Chatman was in jail on an unrelated burglary charge. Although he lived five houses down from the alleged victim for 13 years, Chatman said he did not know the young lady. In 2004 he applied for DNA testing under a progressive new program implemented by Dallas’ reform-minded District Attorney Craig Watkins that allows defendants convicted in Dallas to request DNA testing under the supervision of the Texas Innocence Project. But the only evidence containing DNA was a single swab taken from the victim. Testing would consume all the evidence; therefore, any inconclusive result would leave Chatman without any hope.
“This is a guy who had to face horrible decisions,” Moore was quoted by AP.
By 2004 Chatman had already spent 23 years in prison on the aggravated sexual assault conviction. He knew he had nothing to do lose. He would die in prison without the evidence being tested. He rolled the proverbial dice and the DNA testing exonerated him. A Dallas district court judge ordered him release. He had spent 27 years in prison for a rape he did not commit, making him the longest-serving inmate in Texas freed by DNA evidence.
“I never lost hope,” the 47-year-old Chatman told the AP after his release from prison. “I always believed I would get out. I didn’t know when or how, but I kept believing.”
Sixty-three percent of the more than 200 DNA exonerations in this country involve false rape allegations. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals this past June reacted to the growing number of DNA exonerations by establishing the Texas Criminal Justice Integrity Unit charged with the responsibility of investigating and correcting weaknesses in the state’s criminal justice system.
“This is a call to action to address the growing concerns with our criminal justice system,” wrote Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Barbara Hervey. “Although we applaud all previous studies and dialogue, it is now time to act and move for reform.”
The action by the court of criminal appeals came in the wake of calls by prominent state leaders to create a statewide innocence commission. This call to action was led by Chief Justice Wallace Jefferson of the Texas Supreme Court and Presiding Judge Sharon Keller of the Court of Criminal Appeals. The demand for the innocence commission gained momentum last May following a legislative hearing in Austin where nine exonerated men urged state lawmakers to address the causes for wrongful convictions.
“There has been a realization that we have to do something and we have to keep moving on it,” Hervey concluded.
Hervey said the court will work closely with Gov. Rick Perry and state Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, and will seek guidance from various innocence projects and legal clinics in a concerted effort to identify potential problems and implement corrective measures. Some of the issues the Criminal Justice Integrity unit will address include but are not limited to the following:
Quality of legal representations for poor criminal defendants.
Improvements in witness identification procedures.
Overhauling, and creating new, standards for the collection, preservation, and storage of evidence.
Create a review process for cases of current inmates who may have been wrongfully convicted.
Appointed to the Integrity Unit by the Court, Sen. Ellis praised the court for its creation of the unit by “stepping forward and showing some leadership. We know the problems and we know some of the solutions. We can put a dent in the problem.”
Dallas District Attorney Craig Watkins was also appointed to the unit.
“They are on the right path in Austin,” Watkins said. “With 17 exonerations in Dallas and 33 in Texas, we can’t turn a blind eye to that.”
One of the issues the Integrity Unit should immediately address is the increasing prevalence of false rape allegations, especially in cases involving alleged child victims. The findings made by the following four research studies support this demand:
A U.S. Air Force study, “The False Rape Allegation in the Military Community (1983)”, investigated 556 cases of alleged rape against Air Force personnel. The study found that 27% of the women later recanted; and based on a 25-point criteria, three independent reviewers examined the remaining cases and concluded that 60% of the allegations were false. Of the 27 women who recanted, some did not admit that their allegations were false until right before having to take a polygraph test while others admitted to the falsity of their allegations after actually failing the polygraph.
Purdue sociologist Eugene J. Kanin conducted a nine-year study of 109 rape allegations made to the police in one Midwestern city. 41% of the alleged rape victims eventually recanted and admitted that no rape had occurred.
Professor Kanin conducted a follow-up study of 64 rape cases over a three-year period at two large Midwestern universities. Half of those rape cases turned out to be false – and 54% of the women making the false rape allegations said they did so as an alibi.
As we have reported previously on the John T. Floyd website, the U.S. Justice Department released the results of a study in 1996 which found that the primary suspect in 25% of the sexual assault cases referred to the FBI was excluded by DNA evidence.
In light of the findings of these studies, a former Denver, Colorado prosecutor named Craig Silverman said: “For 16 years, I was a kick-ass prosecutor who made most of my reputation vigorously prosecuting rapists. … I was amazed to see all the false rape allegations that were made to the Denver Police Department. … A command officer in the Denver Police sex assaults unit recently told me he placed the false rape numbers at approximately 45%.”
In 2004 the FBI said that approximately 95,000 forcible rapes were reported to law enforcement agencies in the United States. Based on the most conservative findings of the Justice Study (25%), as opposed to the practical experience of the command officer of the Denver Police’s sexual assault unit (45%), over 33,000 false rape allegations are made annually against innocent people in this country, primarily men and mostly African-American.
The most difficult case a defense attorney can undertake in Texas is a rape case, especially one involving a child victim. It is too easy for the prosecution to wrongly convict, sentence, and imprison an innocent defendant – and even in those cases that do not result in a conviction, a false rape allegation can destroy a person emotionally, socially and economically.
One reason for this is that a criminal defendant in Texas can be convicted for the sexual assault of a adult age female or for the aggravated sexual assault of a child under fourteen years of age based solely on the uncorroborated testimony of the victim. See: Tex. Code of Crim. Proc. art. 38.07.
Generally, in uncorroborated victim testimony cases, the prosecution will try to introduce evidence of extraneous offenses or other “bad acts” by the defendant under Rule 404(b) of the Texas Rules of Evidence to bolster its case. The prosecution understands that if the trial court improperly admits this evidence, that trial court decision will usually be considered a “harmless error” on appeal. See: Revill v. State, 2004 Tex. App. LEXIS 5654 (Tex.App.-Tyler 2004).
Nearly two decades ago the Court of Criminal Appeals in Montgomery v. State, 810 S.W.2d 372 (Tex.Crim.App. 1990) held that Rule 404(b) reflects a policy decision by the rule makers that evidence of extraneous misconduct at the guilt phase of trial having no relevance apart from inferences of character conformity is more prejudicial than probative as a matter of law, and that a trial court has no discretion to rule otherwise.
In deciding whether to admit evidence of extraneous offenses, the trial court must conduct a balancing test under Rule 403 of the Texas Rules of Criminal Evidence. This balancing test requires the court to weigh the probative value of the extraneous offense evidence against its undue prejudice, confusion of the issues, tendency to mislead the jury, and undue delay. See: Gigliobianco v. State, 210 S.W.3d 637, 642 (Tex.Crim.App. 2006).
The Court of Criminal Appeals has recognized the following factors to be considered in a Rule 403 balancing analysis: (1) the strength of the evidence in making a fact more or less probable, (2) the potential of the extraneous-offense evidence to impress the jury in some irrational but indelible way, (3) the amount of time the proponent needed to develop the evidence, and (4) the strength of the proponent’s need for this evidence to prove a fact of consequence. See: Mozon v. State, 991 S.W.2d 841, 847 (Tex.Crim.App. 1999).
When the prosecution notices the defense that it will use extraneous sexual assault offenses involving another victim, the trial court cannot assess the credibility of this witness while conducting the Rule 403 balancing test. See: Montgomery v. State, supra. Citing Wright and Graham’s Federal Practice and Procedure, the court explained:
“’[I]t seems relatively clear that in the weighing process under Rule 403 the judge cannot consider the credibility of the witnesses. In the first place, credibility is a question for the jury; to permit the judge to exclude evidence on the grounds that he thinks it incredible would be a remarkable innovation and may even be a violation of the right of trial by jury. In the second place even if the jury were not involved, in order to assess the credibility of a witness the judge would have to hear his testimony so as to assess his demeanor, know what evidence is available to corroborate his testimony, and perhaps even look at the impeaching evidence that the opponent plans to introduce. Rule 403 presupposes that the judge can determine the admissibility by assessing logical inferences at the time it is offered. If the judge were to assess credibility as well, it is difficult to see how this could be done without first hearing nearly the entire trial.’” Id., at 382.
But the courts do not always view this legal caveat as a license to allow extraneous offense evidence that is clearly more prejudicial than probative. See: Webb v. State, 36 S.W.3d 164 (Tex.App-Houston [14th Dist.] 2000) [en banc]. The Webb court confronted the extraneous offense issue in an aggravated sexual assault case involving a topless dancer. Id., at 171. During the trial, the State introduced the testimony of another topless dancer who testified that the defendant sexually assaulted in a manner similar to the crime charged. The defendant challenged the issue on appeal:
“Porter, another topless dancer who worked at the same nightclub as Baird, testified that the appellant sexually assaulted her in much the same way he was accused of sexually assaulting Baird. In describing the events leading up to her attack, Porter testified that the appellant offered her a ride home from the nightclub after she became intoxicated. According to Porter, the appellant took her to his home and told her she should sleep there for a few hours before going home to her son; after she fell asleep, the appellant got on top of her and began choking her. Porter testified that the appellant then commanded her to have oral and vaginal sex with him. She did.” Id., at 180.
The appeals court held that the trial court committed reversible error by allowing Porter’s testimony and refused an invitation by the State to find that error “harmless”:
“In Owens[v. State, 827 S.W.2d 911, 914 (Tex.Crim.App. 1992)], the only ultimate fact in dispute was whether the appellant committed the charged offense, i.e., aggravated sexual assault of a child. There was no dispute as to identity, motive, intent or any of the other exceptions listed in rule 404(b). The jury had the testimony of the appellant and the complainant, appellant’s daughter; the State then produced another of the appellant’s daughters as a rebuttal witness after the appellant denied the offense occurred. The Court of Criminal Appeals held that evidence of an extraneous offense tending to show the appellant’s ‘system’ could not assist the jury in its determination of whether or not the appellant molested the complainant except by showing character conformity in violation of rule 404(b).
”Likewise, the ultimate fact in dispute here is whether the appellant committed aggravated sexual assault of Baird. At trial, the court ruled that the extraneous offense evidence involving Porter would be admitted because it was a ‘signature type’ offense that showed ‘opportunity, plan, maybe motive, scheme . . . .’ However, there was no dispute as to identity, motive, intent or any of the other exceptions listed in rule 404(b). The State produced Porter in its case in chief for the stated purpose of challenging the ‘defensive theory’ brought out in the cross examination of Baird that she was mistaken or unsure about the events that occurred because of her high level of intoxication on the evening in question, i.e., to show the offense did not occur. Evidence of an extraneous offense against Porter in April or May of 1995, could not assist the jury in its determination of whether the appellant sexually assaulted Baird in August of 1996, except by showing character conformity in violation of rule 404(b). In other words, proof of the sexual assault against Porter served no probative function other than to show appellant as a person who commits sexual assaults in general, and, therefore, was more likely to have committed the sexual assault against Baird, an inference rule 404(b) strictly forbids.
”On this record, we cannot find that the assault on Porter has any true relevance apart from the appellant’s character or his actions in conformity therewith. Rule 404(b) proscribes the admission of such evidence. Because the trial court failed to identify any legitimate reason for allowing evidence of this extraneous offense and our independent review of the record reveals none, we find it was an abuse of discretion for the trial court to admit evidence of it.” Id., at 190-81.
After the en banc Webb decision, the Court of Criminal Appeals qualified its Montgomery per se 404(b) exclusion rule dealing with extraneous offense evidence by saying that such evidence can be presented on rebuttal to certain defenses raised by a defendant.
First, in Powell v. State, 63 S.W.3d 435 (Tex.Crim.App. 2001) the defendant in child indecency case asserted a “lack-of-opportunity” defense in both his opening statement and during the cross examination of the child victim. Id., at 439. The court said the trial court did not err by allowing the state to present evidence of extraneous offenses to rebut that defense. Id., at 438.
Second, in Wheeler v. State, 67 S.W.3d 879 (Tex.Crim.App. 2002) the defendant in a child sexual assault case asserted two defenses: lack-of-opportunity and frame-up. The court said the trial court did not err by allowing evidence of extraneous offenses to rebut the “frame up” theory because that misconduct was similar to the charged conduct. Id., at 887.
Third, in Moses v. State, 105 S.W.3d 622 (Tex.Crim.App. 2003) the defendant in a public bribery case involving a police officer asserted two retaliation defenses. First, the defendant alleged that the criminal charge was brought against him because his wife had complained about other police officers violating a tow-truck policy; second, the criminal charge was not filed against him until the wife made the charges against the other officers. Id., at 627. The court said the trial court did not err by allowing evidence of extraneous offenses to rebut the retaliation defenses.
However, the appeals court in Bass v. State, 222 S.W.3d 571 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th] 2007) followed its en banc precedent in Webb and explicitly rejected the State’s argument that Webb had been undermined by Powell, Wheeler, and Moses. Id., 576-77. In a sexual assault case involving belated sexual assault allegations made by an adult female against a former pastor for sexual abuse when the alleged victim was sixteen, the Bass court ruled that a “fabrication” defense was distinguishable from the defenses raised in Powell, Wheeler, and Moses; and, therefore, the trial court committed reversible error by admitting extraneous offenses of alleged sexual misconduct similar to the conduct charged against the defendant. Id., at 578.
More recently the appeals court in State v. Bargas, 252 S.W.3d 879 (Tex.App.-Houston [14th] 2008) qualified Bass slightly by saying extraneous offense evidence could be used in a “fabrication” defense case when that defense is laced with a retaliatory motive. Id., at 893-94. Defense counsel in Bargas, an aggravated sexual assault of a case child, presented the defense that the child fabricated the sexual assault allegations in retaliation for her step-father’s temper and physical abuse. Id. at 893. The Bargas court, however, took pains to note that it concurred with the Bass finding that evidence of extraneous offenses is inadmissible in rebuttal to a straight fabrication defense. Id., at 891, n 9.
The foregoing case law greatly restricts the options of a defense attorney in uncorroborated rape allegation cases. If counsel raises either in opening statement or during cross examination of witnesses “lack of opportunity” or “retaliation” defenses, the prosecution can rebut these defenses with evidence of extraneous offense(s) or other “bad acts.” If defense counsel presents a straightforward “fabrication” defense – what amounts to a “false rape allegation” defense – counsel must generally put the defendant on the witness stand and very skillfully navigate him through direct examination focused exclusively on a denial the sexual assault allegation. Counsel must carefully avoid asking questions about motive or lack of opportunity. He or she cannot open the door to negative rebuttal evidence on these issues if that evidence exists.
Absent an ironclad alibi defense, defense counsel is uncorroborated sexual assault case can overcome the evidentiary rule that the victim’s testimony alone is sufficient to warrant conviction through skillful cross examination of the victim designed to undermine her credibility and through the defendant’s well-prepared and well-coached testimony designed to deliver the truth to the jury. There is little, if any, room for error.
The Criminal Justice Integrity Unit would serve the interests of the Texas criminal justice system by re-visiting and recommending meaningful changes to § 38.07 requiring some corroboration of sexual assault allegations. The evidence of false rape allegations has becoming so compelling that it defies logic to permit a sexual assault conviction to rest exclusively on the victim’s uncorroborated testimony.
Take the first step toward protecting your freedom by contacting us now
Testimonials
John T. Floyd Law Firm
3730 Kirby Drive # 750, Houston
-
If you have hired attorneys that meet the Webster dictionary definition, ie: "Attorney " is a person that has a law degree, will not be totally honest, can take your money … More and not earn it, will put you off until he is ready to talk to you, and/or never study your case to be able to defend you. Mr. Floyd is the only attorney that doesn't fit that definition!! You will be delighted to have Mr. John Floyd in your corner! Not one attorney that I have ever met that would ever return a check that I sent to him, because he said I paid him too much! Wow! That right there should tell you something about his integrity!!!!! He has a very calm demeanor and doesn't stretch the truth even if you don't want to hear it, he will tell you the truth. Call and set up an appointment with him and judge for yourself. You are wasting time and money on any other attorney, just hire the best, Mr. Floyd.
-
John T. Floyd and his team are some of the best people! I was able to get a second opinion from them on legal advice. His team has been honest, kind, and very informative which has … More been a huge blesssing.
-
I highly recommend John T. Floyd Lawfirm. They are truly knowledgeable and willing to go the extra mile to defend your innocence. Psalms 35
-
Outstanding!Professional knowledge. Rich experiences. Good outcome.
-
-
The best lawyer I ever encounter with a very good personality. He’s very professional and he will go far and beyond for his clients best interest. He’s definitely a 5 star attorney … More when it comes to delivering. I couldn’t be more happier that I hired him !! 👏👏👏👏
-
-
I can honestly say from what I have seen so far, Floyd is a compassionate soul who cares for his client's. Floyd is by far very knowledgeable in this area. He's currently … More assisting my [Father] on a sex assault. We are all suffering so much as my father is an elder man, but we have faith in God, and Mr. Floyd he can dismissed this outrageous allegation soon. Thank you, yoli
-
I had wonderful experience with this law firm. They were so helpful and knowledgeable of the process.my case was dismissed because of Mr John T Floyd,thank you for everything .
-
I am very happy today my case dismissed God bless Mr John T Floyd very good lawyer thanks you so mush sir
-
I had a great experience with this Law Firm, the kind staff helped me locate a Lawyer even though they were unable to take my case.
They were very helpful, kind and returned my call … More in a timely manner. I would definitely recommend them and use them in the future. -
I can tell that Jone is an excellent attorney in Houston. Personally, he is a great man. In addition to great service and amazing results. Recommended
-
Mr. Floyd is an incredible attorney and human being. He cares about your case, the facts, the law, and your life! I am sorry for whatever situation you are going through, but choosing … More Mr. Floyd, his firm, and their professional experience to help you, will be the best decision you ever make!
-
John T Floyd is a straight shooter! He was very direct and responsive to my phone calls and questions. I was in awe of his knowledge, and professional decorum! The best decision that … More you could make is to schedule a consultation with him before considering anyone else!
-
I asked the Law Office of John T. Floyd a very important question regarding the legal aspects of purchasing a firearm with a deferred adjudication charge. They answered the question … More very professionally and accurately and I was quite pleased with the information that was shared. I recommend this law firm because they are very honest and will work for you and with you.
-
I’ve never been one to write reviews but this time I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to say something. I had some serious legal questions I needed answers to concerning Texas laws. … More Being I’m from another state, I found and reached out to Attorney John Floyd for the answers. Mr Floyd listened to to my requests and told me what he need from me and went out of his way to get me the answers. Very polite, straightforward and professional, I can’t thank him enough for all he’s done. Whatever your legal case may be, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Mr Floyd.
-
John & Chris helped my family member get a reduced charge and acceptable plea agreement in place. Their compassion, attention to every detail was what helped carry the day.Truly … More the best of the best.P
-
Mr. Floyd is both ethical and loyal to his clients; two qualities that are hard to find specially in lawyers. I'd definitely recommend him to anyone.Positive
Professionalism …More … More -
Mr. John was very helpful and truly was the reason why my case was dismissed. Thank you so much Mr. John I truly recommend everyone in need to work with him.
-
His service to the community and diligence to helping his clients speaks for its self! Not to mention the many articles, papers and TV appearances that speak to his intellect
-
John has given Excellent service and have been very friendly and extremely helpful to us. I highly recommend this law firm
-
This law firm is diligent, responsive and succeeded in getting my case dismissed. 10/10 would recommend.
-
super knowledgeable, good attitude, would definitely recommend him
-
Very helpful, knowledgeable and honest.
-
John is an amazing person and lawyer who is actually very understanding of how anxious I got and although it was hard to reach him sometimes because of his schedule, but never worry … More he is on top of things. He is very organized, very smart. I had the experience to go through a trial with him, and he always plans ahead well and is actually open and receptive to any ideas and comments I had and he was quick to decide which is right to use at the moment. I really appreciated working with him and Chris. Great lawyers and great people. As I was reminded by John, I am adding that the Jury reached a not guilty decision on the original charge and on a lesser charge in just 25 minutes. It took more time to write the charge and instructions for the jury than it took them to reach a decision.
-
Highly recommend John T Floyd law firm, great response time and demeanor.I was researching an on-going criminal case, when I found an informative article written by John Floyd (about … More the perils of expert testimony). I called his office, and was very pleased to receive a timely call back. Not only was Mr. Floyd candid and helpful, but he had the kindest demeanor of any attorney that I've dealt with. I am so glad to have found this firm.
-
Although I am not a client, John Floyd contacted me the same day I sent an email requesting advice, answered my questions and even when further to assist with my issue and communicated … More with me the next day. A true credit to his profession and I can only imagine how well he provides services to his actual clients!
-
I give Mr. Floyd 10 Stars if they were available so I'm giving him five that's all that's available. The first time I left a message for him it was on a Friday after … More 5 p.m. and within 15 minutes he called me back I told him I needed to buy a lotto ticket because that has never happened. I knew from our chat and him calling me back that he was different from any attorney I've tried to talk to left messages never got called back they didn't even know what I needed and neither did Mr. Floyd but he did call me back. I was very interested in meeting with mr. Floyd about my case because I felt he was very transparent honest and genuine. If you've ever dealt with attorneys they don't have those traits but Mr. Floyd does. He was very honest with me told me what I could and could not do with my case. He is not egotistical he's very compassionate and he actually reads the documents you sent him unbelievable that's never happened. He will be the only lawyer I refer to anyone that needs his expertise. If you're in need of a criminal defense attorney please give John T Floyd a call you will not be disappointed.
-
Mr John is a great human being and a very knowledgeable attorney. He has always called me back promptly,advised me very clearly and never rushed our conversation. i was wrongfully accused … More and Mr John had my case DISMISSED!! on the day of trial after fighting for me for two years. I am very thankful to the John T. Floyd Law Firm. You will not go wrong with John. Mr John you deserve way more then 5 stars.Thank youShaikh.
-
John Floyd Law Firm is highly recommended for your legal needs. He and his staff are highly professional in every aspect. Easy and comfortable feeling talking with him, and he understands … More your needs and explains your legal advice in a way you can understand. Enough just cant be said. Thank You Sir.Positive
Responsiveness, Quality, Professionalism, Value …More -
John was kind enough to assist me with legal advise on my firearm gun rights restoration. I highly recommend him and his firm. Very professional and knowledgeable. If I need assistance … More in the future I will definitely go back to him.
-
What I liked the most was that he actually returned my phone after leaving a message unlike pretty much everyone else I called prior. He listened and answered my question with the best … More advice that would benefit me the most. I was actually lost from moving to Texas from a different state we’re laws vary and he pointed me toward the right direction to get a understanding of if I need to do business with him now or after I contact a lawyer in my home state.
-
John T Floyd handled my sons case & got a dismissal for us! He is great to work with, gets back to you promptly & knows what he’s doing. Definitely one of the best we have had … More to deal with!Positive
Responsiveness, Quality, Professionalism, Value …More -
John is honestly the best! The whole team is. He answered me in a timely manner and helped me when my friend was going through a situation in Houston, Texas as an inmate. He was so … More thorough, honest, and without charging me sent me so much information because I was out of the loop. He never once tried to take you for your money, he did all that he could to. help me and I can't thank him enough.
-
I have used John on two occasions and found him to have full knowledge of Texas law, diligent, creative in plan, and aggressive in defense. He is the best criminal defense attorney … More in the State of Texas. No reason to look elsewhere.
-
I have been calling to get some legal advice pertaining to gun rights. A few legal offices would not even take my call because quote " your not a client and Im losing money. … More I I called John T. Floyd Law Firm and they were not only able to answer my question, but gave great detail information, and further elaborated on their answer. I hope I do not have to use them in the future, but if I do need to, they will be my first call.
-
Great lawyer! Needed some advice and gave me a Consultation, and advice for steps to take, without any hassle l, Was a honest guy and actually wanted to help me and not just take my … More money! Highly recommend!!Positive
Responsiveness, Quality, Professionalism, Value …More -
Attorney Floyd replied very timely to my inquiry and he provided practical advice. I will not hesitate to contact him in the future if I need additional legal counsel.
-
Highly recommend, down to earth lawyer. Talked to me about my legal issues without being super money hungry and genuinely wanted to help me with my legal problems. 5 stars ⭐️.
-
Very knowledgeable and professional. I called and left a message Friday morning and before end of business that day I received a call back.Positive
Responsiveness, Quality, Professionalism … More …More -
Very helpful highly recommended for any Question / case will definitely keep he's name and number for any other legal advice
-
Excellent service and a lawyer that doesn't lie. He does what he says. JW recommends him.
-
One of the best services Ive used in awhile. Thank you for all the help and answers. You got my life back. Thank youPositive
Quality …More -
Im impressed. This guy was polite and professional and most important...he listened.
-
Good experience and very good lawyer
-
-
-
Positive
Responsiveness, Quality, Professionalism, ValueMore -
It was a pleasure speaking with John. He is knowledgeable and has a true desire to help the people of society. I turned to him for some guidance of a long-standing issue. He never … More rushed our conversation and went out of his way to look into the details to provide the right answer as well as assist me anyway he could. Thank you for our conversations and I wish your and your firm the best. If you need a lawyer, John Floyd is your guy!
-
John represented me in court for roughly 2 years. I won't (and shouldn't) get into any serious details, but let me tell you that I couldn't have chosen anyone better. … More Seriously.Every appearance in court I felt very comfortable. The judge and DA's had a high regard for his reputation. There is a time I recall where simply his presence greatly impacted the court's interpretation of my case and persons. We were in front of the stand and the judge could not stop talking about John's prestige and past accomplishments and how that took in relation to my case. I kept silent in front of the judge, but I observed then that John's popularity and reputation within the court had already given me a better looking rapport with the judge. Let me tell you, I never had more confidence then, knowing that the judge held him in such high regard.This is not to mention how personable John is. I'll be honest that during the stress of court, sharing a laugh with your lawyer helps a lot. This may sound a lot, but I really appreciated the relationship we had then. This is also not to mention that he was able to deal very well with any DA that rotated over the years. Seriously, John was great, prompt with information and very hands on with my case. I had great peace those 2 years until everything wrapped up.If you're looking for a lawyer, I highly, HIGHLY recommend the John T. Floyd Law Firm. He IS nationally renowned, you know. He'll get the job done to the utmost confidence. He's very experienced and has a great record to boot. I am glad to have had him represent me in court and trust me that I never thought I'd ever say that (and whoever does?). We explored every avenue of victory together and I personally enjoyed the experience, despite the seriousness of the accusation.If you have a case that needs to be represented at the highest levels, choose John T. Floyd. He's a good man and very good at what he does. Him and his team has the experience you need to make the best decisions and options to get the best outcome for your case. We got the best result I could possibly ask for, thank God.Seriously. Hire John. He knows what he's doing.Seriously.
-
One of the few honest lawyers I have ever talked to. His complimentary consultation was knowledgeable and thorough. He knew exactly what the issue was and how to handle it. His candid … More appraisal of the situation and how to proceed saved me thousands of dollars in legal fees. If you have a case requiring expertise in John's area of practice, look no further. Hire this man!
-
I had the opportunity to read an article that Mr. Floyd wrote and it was very interesting. I called him about the article and advice concerning a similar situation. He not only gave … More me excellent advice, he pointed out not just what I wanted to hear but what I needed to hear concerning my situation. The Good, The Bad and The ugly in a manner or speaking. He spoke with an open and honest heart with information to help me and not just to get a client.
-
If you are in trouble and need a lawyer, contact the John T. Floyd law firm. Some of the best lawyers in Texas work there! Understanding and helpful lawyers and staff that will do all … More they can to help you 😊
-
He gave me one of the most honest answers I have received in a very long time about any issue I was having with anything. Legal or not legal. I highly recommend giving him a call and … More will be referring him to friends and family if they have any issues in the future.Positive
Responsiveness, Professionalism …More -
He took time out of his day to answer my legal questions and didn’t even charge me. I would definitely recommend him to you.
-
Gave free consultation on getting gun rights back. He truly cares about gun rights and getting you the help you deserve. 100% worth a callPositive
Responsiveness, Quality, Professionalism, … More Value …More -
Very professional, great quality work, and very friendly and helpful. Overall, their service is phenomenal. I recommend Mr. Floyd to anyone.
-
Mr. Floyd took the time to explain his experience with the law to me in layman's terms. Definitely give him a call.Positive
Responsiveness, Professionalism …More -
He was honest , knowledgeable , and professional about what we talked about. Most lawyers are just about the money , but not john.Positive
Professionalism …More -
He was very truthful and honest with us very great man I would recommend him and we would use him again
-
Very professional honest and works hard currently working my husband’s appeal I pray he does his best workPositive
Responsiveness, Quality, Professionalism, Value …More -
I contacted John T. Floyd Law firm and I was very satisfied with service extremely helpful and friendly thank you Mr. FloydPositive
Responsiveness, Quality, Professionalism, Value …More … More -
This law frim was informative,great response time ,and the attorney called back not some secretary or legal assistant thank u guys for all your help wish it was more like youPositive … More
Responsiveness, Quality, Professionalism, Value …More -
I would highly recommend Mr Floyd. He was very helpful and knowledge with a legal question I had.Positive
Professionalism …More -
He explained my case better then any other lawyerPositive
Responsiveness, Quality, Professionalism, Value …More -
Very informative
-
-
-
-
Had the pleasure speaking with John Floyd on a personal matter, he was very responsive, nothing but exceptional, and he really cares about you with sincerity and most importantly knows … More what is he talking about! No games or bs, his approach to my situation even though I knew it was probably way smaller then what he normally takes on, he was extremely helpful and didn't care about the size of the matter like other attorneys do. He really looked out for my best interests. You can tell he has decades of experience doing what he does just by chatting with him. I would highly recommend him.
-
Words can’t describe how grateful I am for working with John, he went above and beyond my expectation. I was wrongly accused and hired many lawyers before hiring John Floyd but they … More all disappointed me, I had lost hope until a friend of mine referred me to John. From the start he had my best interest in mind and gave helpful advice, he explained the process and guided me. He put more work and time than all my previous lawyers that cost me thousands of dollars. He was constantly communicating with court and defended me more than all lawyer i had hired before him. Don’t waste your time and money like I did, believe me when I say I hired countless lawyers before him and no one came close to John. I’m forever thankful for him for fighting for my innocence and getting my case dismissed. Thank you so much🙏🏼🙏🏼
-
I called Mr Floyd and left a message, with in the hour I received a call back with much more information then I could have ever expected. Mr Floyd was very informative on every question … More I had for him. He seemed like he cared, instead of like most attorneys that you talk to that are just out for a quick buck. If you want someone that is going to shoot strait with you, and has your best interest in hand, this is you guy. This was the best experience that I have ever had with an lawyer.
-
I can state with confidence that Mr. Floyd and his team are the most competent and professional lawyers one can hope for. My case was quite complex and I admit that as a law student … More I was not the most patient client. Mr. Floyd did a phenomenal job of managing the bench, prosecution and myself! The result was above expectation, and I will never hesitate to recommend this firm regardless of the caliber of the case at issue.
-
It was a pleasure working with Mr. Floyd. I contacted him regarding a legal matter and he was extremely knowledgeable about the law, and responded in a timely manner. I appreciated … More the fact I did not feel rushed, and he made sure he thoroughly answered all questions I had. I would highly recommend him!Positive
Responsiveness, Professionalism …More -
Spoke with John Floyd about a 45 year old criminal case I was involved in. I had very little information about the case and John helped me search what records were available and gave … More me guidance to find more information. He was very professional and took his time helping me. I may need to hire a lawyer on this case and Mr. Floyd will be the man.Thanks John.
-
Very professional and straight forward. He's not going to waste your time or money. Very knowledgeable in a large range of possible matters one could face living in these days … More and times. If ever you need legal assistance, this is who I would suggest. Awesome!Positive
Responsiveness, Quality, Professionalism, Value …More -
I called about some legal questions I needed to get clarified and John was able to give me clarification and sound advice. I will definitely contact John for all future legal questions … More and issues.Thank you John!Positive
Responsiveness, Professionalism, Value …More -
Knows his stuff and well respected with DA and judges. I have referred him a couple times and every client has been satisfied
-
John is beyond knowledgeable! If I decide to pursue my case any further I would only have him represent me.
-
What a great attorney, this guy really took time out of his day to answer my questions and explain my case to me. Very grateful, thank you so muchPositive
Professionalism …More -
Absolutely a very professional lawyer. Very well read in the current law and more than willing to help if needed.
-
Mr. John he’s a professional he knows what he’s doing and he’s patient they recommend Him stronglyPositive
Professionalism …More -
Great service, very knowledgable and happy to help with any questions I had
-
Quick to action and helpful and knowledgeable with entertainment industry based issues!
-
Responded on a holiday week. Very knowledgeable and reassuring.
-
Very professional
-
-
-
-
I want to thank John T. Floyd and all of his team. He is the best lawyer who cares aboutHis clients and fights really hard to get the best outcome. He is a fighter and he is awesome!!!I … More recommend if any one needs criminal defense , he is the BEST. We had a really serious caseAnd we are very thankful for the outcome. Thank you John!!!!! God bless you!!!!!!
-
The attorneys at John T. Floyd Law Firm work diligently to achieve the best possible results for their clients. They are caring and knowledgeable professionals. Their expertise in the … More law and their experience as trial attorneys makes them the right choice as a defense attorney. I recommend this law firm highly.
-
From beginning to end this firm handled my case like the top tier professionals they are. I would not trust ANYONE else with my legal needs after having less than stellar experiences … More with other teams. Thank you Floyd!!!
-
I really felt like the team cared about my case and am super satisfied with the outcome. Would not recommend anyone else!
-
These guys do amazing work and have phenomenal service! Hands down best in the Houston area!!
-
John and Chris are true professionals! Love those guys like family!
-
Mr. Floyd and his team are very knowledgeable, informative, and helpful.
-
A team you can depend on to stand up and fight for you to prove the truth the whole truth!
-
-
Mr. John T. Floyd represented me.I couldn't be happier with the outcome he managed to achieve on an VERY Important case that was dismissed the day of Trial. He is patient & … More very knowledgeable of the legal system. I HIGHLY recommend him to anyone in need of a lawyer!John, I am forever grateful & satisfied with the effort you put forth & all you did for me. Thank you isn't enough!God bless you & your family!
-
The John T. Floyd Law Firm assisted me, and I can tell you that the attorney took the time to answer my questions, and I didn't feel rushed or dismissed as I have experienced in … More the past with attorneys. The attorney was very nice and extremely knowledgeable. Initial impressions and continued excellent customer service are big factors for me and as such I would highly recommend this firm.
-
I thank you for your efforts to help Felons regain their Civil rights, and for the information on possession , I am A convicted Felon, no violent history. I am an expert shot, I am … More 76 yoa, and very concerned about the present lake of Security in our State and Country. God Bless and Prosper you in your efforts, Your friend, Sonny Bivens
-
I really appreciated both Chris and John helping with my legal questions and concerns. Both are good guys and I would not hesitate to recommend them.
-
Extremely helpful!!! Helping me understand the law.
John T. Floyd is Board Certified in Criminal Law By the Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Request A Confidential Consultation
Fields marked with an * are required
"*" indicates required fields
Copyright © 2024 John T. Floyd Law Firm • All rights reserved.
Designed & Developed by
