James Ray Alston

Criminal defense Attorney at HOUSTON, TX

About
Contact
Reviews
Cost
Resume

Experienced Defense

As good as it gets

Hired James after consulting with atleast 3 other lawyers. James was very human in his approach and took time to understand the nuance of the case and added complications. Unlike others - he was patient and not watching the clock at the first free consult. After hiring he clearly set up expectations and never over promised. My case was a bit complicated due to need of another lawyer with a different legal expertise and James was a consummate professional who worked well with the other lawyer. In the end James over delivered and took care of everything within a very short period of time unlike others who in their initial consultation scared me and gave long timelines and quoted exorbitant fees. James was not only approachable but he was also very prompt in responding to questions over text and phone calls and was ALWAYS available. Additionally he was very reasonable in the fees he charged He and his office were very professional in their approach and were simply AWESOME I would recommend him for his experience, approachability and ease to work with.

About James

Learn James’s areas of practice.

Practice areas

If you or a loved one are facing a criminal investigation or criminal charges, you need an attorney with the knowledge and expereince to fight for your rights and freedom. James Alston is Board Certified in Criminal Law and has over 25 years of experience in criminal law. James Alston represents clients who are under investigation or charged with crimes in either state or federal court. James Alston is a former Assistant United States Attorney and a former Harris County Assistant District Attorney. James Alston was a prosecutor for 12 years and was trained by the government to investigate and prosecute crimes in both state and federal courts. From Federal white collar crimes such as mortgage fraud, healthcare fraud, and internet sex and pornography crimes to State charges including sex abuse crimes involving children and adults, drug charges, assault and family violence crimes, theft and fraud crimes and more - James Alston knows the means and methods prosecutors use to seek convictions and he applies this knowledge to fight against the system and maintain your freedom.

James Alston started his career as a prosecutor with the Harris County District Attorney's Office. James Alston was first assigned to the trial bureau where he gained valuable trial experience prosecuting all types of felony and misdemeanor cases. James Alston was later assigned to the Crimes Against Children Division where he prosecuted sex and pornography crimes involving child victims. James Alston then took a position with the United States Attorney's Office in Houston, Texas where he prosecuted international drug cases.

When you freedom and future are in jeopardy you need an attorney with the experience and skills to fight for you. Call Attorney James Alston today.

Licensed for 29 years

State TX

Status Eligible to Practice in Texas

Acquired 1993

Updated 02/04/2023

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

Contact James

Similar lawyers nearby

Mark Ryan Thiessen

5.0 231 reviews

Free consultation

733 E. 12 1/2 Street

Houston, TX, 77008

(713) 428-2322 Message
Charles T. Ganz

5.0 17 reviews

Free consultation

5300 Memorial Drive., Suite 750

Houston, TX, 77007

(713) 489-4826 Message
Jay Blass Cohen

5.0 13 reviews

Accepting new clients!

917 Franklin St #400

Houston, TX, 77002

(855) 563-0688 Message
Tyrone Cedric Moncriffe

5.0 113 reviews

Accepting new clients!

1001 Texas Ave #720

Houston, TX, 77002

(713) 574-5844 Message
Mary E. Conn

4.7 35 reviews

Accepting new clients!

1111 North Loop West, Suite 1115

Houston, TX, 77008

(833) 437-0974 Message

James Alston

3700 NORTH MAIN STREET

HOUSTON, TX, 77009

Message Get Directions

Reviews

Write A Review

4.9 / 5.0

17 customer reviews

5 Star

94%

4 Star

3 Star

2 Star

1 Star

Posted by Scott | October 2, 2022

Experienced Defense

James Alston went above and beyond to provide his expertise in a difficult situation. His past experience led to the best possible outcome for my family. His level of communication ensured I was aware of every step of an unfamiliar process. Look no further for someone to represent you in a time of need.

Posted by anonymous | December 15, 2019

As good as it gets

Read less

Posted by Miguel Gonzalez | July 28, 2019

Exellent Criminal Defence

I am very grateful for the defense that I present before my case, notably from the moment he took my case he was in charge of attending my courts personally in my case it was necessary to appear twice in court and after these it was not necessary that I attended my other courts because their performance was so positive and effective in my case my commitment was to finish my BIPP classes to withdraw the charges imposed by the Prosecutor and with perseverance we managed to obtain the best result and the charges were withdrawn.

Read less

Posted by Ken | July 20, 2019

Great Advisor...

James has once again helped mm e navigate the water of the judicial system with another favorable outcome. This time handling a motion asking for early realease from supervision. James made recommendations as to when to file and helped me to perfect my written submission. He made me comfortable and assured me that the machine was running even though I was understandably growing ever impatient...his confidence in his abilities coupled with my trust in him and his operation was enough for me to sit back and wait. Worth the wait...my wish was granted....James truly cares for his clients and he does not forget about you when it's over.

Read less

Posted by Nhan | March 29, 2019

Professional and hard working lawyer

I rate Mr. James Alston 5 stars for his abundant wealth of knowledge in the legal system. Mr. Alston is extremely professional and hard working. Compared to the other attorneys I have hired in the past, James is courteous and treats me with integrity and respect. I felt absolutely confident and at ease having him work on my case.

Read less

Posted by Steve | January 17, 2019

Review

My name is Steve Amira, and I had a federal case. With the help of James, my sentence was drastically reduced and he exceeded my expectations . James not only was extremely nice but he was more than just a lawyer, he developed a bond with me that I didn’t know was possible, and he earned my complete trust in the process. He always checked up on me and made sure I was doing okay. He always said I was welcome to come and consult with him any time I wanted . Not only did he get to know me but he got to know my family and my history. He continued to do follow ups and kept me optimistic. I felt so comfortable around him and I’m proud to have had him as my lawyer. I recommend him to any and everybody.

Read less

Posted by anonymous | June 28, 2018

DWI & Failure to identify

I couldn’t be happier with the way my case was handled by Mr. Alston. He truly was amazing! I spoke to a few lawyers before I chose Mr. Alston and he made me feel comfortable and asked me to explain everything that occurred that night. Immediately he started asking questions and taking down notes. I’ve never been in trouble before nor have I ever had a reason to hire an attorney. So I wasn’t sure what to look for. But he seemed so interested in getting the details of my case and that seemed like a good sign to me. Picking a lawyer is a bit scary. You’re trusting this person to represent you and help you achieve the best outcome you can receive for your case. So believe me I didn’t take this lightly. But Mr. Alston explained everything to me at the first meeting and truly made me feel like I was talking to a friend. He even made me laugh a few times during our first meeting. He was honest with me throughout the whole process. He showed up to court around the same time for every court meeting. He was only late one time and he made sure his assistant Stephanie texted me. If I had any questions I was encouraged to call them. At one point I had to call Stephanie past their business hours because the bailsbond company I was dealing with got the dates of my next court appearance wrong. And Mr. Alston and Stephanie called the courts and handled the situation. They truly put my mind at ease these past few months. Thankfully justice overcame and both cases were dismissed.

Read less

Posted by Uche | March 29, 2018

Great Service

My experience with James was one i enoyed, throughout the case he was hard working and paid alot of attention to detail. Everything worked well thanks to God and James.

Posted by Ken | March 9, 2018

Outstanding!

James is beyond reproach snd extremely professional. He listens without judgement and really made feel at ease with what we were trying to do. With his assistance I received a sentence that I feel was fair and commensurate with my lack of any criminal history and the facts and circumstances surrounding my crime. Highly recommend...

Read less

Posted by Christian | June 28, 2017

Dismissed my murder case :) yay!

James Ray Alston is an excellent lawyer. I got caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, and was forced to defend myself. The State of Texas still went ahead and charged me with murder. James proved himself with results and got my case dismissed

Posted by anonymous | October 20, 2016

SIMPLY THE BEST LAWYER

HE IS NOT ONLY A GOOD LAWYER BUT ALSO AN AWESOME PERSON WHO LISTENS ABOUT CASE VERY CAREFULLY AND DOES HIS BEST TO GET YOU OUT OF MOST DIFFICULT SITUATION. GOING THROUGH CRIMINAL CASE IS FULL OF STRESS, BUT MR. ALSTON MADE IT VERY EASY FOR ME. IF WOULD CERTAINLY RECOMMEND ANYONE TO MR. ALSTON.

Posted by Wes | October 12, 2016

You found the best attorney so stop looking!!!

It's a difficult situation when you need to find the right attorney to handle your situation, and there are countless attorney's who claim they can but never deliver. Stop looking now if you are considering James Alston to represent you, he is the best choice no matter what the situation. Very professional in all aspects, from the moment you speak with him its clear this guy is on top of his game. I was guilty, James knew I was guilty, but that didn't change his approach to getting me the best results possible. I was facing a felony conviction and 2 years jail time, James was able to get it reduced to a misdemeanor and I got to walk out of the court room and go home. Don't put your money and trust in a less experienced attorney that can't deliver the results, put it in James Alston and you will not be disappointed.

Read less

Posted by Gill | February 9, 2016

James Alston Very Professional Attorney

Very professional and knowledgeable attorney who took care of every aspect of our specific requirements. We would definitely trust and employ him again and strongly recommend him to any of our family, friends and business associates.

Posted by anonymous | October 7, 2015

Great Lawyer

I highly recommend Mr. Alston. He is a great lawyer who cares about your case. He is a 5 Stars attorney. His Paralegal person Lacey is also awesome to help you.

Posted by anonymous | September 17, 2014

Amazing Lawyer.

Always kept me up to date. He is experienced and knowledgable. Very professional and works with integrity as a core value. Just a great attorney.

Posted by NBD | June 10, 2014

Wonderful Attorney

My husband and I worked tirelessly with James on a sensitive criminal case. James showed the upmost compassion and care for our case. We got the results that were needed to get our case dismissed! Going through the court system is a horrifying experience and James walked us through the whole experience. Thank you James for getting our life back.

Read less

Posted by Philip | May 1, 2018

Great spiritual Lawyer

When I first met James for consultation, he was very professional, experienced and understanding of my situation. He has a strong spiritual background which led me to hire him immediately. James supported my difficult case and was able to get the results we wanted. He provided sound professional advice and guidance to help me through the criminal system. Thanks for your help.

Read less

View all reviews

View less reviews

Cost

Resume

AVVO RATING 10.0 (Superb)

Work Experience

Owner
Law Office of James Alston
2006 - Present

Assistant United States Attorney
United States Attorney's Office Southern District of Texas
2002 - 2006

Assistant Distrct Attorney
Harris County District Attorney's Office
1994 - 2002

Education

Loyola University New Orleans
1993

Tulane University
Masters Degree of Social Work
1989

Lamar University
B.S. Psychology
1988

Associations

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
2006 - Present

Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
2006 - Present

Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association
2006 - Present

Languages Spoken

Spanish

English

Honors and Awards

Top 100 Trial Lawyers
The National Trial Lawyers
2018

Best Lawyers
The Best Lawyers in America
2018

Super Lawyers
Super Lawyers
2018

Top Attorneys in Texas
Texas Monthly
2018

Super Lawyer
Super Lawyers
2017

Best Lawyers
The Best Lawyers in America
2017

Top 100 Trial Lawyers
The National Trial Lawyers
2017

Top Attorneys in Texas
Texas Monthly
2017

Super Lawyer
Super Lawyers
2016

Top Attorneys in Texas
Texas Monthly Magazine
2016

Top 100 Trial Lawyers
The National Trial Lawyers
2016

Best Lawyers
The Best Lawyers in America
2016

Best Lawyers
The Best Lawyers in America
2015

Super Lawyer
Super Lawyers
2015

Top 100 Trial Lawyers
The National Trial Lawyers
2015

Top Attorneys in Texas
Texas Monthly Magazine
2015

Best Lawyers
The Best Lawyers in America
2014

Top Attorneys in Texas
Texas Monthly Magazine
2014

Top 100 Trial lawyers
The National Trial Lawyers
2014

Super Lawyer
Super Lawyers
2014

Top Attorneys in Texas
Texas Monthly Magazine
2013

Super Lawyer
Super Lawyers
2013

Top 100 Trial Lawyers
The National Trial Lawyers
2013

Top Attorneys in Texas
Texas Monthly Magazine
2012

Top 100 Trial Lawyers
The National Trial Lawyers
2012

Super Lawyer
Super Lawyers
2012

Super Lawyer
Super Lawyers
2011

Top Attorneys in Texas
Texas Monthly Magazine
2011

Board Certified in Criminal Law
Texas State Bar Board of Legal Specialization
2001

View all awards

Attorney endorsements

Received (10)

Given (9)

Endorse James

Robert Fickman

Criminal defense Attorney | Oct 26
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"James Alston is an outstanding, bright and very ethical lawyer. When James was a federal prosecutor he dismissed a case, rather than go forward with questionable evidence. As a defense lawyer, James has shined. James is creative and he goes the extra mile. He looks for defenses where other lawyers wouldn't think to look. He's a fine lawyer and an honorable man."

Tyrone Moncriffe

Criminal defense Attorney | Oct 13
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. James is an outstanding lawyer. He is dedicated to his clients and he is a zealous advocate for their rights."

Aaron Harper

Criminal defense Attorney | Oct 16
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer. He had provided an Outstanding analysis and answers on several issues that I have taken note of and he is highly respected among his peers as a leader in his field."

Joseph Vinas

Criminal defense Attorney | May 01
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"I endorse this lawyer. James has decades of experience in state and federal court. He has seen it all and knows what he's doing in the courtroom."

Quentin Williams

Criminal defense Attorney | Nov 26
Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I have worked with James on a case in federal court and observed him numerous times in state court, too, and been impressed!"

Peyton Peebles

Criminal defense Attorney | May 31
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I've known James Alston for over a decade. After handling every sort of state-level criminal case there is, James branched out into federal criminal defense where he has found his true calling. Judges like James and clients love him. He takes his clients' concerns to heart and helps them out of tough situations. Anyone charged with a state or federal crime would be well-suited to contact James Alston."

Gregory Tsioros

Criminal defense Attorney | Mar 01
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have had the opportunity to interact with Mr. Alston as opposing counsel during my time as a prosecutor. He was always well prepared, very knowledgable about the law, effective, professional and ethical, with only his clients best interests at heart."

Shahin Zamir

Criminal defense Attorney | Feb 28
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Mario Madrid

Criminal defense Attorney | Feb 24
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"James is well prepared, thorough and knowledgeable of the law in his defense of his clients. He is an excellent attorney who zealously reprents his clients in both State and Federal Court. I highly recomend him to anyone who finds themselves accused of a crime."