Austin Location
608 West 12th Street, Suite B Austin, TX 78701
Georgetown Location
706 Rock St, Georgetown, TX 78626
512-369-3737
get directions Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any future case. Each case depends on its own facts, the applicable law, and the discretion of the prosecutors and courts involved.
Many criminal defense firms in Austin will not quote a fee until you call. We publish ours. This page shows what a criminal defense costs at the Law Office of David D. White, PLLC. You will see the starting flat fee for each practice area we handle, what the flat fee includes, what it does not include, and how the free consultation works. No call required to get the basics.
These are starting flat fees. Every case is different. Complex facts, multiple charges, serious injury allegations, prior convictions, federal exposure, or an unusually aggressive prosecutor can push a case above the starting figure. We quote the exact number after the free consultation, once we have seen the charging paperwork and, where available, the initial discovery.
| Practice area | Starting flat fee |
|---|---|
| DWI (first offense) | Starts at $5,000 |
| DWI (second offense) | Starts at $6,000 |
| Felony DWI (third offense, passenger under 15, BAC 0.15+, intoxication assault, intoxication manslaughter) | Starts at $7,500 |
| Misdemeanor offenses (Class A and Class B) | Starts at $5,000 |
| Felony drug charges | Starts at $7,500 |
| Felony violent offenses (assault, family violence, robbery, aggravated charges) | Starts at $10,000 |
| Federal charges | Starts at $40,000 |
| Expunction (Travis County) | Starts at $1,900 (filing and service fees included) |
| Expunction (counties outside Travis) | Starts at $2,500 (filing and service fees included) |
| Consultation | Free |
ALR hearings: The Administrative License Revocation hearing is a separate civil proceeding to contest the automatic driver’s license suspension that follows a DWI arrest. The Texas deadline to request an ALR hearing is 15 days from arrest. The firm’s standalone ALR representation fee is $1,500. When the DWI pretrial flat fee is paid in full at the onset of representation, ALR representation is included at no additional charge.
The expunction flat fee includes all filing and service fees associated with the petition, which typically run between $500 and $900 depending on the county and the number of agencies served. Most firms quote a flat fee and then add those costs on top. We do not. Kenneth Hines leads the firm’s expunction practice and handles those intakes directly.
Nondisclosures are quoted separately after a records review.
A flat fee means you pay one agreed figure for the full scope of representation described in the engagement letter. You are not billed by the hour. You do not get a surprise invoice after your case is resolved. Whether your case takes 10 hours of attorney work or 100, you pay the same fee.
What the flat fee includes:
What the flat fee typically does not include:
If any of these additional costs are likely in your case, we tell you at the consultation. You will not learn about them for the first time on an invoice.
The free consultation is free. No obligation to hire us. You tell us what happened, share the charging paperwork or court notice if you have it, and we tell you what we see as the defense path, the realistic range of outcomes, and the exact flat fee for your case. If you want to hire us that day, we sign an engagement letter and you pay the flat fee. If you want to think about it, or hire a different firm, that is fine too.
Consultations happen three ways:
Taylor Kacir is in the Georgetown office every workday. If your case is in Williamson County, she can meet with you there.
Most criminal defense firms bill hourly. We did too, when the firm first opened. Flat fees are better for the client and, in the end, better for the firm. Here is the reasoning.
When you pay hourly, the lawyer benefits from spending more time on your case. More time equals more fees. You end up watching the clock, reluctant to ask questions, worried about the next invoice. The relationship is corrupted at the incentive level. You are no longer a client. You are a meter.
When you pay a flat fee, that dynamic changes. The lawyer benefits from resolving your case efficiently and favorably. You can call or email with any question, any time, without worrying about the cost. Your incentive and the lawyer’s incentive point the same direction: the strongest possible outcome for the lowest amount of wasted motion.
Flat fees also make it possible to plan. You know what your defense costs before you sign. You can tell your spouse, your parents, your employer. You can decide whether you can afford it without a running meter changing the answer every week.
The starting figure covers a case with clean, manageable facts and no major complications. Cases priced above the starting flat fee generally include one or more of the following features:
If your case has any of these features, we discuss the likely additional cost at the consultation. The goal is that the fee you sign for is the fee you pay.
Most cases require at least half of the flat fee paid upfront at engagement, in good faith, before the firm begins work. The remainder is due on a schedule set in the engagement letter. Some cases require the full flat fee upfront, particularly federal matters and cases where a trial date is already close. That determination is made at the consultation.
We accept cash, check, debit, major credit cards, and wire transfer. Flat fees are earned at engagement under Texas disciplinary rules and are not held in trust against hourly billing.
If even the upfront portion creates a real hardship, raise that at the consultation. We can sometimes structure alternative arrangements, though this depends on the case type and the urgency of the timeline. We do not offer open-ended payment plans after work is performed.
The Law Office of David D. White, PLLC handles criminal defense only. Not civil litigation, not family law, not personal injury. Criminal charges are what we do.
Experience: David White graduated Texas Tech University School of Law in 2004. He has 22 years of criminal defense experience and has handled cases in Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, Lee, Coryell, Bell, Burnet, Milam, and Bastrop counties, and in the federal Western District of Texas.
Team:
Offices:
Counties served: Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, Lee, Coryell, Bell, Burnet, Milam, and Bastrop. Federal practice in the Western District of Texas.
At the Law Office of David D. White, PLLC, DWI defense starts at $5,000 as a flat fee. That covers first, second, and third DWI charges, as well as felony DWI with prior convictions. The starting figure covers a case with clean facts and no major complications. Cases with accidents, serious injury, or a pattern of prior convictions are quoted higher after the free consultation.
Felony fees depend on the type of felony. Felony drug charges start at $7,500. The applicable penalty groups page explains how Texas classifies controlled substances and their charge levels. Felony violent offenses including aggravated assault, robbery, and family violence felonies start at $10,000. Federal felonies start at $40,000. These are flat fees, not hourly.
Yes. No charge. No obligation to hire us. The consultation typically takes 30 to 60 minutes depending on the complexity of the case.
Expunctions start at $1,900 in Travis County and $2,500 in counties outside Travis. The flat fee includes the filing fees and service fees associated with the petition, which typically run between $500 and $900. Most firms quote a flat fee and add those costs on top. We do not. Kenneth Hines leads the firm’s expunction practice.
Most cases require at least half of the flat fee paid upfront at engagement, with the remainder on a schedule set in the engagement letter. Some cases require the full flat fee upfront. We do not offer open-ended payment plans after work is performed. Raise payment questions at the consultation.
Travis, Williamson, Bell, Hays, Coryell, Burnet, Bastrop, and adjacent Central Texas counties. Federal practice in the Western District of Texas.
We cannot answer for other firms. Our approach is that a client should know what a defense costs before they walk in the door. Publishing the fees removes one source of anxiety from an already stressful moment.
We tell you at the consultation. The exact flat fee for your case is quoted before you sign the engagement letter. You are not surprised by a higher number after work has started.
Yes, with limits. Some clients hire us only through the pretrial phase, or only for the ALR hearing in a DWI. Limited-scope engagement is quoted separately and documented in the engagement letter.
Call (512) 369-3737. The consultation is free. If you call after hours, Taylor Kacir or Kenneth Hines will answer. Tell us what happened. We will tell you where you stand and what it costs.
We are available 24/7 to speak with you
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Call Us: 512-369-3737
Wow! Mr. David White is truly AMAZING. He was very professional and focused on every detail. David was honest and straight forward from the very beginning. I felt like the system failed me, and David righted that by taking on this case with an incredible presentation of facts. He was very persistent and determined throughout the whole process. This was a big win for my family and I. We are very grateful to have such an great attorney In our corner.
We Cannot Thank David Enough
I dealt with David around 2011 for a DWI in Austin. He was really effective with my case at hand and guided me through the whole process with ease and Peace of mind. Thank you again.
Strongly Recommend David White
I called David last August after my daughter got a minor in possession while away in college. My wife & I were terrified that this mistake might cost our daughter dearly. Luckily for us, we found David to take care of this for us. He walked us through the process during the initial free consultation. Several months later the case was dismissed and ultimately expunged. We cannot thank David enough for all his help in protecting our daughters future!
Charge: Driving While Intoxicated-2nd
Result: Dismissed after Motion to Suppress Illegally Obtained Evidence Granted.
Allegations: Client pulled over after swerving
several times into adjacent lane. Client had strong odor of alcohol, slurred speech, bloodshot and watery eyes and was swaying…read more
*The results discussed here are not necessarily representative of the results achieved in all cases. The facts and circumstances of each case is different and must be evaluated on its own merit.
This page was written and reviewed by the attorneys at the Law Office of David D. White, PLLC, following our editorial guidelines. The firm has practiced criminal defense exclusively since 2004 across Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, Lee, Coryell, Bell, Burnet, Milam, and Bastrop County courts. The firm’s three attorneys — David White (managing attorney, practicing criminal defense exclusively since 2004), Kenneth Hines (associate, practicing Caldwell County courts since 2008; former General Counsel to the Texas Senate Jurisprudence Committee, 2010–2012), and Taylor Kacir (associate; former Senior Misdemeanor County Attorney, Bell County Attorney’s Office) — work each case as a team via weekly case reviews and shared Clio notes.
608 West 12th Street, Suite B Austin, TX 78701
706 Rock St, Georgetown, TX 78626
512-369-3737
get directions