Unwavering Dedication
About Barton & Associates: San Antonio Family & Criminal Defense Lawyers
Most people who call Barton & Associates, Attorneys at Law are not searching for a law firm in general—they are searching for answers to a specific crisis. They were arrested for DWI last night. They were served with divorce papers this morning. They found out their co-parent filed an emergency custody motion, or they received a target letter in a federal investigation. The questions are immediate and practical: What happens next? What can be done? Who can actually help?
We built this firm to answer those questions honestly and act on them immediately. Barton & Associates was founded in San Antonio in 2001 by Gary J. Barton, a former major crimes prosecutor who spent years on the other side of these cases before switching to defense. The firm has grown into a team of more than a dozen attorneys practicing across offices in downtown San Antonio, Austin and Corpus Christi—but the founding principle has not changed. Every client who retains this firm deserves the same quality of legal representation that used to be available only to those with unlimited resources, delivered by attorneys who are reachable, prepared and genuinely invested in the outcome.
Our practice covers criminal defense—including DWI, felony charges, drug offenses, domestic violence and probation violations—family law, including contested divorce, child custody, child support and high-asset property division—and personal injury. Across all three areas, what distinguishes this firm is the same: board-certified attorneys and former prosecutors who try cases, not just settle them; a team large enough to handle complex multi-issue matters without overextending any individual attorney; and a record of results in Bexar County courts that reflects what preparation and experience actually produce when the stakes are real.
Our Focus
Family Law & Criminal Defense Lawyers for San Antonio
Barton & Associates was founded in San Antonio in 2001, during a period when the city’s legal market offered clients a choice between large firms with high overhead and modest local practitioners with limited resources. Gary J. Barton saw a gap: residents of San Antonio and Bexar County who were facing serious criminal charges, contested divorces or complex custody disputes needed the kind of rigorous, experienced representation that larger firms theoretically provided—but at a scale and price point that made it actually accessible.
Gary Barton came to that mission with an unusual background. Before establishing the firm, he spent years as a major crimes prosecutor in the Bexar County District Attorney’s office, handling capital murders, aggravated assaults and serious felony cases. That experience taught him exactly how the state builds its cases, which evidence prosecutors consider strongest, which witnesses they rely on and where defense attorneys most often fail to challenge what should be challenged. When he switched to defense, that institutional knowledge became the foundation of every strategy the firm builds for its clients.
Over the past two decades, Barton & Associates has grown from a solo criminal defense practice into a full-service firm with more than a dozen attorneys, support staff and offices in three Texas cities. The practice now covers the full spectrum of legal issues San Antonio families face: DWI and criminal defense across all charge levels, family law including divorce, custody and support matters, and personal injury litigation. The growth has been deliberate—each attorney added to the team has been selected for trial experience, local court knowledge and the willingness to take cases to verdict when that is what a client’s situation demands.
The firm’s location in the historic Palace Livery Stables Building at 115 Camaron Street in downtown San Antonio is practical, not symbolic. The building sits steps from Bexar County’s criminal district courts, the family law courts and the civil courthouse. Our attorneys walk to court. They know the judges, the prosecutors and the courtroom procedures that vary from courtroom to courtroom—and that familiarity shapes the advice we give clients from the first consultation forward.
What has not changed since 2001 is the founding standard: every client, regardless of the complexity of their case or the level of the charges they face, receives representation from attorneys who are prepared, accessible and accountable for the outcome.
The values that guide how Barton & Associates operates are not abstract commitments printed on a wall—they are decisions that get made every day in how we handle cases, communicate with clients and measure whether we are doing our job well.
Honesty before comfort. The most important thing we owe a prospective client is an accurate assessment of where they stand under Texas law—not an optimistic picture designed to secure a retainer. When a DWI case has strong evidence, we say so and explain exactly what the defense strategy is and what it realistically can achieve. When a custody situation is difficult, we explain why and what factors a Bexar County judge is likely to weigh. Clients who understand their situation clearly make better decisions throughout the case, cooperate more effectively with the legal strategy and are better prepared for outcomes—whatever those outcomes are.
Preparation as a non-negotiable. Every case at this firm is prepared as if it will go to trial. That standard produces better negotiated outcomes precisely because opposing counsel and prosecutors can tell the difference between an attorney who is bluffing about trial readiness and one who genuinely is ready. Our attorneys file suppression motions when the facts support them—not as delay tactics, but because winning a suppression hearing can end a criminal case before trial is necessary. We commission forensic accounting when a divorce involves concealed assets, not as a threat, but because the financial evidence drives the property division outcome. Preparation is not a promise we make—it is the process we follow.
Accountability to the client. Every attorney at this firm is reachable. Clients receive direct contact information and a commitment to 24-hour response times on communications. We do not route clients through call centers or paralegals who cannot answer substantive questions. We acknowledge when things in a case do not go the way we expected and explain why. We deliver difficult news directly rather than letting clients find out from the court’s docket. These standards are not complicated—but maintaining them consistently, across more than a dozen attorneys and hundreds of active cases, requires deliberate commitment.
Respect for the process and the people in it. We maintain professional relationships with the prosecutors and judges who appear on the other side of our clients’ cases, because those relationships directly affect our ability to negotiate effectively on our clients’ behalf. We do not confuse aggressive advocacy with personal antagonism. We follow Texas Rules of Professional Conduct without exception. And we treat every client—regardless of the charges they face or the circumstances of their situation—with the same dignity and seriousness that the stakes of their legal matter demand.
When someone searches for a DWI attorney in San Antonio, or a divorce lawyer in San Antonio, or a criminal defense attorney in Bexar County, they receive dozens of results. Most of those firms will tell them the same things: experienced, aggressive, results-driven, free consultation. The question a prospective client should be asking is not which firm makes the best promises—it is which firm’s record and credentials give those promises the most substance.
Here is the specific evidence we ask prospective clients to evaluate when comparing Barton & Associates to other San Antonio law firms.
Board certification in criminal law. Founding attorney Gary J. Barton holds board certification in criminal law from the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Fewer than three percent of all licensed Texas attorneys hold this credential. Earning it requires a verified track record of substantial criminal trial experience, peer evaluation by other attorneys and judges and passage of a rigorous written examination. It cannot be purchased, advertised into existence or claimed without verification. When you retain a board-certified criminal law attorney in San Antonio, you know exactly what standard of experience and peer evaluation stands behind that designation.
Former prosecutors on staff. Several of our attorneys spent years as prosecutors in the Bexar County District Attorney’s office before joining the defense bar. That experience is not a marketing angle—it is a practical source of strategic advantage. Our attorneys know how Bexar County prosecutors evaluate cases for trial versus negotiation, what evidence they consider strongest, how they respond to suppression motions and which arguments move their position. That knowledge shapes our defense strategy at every stage.
100+ jury trials. Our attorneys have collectively tried more than 100 cases to a jury verdict in Bexar County and South Texas courts. That trial experience is what makes our negotiating position credible—prosecutors and opposing counsel settle cases for more when they know the attorney across the table will genuinely take the case to trial rather than use trial as a negotiating bluff.
500+ verified five-star Google reviews. More than 500 clients have taken the time to write five-star reviews of their experience with this firm on Google—reviews that are publicly visible, unfiltered and written directly by clients without firm involvement in their content. Read them, and you will find consistent themes: attorneys who returned calls, staff who treated clients with respect during difficult situations and outcomes that clients describe as exceeding their expectations.
AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell. The AV Preeminent rating is the highest possible peer review rating in the legal profession’s oldest independent rating system. It reflects the assessment of other attorneys and judges—people who observe legal work directly—that our attorneys have both the highest ethical standards and the highest level of legal ability.
Best Lawyers in America recognition, including Lawyer of the Year for the San Antonio region. This recognition is based entirely on peer nomination and evaluation by other practicing attorneys, not on applications or paid submissions.
We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for clients and prospective clients facing active legal emergencies. Call 210-500-0000.
Fair Defense
Our Practice Areas
What should you know before you hire a divorce attorney or family law attorney in San Antonio—and what questions should you be asking?
Texas family law gives judges broad discretion in property division, custody arrangements and spousal maintenance determinations. The outcome of a contested divorce or custody case in Bexar County depends heavily on how well each party’s evidence is documented, how clearly the legal arguments are framed and whether the attorney presenting the case has the credibility and trial experience to be taken seriously in negotiation and in the courtroom. The right attorney does not just know Texas family law—they know these specific courts and how they operate.
Our family law practice covers every type of matter San Antonio families face: contested and uncontested divorce, child custody and conservatorship, child support calculation and enforcement, spousal maintenance, high-asset property division involving businesses and complex financial portfolios, QDROs for retirement account division, post-divorce modifications, enforcement of court orders and emergency protective orders. We represent clients in Bexar County’s family district courts and in surrounding county courts, and we bring the same preparation to a mediation session that we bring to a trial—because the outcome at mediation is just as permanent as a court verdict.
What does it actually mean to have an experienced criminal defense attorney in San Antonio—and why does it matter from the first hour after an arrest?
Criminal cases in Bexar County are won or lost long before trial. The decisions made in the first 24 to 48 hours—whether to request an ALR hearing within the 15-day deadline after a DWI arrest, whether to invoke the right to remain silent before an interrogation, whether to post bond on conditions that can be violated, and whether to begin building the factual record before evidence disappears—shape everything that comes after. An experienced criminal defense attorney advises on all of these decisions immediately, not after the situation has already crystallized around choices made without legal guidance.
Our criminal defense practice covers the full range of charges prosecuted in Bexar County: DWI and felony DWI, drug possession and delivery, assault and domestic violence, weapons offenses, theft and fraud, sex crimes, probation violations and murder and manslaughter. We appear regularly in the 144th, 175th, 186th and 227th Criminal District Courts, as well as in the county courts at law that handle misdemeanor cases. Our attorneys know the prosecutors in each court, the tendencies of each judge and the procedural landscape that differs from courtroom to courtroom. That institutional knowledge—built over years of daily practice in these specific courts—directly affects the quality of advice and strategy we bring to every case.
What should you do—and what should you avoid—in the days immediately following a serious accident in San Antonio?
The most common mistake injury victims make is speaking with the at-fault party’s insurance adjuster before consulting an attorney. Insurance adjusters are skilled at gathering statements that limit the company’s liability exposure, and those statements can significantly reduce or eliminate the compensation you would otherwise be entitled to recover. Texas has a two-year statute of limitations for most personal injury claims—but the practical deadline for preserving evidence, identifying witnesses and building a strong case is measured in days, not years. Surveillance footage is overwritten. Accident reconstruction evidence degrades. Witnesses’ memories fade.
Our personal injury attorneys handle car accidents and 18-wheeler collisions, motorcycle and pedestrian accidents, premises liability and slip-and-fall cases, workplace and construction accidents, wrongful death, drunk driving accident claims—including Dram Shop claims against establishments that over-served the at-fault driver—and catastrophic injury cases involving traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage and permanent disability. An alignment of interest means we pursue the maximum available recovery in every case we accept, not the quickest settlement that serves the firm’s cash flow.
Barton & Associates
Client-Centered Excellence
What credentials should you look for when evaluating a San Antonio law firm—and how do Barton & Associates’ credentials compare?
The legal services market in San Antonio is crowded, and the marketing language most firms use is largely interchangeable. “Experienced,” “aggressive,” “results-driven,” and “client-focused” appear on almost every law firm website in the city. The question is not which firm uses those words, but which firm’s record actually supports them. Here is what Barton & Associates’ credentials mean in concrete terms.
Board Certification in Criminal Law—Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Founding attorney Gary J. Barton is board-certified in criminal law, a designation held by fewer than three percent of Texas attorneys. Certification requires verified substantial trial experience in criminal cases, peer review by attorneys and judges familiar with the applicant’s work, and passage of a comprehensive written examination. The Texas Board of Legal Specialization administers the process and publishes the list of certified attorneys publicly. You can verify Gary Barton’s certification directly at texasbar.com.
AV Preeminent—Martindale-Hubbell. The AV Preeminent rating is Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer review rating, reflecting the assessment of judges and practicing attorneys that a firm’s lawyers have demonstrated both the highest ethical standards and the highest level of legal ability in their field. The rating cannot be purchased—it is the product of confidential evaluation by peers who observe the attorney’s work directly.
Best Lawyers in America—Lawyer of the Year, San Antonio. Recognition by Best Lawyers is based on peer nomination and evaluation, with no application process or fees. The Lawyer of the Year designation within a specific region and practice area is awarded to a single attorney per category based on the highest overall peer feedback scores, making it among the most selective recognitions in the legal profession.
Former Major Crimes Prosecutor. Gary Barton spent years handling capital murders, aggravated assaults and serious violent felony cases as a Bexar County prosecutor before founding this firm. That background is not a credential listed on a resume—it is lived experience with how the state’s most serious cases are built, argued, and resolved that informs every criminal defense strategy the firm develops.
500+ Verified Five-Star Google Reviews. Our Google reviews are written directly by clients, publicly visible to anyone and reflect the unfiltered experience of people who retained this firm and went through the legal process with us. We have not selected them, edited them or compensated anyone for writing them. Read them on Google Maps or directly on our reviews page.
Where does Barton & Associates practice, and which courts does the firm appear in regularly?
Our primary office is located at 115 Camaron Street in downtown San Antonio—the historic Palace Livery Stables Building, situated steps from Bexar County’s criminal district courts, family law district courts and civil courthouse. The proximity is deliberate. Our attorneys appear in these courts on a daily basis, building the local court knowledge and professional relationships that directly affect their ability to serve San Antonio clients effectively.
We maintain additional offices in Austin and Corpus Christi, extending the firm’s reach to clients facing legal matters across Central and South Texas. All three offices operate under the same standards for client communication, case preparation and attorney accessibility that the San Antonio office has maintained since the firm’s founding.
The San Antonio office handles criminal cases in the 144th, 175th, 186th and 227th Criminal District Courts, as well as in Bexar County’s courts at law for misdemeanor matters. Family law cases are handled in Bexar County’s family district courts and in the courts of surrounding counties including Guadalupe, Comal, Medina, Atascosa and Wilson. Personal injury cases are litigated in Bexar County District Court and in federal court for matters meeting the jurisdictional threshold.
How does the first conversation with Barton & Associates, Attorneys at Law work—and what should you bring to it?
Your initial consultation is free, confidential and conducted by an attorney or senior member of our legal team—not an intake coordinator reading from a script. When you call 210-500-0000 or submit a Free Consultation form, you will speak with someone who can listen to the facts of your situation, tell you honestly whether we can help and what we can do and explain what your legal options look like based on the specific facts you provide. We do not charge for that conversation. We do not pressure you to retain the firm during it.
Attorney-client privilege attaches from the moment we begin speaking as attorney and potential client—before any retainer has been signed. Everything you tell us is protected. The most important thing you can do to make that first conversation productive is share the facts as completely and accurately as possible, including facts that seem unfavorable. Legal strategy is only as sound as the factual foundation it is built on, and attorneys who are surprised by facts in the middle of a case are less effective than those who knew the full picture from the start.
We are available for consultation 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For clients facing active criminal situations—a DWI arrest, a pending bond hearing, a probation violation—we respond immediately. For family law and civil matters, we schedule consultations within 24 to 48 hours of initial contact. Call 210-500-0000, Email Info@BartonLawOffice.com, or submit a contact form and we will reply the same day.
