Not Guilty v. Goliath: Taking Down High Blood Tests using the Disconnect Defense in Texas

Licenses

State Bar of Texas, 2003

United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, 2004

Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals 2010

United States Supreme Court, 2010

Employment

The Thiessen Law Firm

Houston, TX

Owner: July 2011 - Present

Practice focuses on:

• Criminal Defense
• specializing in DWI and Controlled Substances

Trichter & Murphy, P.C., 

Houston, TX 

Associate: January 2006 - July 2011

Practice focuses on:

• Criminal Defense
• specializing in DWI and Controlled Substances

   

Brown Sims, P.C.,

Houston, TX

Associate April 2005 - January 2006

Practice focuses on:

• Insurance Defense
• Toxic Tort
• Personal Injury

   

Bell, Ryniker, Letourneau & Nork ,

Houston, TX

Associate September 2003 - April 2005

Intern January 2003 - August 2003

Practice focuses on:

• Admiralty/Maritime
• Civil Litigation

National Honors

• 2014 - AV rated as preeminent attorney by Martindale-Hubble 
• 2014 - ACS-CHAL  Forensic-Lawyer Scientist Graduate 
• 2014 – Charter Member & Board of Directors DUI Defense Lawyers Association
• 2010-2014 – AVVO Rated 10/10: Superb
• 2012-2014 – Axion Laboratories Forensic Chromatography Course Graduate 
• 2013 – Thomas Reuters’ Texas Super Lawyer
• 2010-2013 - Thomas Reuters’ Super Lawyers Rising Star
• 2011-2013 – Lawline.com Faculty Member
• Lifetime – Strathmore’s Who’s Who Lifetime Member
• 2010-2013 – LAWQA Legal Advisor 
• May 2013 – Trial Lawyer College; Closing Argument 
• 2012 – Lawline.com Furthered 40 Attorneys in the Nation
• April 2011 – Trial Lawyers College: Voir Dire Workshop 
• June 2010 – Trial Lawyers College: Psychodrama Workshop 

State Honors

• 2014 – TCDLA Board Member
• 2014 – American Institute of DUI/DWI Attorneys “10 Best” Attorneys for the State of Texas
• 2014-2015 – TCDLA: DWI Committee Chair
• 2013-2014 – TCDLA: DWI Committee Chair
• 2011-2012 – TDCLA: Young Attorneys Co-Chair 
• 2011-Present - The College of the State Bar of Texas
• 2011 – Texas Monthly: Top Young Lawyers in Texas – Rising Star 

Local Honors

• 2013 – Houston Magazine Top Lawyer in Criminal Defense 
• 2010-2014 - HCCLA: Elected Board of Directors
• 2012 – HCCLA: Unsung Herod Award
• 2010-12 – HCCLA: Lead Counsel for Second Chair Program
• 2013 – King XXVI Krewe of Maximilian-Galveston Mardi Gras

Speaking

• 07/18/14 - TCDLA Member’s Trip
  • 11 Essential DWI Trial Tactics
  • South Padre, TX
• 07/11/14 - Lone Star DWI: Blood Testing 101
  • Basics of Blood Testing through the Disconnect Defense
  • Austin, TX
• 07/11/14 - DWI Forensics Seminar
  • Basics of Blood Testing through the Disconnect Defense
  • Austin, TX
• 06/13/14 - TCDLA 27th Annual Rusty Duncan Advanced Criminal Law Course
  • DWI Blood Testing Basic; What Works and What Doesn't
  • Houston, TX
• 04/25/14 - TCDLA Trial Strategies that Work
  • Opening and Closing Statement
  • Houston, TX
• 02/23/14 - Harris County Municipal Justice Bar Association Annual CLE
  • Trial Tactics From the Trenches
  • Houston, TX
• 2/21/2014 - Third Annual Hon. Craig Washington & Sen. Rodney Ellis Criminal Law Seminar at Thurgood Marshall School of Law    
  • Advanced Trial Techniques
  • Houston, TX
• 1/9/2014 - TCDLA 33rd Annual Prairie Dog Lawyers Advanced Criminal Law
  • Basics of Blood Testing to Taking Down Big Blood Tests; How We Do It
  • Lubbock, TX
• 11/22/2013 - Houston Bar Association at Summer Creek High School    
  • Knowing Your Rights; Sex, Drugs, DWI and Assault
  • Houston, TX
• 11/17/2013 - Houston Bar Association at Westside High School    
  • Mock Trial Voir Dire
  • Houston, TX
• 10/17/2013 - TCDLA/ Public Defender's Office    
  • Indigent Defense Advanced Trial Tactics
  • Houston, TX
• 8/23/2013 - TIED FOR #1 SPEAKER - TCDLA Top Gun DWI    
  • 10 Silver Bullets for DWI Trials
  • Houston, TX
• 7/11/2013 - TCDLA Gideon's Trumpet Seminar Series    
  • Basics of Blood Testing; Attacking a DWI Blood Test
  • South Padre, TX
• 5/30/2013 - HCCLA Training Day: Criminal Law 101    
  • Trial Tactics from the Trenches
  • Houston, TX
• 5/3/2013 - TCDLA DWI Defense Project    
  • Basics of Blood Testing; Attacking a DWI Blood Test
  • Arlington, TX
• 4/26/2013 - Harris County Public Defender    
  • Closing Arguments – Storytelling
  • Houston, TX
• 4/19/2013 - TCDLA Gideon's Trumpet Seminar Series    
  • Basics of Blood Testing; Attacking a DWI Blood Test
  • Waco, TX
• 4/9/2013 - Houston Bar Association at Summer Creek High School    
  • Knowing Your Rights; Sex, Drugs, DWI and Assault
  • Humble, TX
• 3/1/2013 - Harris County Public Defender    
  • Closing Arguments – Storytelling
  • Houston, TX
• 2/15/2013 - Houston Bar Association    
  • Trial Tactics from the Criminal Trenches
  • Houston, TX
• 2/15/2013 - Westlaw Ed. Center National Webinar    
  • Basics of Blood Testing; Attacking a DWI Blood Test
  • Houston, TX
• 1/11/2013 - TCDLA 32nd Annual Prairie Dog Lawyers Advanced Criminal Law    
  • Basics of Blood Testing; Attacking a DWI Blood Test
  • Lubbock, TX
• 11/13/2012 - Houston Bar Association at Summer Creek High School
  • The Importance of Jury Service and Knowing the Law
  • Humble, TX
• 9/21/2012 - TIED FOR #1 SPEAKER - TCDLA Gideon's Trumpet Seminar Series    
  • Basics of Blood Testing; Attacking a DWI Blood Test
  • Georgetown, TX
• 9/6/2012 - TCDLA Gideon's Trumpet Seminar Series    
  • Basics of Blood Testing; Attacking a DWI Blood Test
  • Abilene, TX
• 8/19/2012 - TSU Thurgood Marshall School of Law    
  • Criminal Trial Clinic – DWI Trial Tactics and Voir Dire
  • Houston, TX
• 8/17/2012 - TCDLA TOP GUN DWI Seminar    
  • Cross-Examination of Breath Test Technical Supervisor
  • Austin, TX
• 5/17/2012 - Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association CLE    
  • Trial Tactics from the Trenches
  • Houston, TX
• 2/9/2012 - TCDLA Boot Camp for Young Lawyers    
  • DWI Trial Tactics and Skills
  • Dallas, TX
• 1/12/2012 - TSU Thurgood Marshall School of Law    
  • DWI Nuts and Bolts – DWI Voir Dire on High Breath Test with Accident
  • Houston, TX
• 12/1/2011 - TCDLA Voir Dire Seminar  
  • Car Accidents and Hospital Enzymatic Assay Blood Testing
  • Houston, TX
• 8/12/2011 - RATED #1 SPEAKER - Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Assoc.'s Top Gun DWI Seminar    
  • Final Argument
  • Houston, TX
• 7/15/2011 - TCDLA Art of War Trial Tactics    
  • The Game of Trial; Running the Bases
  • South Padre Island, TX
• 4/20/2011 - South Texas College of Law Advanced Advocacy Class    
  • The Game of Trial; Running the Bases
  • Houston, TX
• 4/14/2011 RATED #1 SPEAKER    TCDLA Art of War Trial Tactics    The Game of Trial; Running the Bases Tyler, TX
• 1/28/2011 - RATED #1 SPEAKER - TCDLA Art of War Trial Tactics    
  • The Game of Trial; Running the Bases
  • Edinburg, TX
• 11/18/2010 - RATED #1 SPEAKER - National College of DUI Defense/Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Assoc.'s Stuart Kinard Advanced DWI Seminar    
  • TIMBER! Chopping Down High Breath Tests without an Expert
  • San Antonio, TX
• 9/2/2010 - Network of Professional Brazilians in Houston    
  • Understanding Your Rights in Texas and Secrets to Avoiding a DWI Arrest and Conviction
  • Houston, TX
• 4/7/2010 - North Shore Senior High School    
  • Keeping Students Safe from DWI and Drugs
  • Houston, TX
• 3/19/2010 - Galveston County Criminal Defense Lawyers Assoc. CLE
  • TIMBER! Chopping Down High Breath Tests
  • Galveston, TX
• 12/12/2009 - Montgomery County Criminal Defense Lawyers Assoc. CLE    
  • New Issues in Montgomery County – Death to the "E" Jury; Getting a Fair Trial
  • Conroe, TX
• 5/8/2009 - David Burrows DWI Defense Project
  • The Game of Trial; Running the Bases
  • Dallas, TX

  Writing

  • HCCLA Defender Magazine - Author - Motion of the Month – Challenging Electronic Juries (June 2010)
  • TCDLA Voice for the Defense - Author - Vol. 38, No. 91 Motion of the Month - Defendant's Motion to Protect the Fairness of Future Juries (November 2009) 
  • TCDLA Voice for the Defense - Author - Vol. 39, No. 4 Catch of the Day - Motion Challenging Jury Array and to Quash Jury Panel (May 2010)