Criminal Defense Attorney Bell County Texas — Killeen Temple Belton

If you’re arrested in Bell County or you’ve learned charges are coming, the next 48 hours matter more than you may think. The Law Office of David D. White, PLLC has practiced criminal defense exclusively since 2004 and represents people facing felonies and misdemeanors throughout Bell County, including in Belton, Killeen, Temple, Harker Heights, and Copperas Cove. By the time you sit down for your free consultation, the firm has already obtained your Probable Cause Affidavit, read it, and identified the evidentiary weak points worth attacking from day one. We take pride in knowing more about your case than you do the first time we meet. You can reach the office 24 hours a day at (512) 369-3737.

Direct experience inside the Bell County system

What sets this firm’s Bell County representation apart is direct experience from the other side of the courtroom. Taylor Kacir, an attorney with the firm, previously served as a Senior Misdemeanor County Attorney at the Bell County Attorney’s Office. She tried cases in the same county courts at law that handle Bell County misdemeanor matters today, knows the office’s charging patterns from the inside, and approaches every Bell County case with the perspective of someone who has done the prosecution’s work. That perspective is rare in defense practice and impossible to replicate from outside.

Taylor works alongside Kenneth Hines, who has 18 years of criminal defense experience and served as General Counsel to the Texas Senate Jurisprudence Committee from 2010 to 2012, and David White, who has practiced criminal defense exclusively since 2004 across nine Texas counties. The three attorneys hold weekly case reviews and share notes through Clio on every active matter, which means a Bell County client gets the full team — not a single lawyer holding the case alone.

Communities served in Bell County

Belton

The Bell County Justice Complex sits in Belton, which is where most Bell County felony and misdemeanor matters are heard. The firm appears regularly in the Bell County courthouse and represents clients on charges ranging from first-time DWI to felony assault. Belton residents typically see the firm for cases ranging from misdemeanors like DWI 1st, DWI 2nd, Assault Causing Bodily Injury, Assault Family Violence, Possession of Marijuana, Evading Arrest, Possession of Dangerous Drug, and many more. Felonies include Possession of Controlled Substance, DWI 3rd or more, Aggravated Assault, Evading Arrest in a Vehicle, Sexual Assault, and Murder, among others.

Killeen

Killeen is the largest city in Bell County and generates a substantial share of the county’s criminal docket. Many cases involve Fort Cavazos service members or family members. The firm has experience with the specific complications military status creates in criminal cases, including how civilian convictions interact with command and security clearance issues. Bell County offers special programs for veterans and active service members, so it’s important for your lawyer to know how to utilize them if appropriate for your case.

Temple

Temple cases follow the same Bell County process flow as Belton and Killeen, with arraignments and pretrial matters at the Justice Complex. The firm represents Temple clients across the full range of criminal charges and works with local bondsmen and pretrial services on bond conditions when needed.

Harker Heights and Copperas Cove

Harker Heights and Copperas Cove sit on the western and southern edges of Bell County. Cases originating in these communities are handled at the Bell County Justice Complex in Belton. The firm represents clients from both communities on misdemeanor and felony matters, including assault, drug, and sex offense charges that have specific evidentiary considerations.

Practice areas in Bell County

DWI defense

Bell County DWI cases run on a parallel track. The criminal case proceeds in Bell County court under Texas Penal Code §49.04, and the Texas Department of Public Safety pursues an Administrative License Revocation (ALR) hearing on a separate timeline. Both matter. The firm handles ALR hearings as part of every DWI representation and typically obtains the Probable Cause Affidavit in time to identify probable cause defects, breath test or blood draw issues, and stop legality questions before the first court appearance. Fee for first-time DWI starts at $5,000, which includes the ALR hearing when paid in full at onset. Second-time DWI starts at $6,000. Felony DWI matters — third-offense, BAC 0.15 or higher, passenger under 15, or charges involving intoxication assault or intoxication manslaughter — start at $7,500.

Drug offenses

Bell County drug cases are governed by the Texas Health and Safety Code and the penalty groups defined there. Charges range from misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia to felony possession of controlled substance with intent to deliver. The firm’s approach starts with the search itself: how did the contact begin, what was the basis for the search, was the search consent or warrant-based, and were the chain of custody and lab procedures sound. Most drug cases have a viable suppression argument somewhere in those questions. Drug cases are often won or lost by the attorney’s ability to determine whether or not law enforcement violated our clients’ rights en route to discovering any alleged controlled substances. Felony drug fees start at $7,500.

Assault and family violence

Assault charges in Bell County range from Class A misdemeanor Assault Causing Bodily Injury all the way up to second-degree felony aggravated assault, which can be enhanced to first-degree felonies under certain circumstances. Family violence enhancements add long-term consequences beyond the immediate case, including federal firearms restrictions and mandatory reporting that can affect employment. The firm represents clients in both misdemeanor assault matters and family violence cases, including the strategic decisions around protective orders and pretrial conditions. Class A and B misdemeanor fee is $5,000. Felony violent fees start at $10,000.

Sex offenses

Sex offense allegations in Bell County, including matters arising in Copperas Cove and the Fort Cavazos area, involve some of the most serious consequences in Texas criminal law: long sentences, lifetime registration, and immigration and military consequences for non-citizens and service members. The firm’s approach in sex offense cases includes early investigation, grand jury practice where applicable, and defense theory development before charges are formalized when the timing allows. We make the State meet its burden of proving its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Evidence solely based on mere accusations just doesn’t cut it at our firm. The earlier the firm is retained on a sex offense matter, the more options exist.

Expunctions and orders of nondisclosure

Kenneth Hines leads the firm’s expunction practice. Bell County expunction work follows Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 55A (the 2023 recodification of the prior Article 55), and nondisclosure orders are governed by the Texas Government Code. Fee for expunction outside Travis County is $2,500. The firm has handled hundreds of expunctions across nine Texas counties, including Bell, and Kenneth’s depth in this area is one of the firm’s clear differentiators.

For more on the difference between expunction and nondisclosure, see expungement vs. nondisclosure in Texas.

The Bell County process

Most Bell County criminal cases follow a predictable arc. After arrest, a judge sets your bond at a magistration hearing while also setting initial bond conditions. Cases are then formally filed by the Bell County Attorney’s Office for misdemeanors or the Bell County District Attorney’s Office for felonies. An arraignment follows, which is often waived by counsel while entering a plea of not guilty. The case is then set on a docket for pretrial work. The firm’s standard practice is to obtain the Probable Cause Affidavit and all available discovery, review them thoroughly, and consider which pretrial motions, such as motions to suppress, are appropriate where the facts support them. We use this leverage to negotiate directly with the prosecutor on outcomes that achieve dismissal, reduction, or favorable plea terms, and prepare for trial when the case warrants it.

What the firm does not do is move cases to disposition without a documented strategy. Every Bell County case gets reviewed by all three attorneys before any major decision, and clients receive the analysis and reasoning behind every recommendation. That discipline is what keeps outcomes consistent. We will never advise a client to take a plea bargain when we believe a better outcome is available.

Fees and consultations

The firm charges flat fees on most criminal matters. The fee covers the pretrial portion of the case, with no hourly billing surprises, and only additional fees if the case gets set for a jury trial. Standard Bell County fees:

• First-time DWI: starting at $5,000 (includes ALR hearing when paid in full at onset)
• Second DWI: starting at $6,000
• Felony DWI (third offense, BAC 0.15+, intoxication assault, intoxication manslaughter): starting at $7,500
• ALR hearing standalone: $1,500
• Class A or B misdemeanor: $5,000
• Class C misdemeanor: $1,000
• Felony drug offense: starting at $7,500
• Felony violent offense: starting at $10,000
• Federal criminal matter: starting at $40,000
• Bell County expunction: $2,500

Initial consultations are free. The firm responds to inquiries 24 hours a day, including weekends and overnight, because arrests don’t follow business hours.

Contact the firm about your Bell County case

Call (512) 369-3737 or use the contact form to reach the firm. Either Kenneth Hines or Taylor Kacir will return after-hours calls directly. The firm’s Georgetown office at 706 Rock St serves as the primary working location for Williamson and Bell County matters; the Austin office at 608 W 12th St Ste B handles Travis and surrounding counties.

The firm has more than 250 five-star client reviews across Google, Avvo, and other legal review platforms. Read recent reviews on our reviews page.