Joe D. Gonzales

After meeting with Joe Gonzales and talking about the possible outcomes of my case, he assured me he could get me out of the mess I was in. After being offered a "deal" by paying him the majority of the money upfront within a few weeks, I was then pawned off to his assistant Mr Hendreckson and he han...dled the remainder of my case until the final plea bargain which he basically intimidated me to taking by not giving me adequate time to decide how to come up with several thousand more dollars to take the case to trial. I personally feel like he no longer wanted to deal with my case so that he could work on his campaign for district attorney. I feel cheated and now harbor a distrust for any lawyer in the San Antonio area after seeing the "office politics" that go on at the Bexar County Courthouse. Mr Gonzales blatently lied to me and did not deliver his end of the bargain. He did not inform me of possible outcomes or consequences of taking the supposedly good offer that was offered by the district attorneys. Several times the judges even questioned if Mr Gonzales was even informing me of my rights. When I was sentenced, I had to do jail time of which I was not even aware that I would have to serve immediately much to the surprise of the judge as well. For a first time offender, this was an absolutely horrendous experience and it has cost me my livelihood and has only afforded me constant difficulty in trying to remain a productive member of society. I have lost my job, house, and now am living on the streets because he failed to do his job. I didn't know the law; that's why I paid him. I was just another paycheck to him and the whole time he and his associate kept asking me for money even though I had already paid them in the beginning. Do not trust this man.

We were desperate and needed someone that would hear our small voice in a huge system. Mr. Gonzales came highly recommended. The professional staff helped us secure an appointment immediately. After our consultation, we knew this was the place for us and hired him on the spot. Mr. Gonzales is pro...fessional, personable, knowledgeable, honest, caring and helpful. He gave us his contact number and made himself available 24/7. Any time I contacted him, I always received a return call or message without delay. If he was not available for any reason, we would still receive a return call or message from attorney Christian Henricksen. These two attorneys are a true DREAM TEAM. He exceeded our expectations. He is not just an awesome attorney, he is an awesome person. If you have found yourself or a family member in need of an attorney, Mr. Gonzales comes with the highest of recommendations. Thank you for everything Mr. Gonzales.

I was very concerned about what attorney would represent me. I wanted and attorney that would they be fair and understanding to my case. I was driving up IH35 and saw a billboard with Joe Gonzales picture and phone number. I decided at this time I would like to schedule a meeting with him to discuss ...my case. My first meeting with Joe was professional and honest, he allowed me to discuss my side of the story without judgement. He listened attentively and made sure I understood the pros and cons to include the direction we should take to ensure I received deferred adjudication. Each time I was given a court date he was present and ready to go. Joe Gonzales met with the DA's office and negotiated the best deal for me. During the whole process I trusted Joe and he had my best interest at heart. Joe keeps you informed and he cares more about the client and the outcome. I appreciate all that Joe did for me and my family, he is one of the best attorney's in San Antonio. Thank you Joe for everything......your more than an attorney your a friend!

I was involved in an improper photography case. When I first hired Mr. Gonzales he got right to work on my case, giving me comfort in this most difficult and unfamiliar situation. He was extra professional and always available to explain the process and address my concerns. His staff was second to ...none and always made me feel that my questions and concerns were important. I found Mr. Gonzales very knowledgeable and had a lot of experience in my type of case. He is very familiar with the legal system, from being a former prosecutor and former judge. I would definitely recommend him to anyone needing representation. He is very honest, trustworthy and always fights in his clients best interest. There was a positive outcome in my case which may not have been without his involvement.

As a result of violating the state jail felony probation I was on by picking up an alcohol-related misdemeanor charge, I was ordered by the court to attend SATF- a local county-supervised state lockdown rehab facility for 4 to 6 months. Shortly after entering the program, I as well as many other res...idents were exposed to corrupt practices, negligence, and abuse by staff members. We wasted no time writing our families and reaching out to Chief Jarvis Anderson's (Chief of Probation, Bexar County) office outlining the things we were going through promptly launching an investigation of the facility by the man himself resulting in, even to date, the termination, resignation, and removal of various state employees from monitors (guards) all the way up to residential probation officers. To make a long story short, I was identified as one of the whistleblowers and in retaliation was MTR'd from the program 3 and a half months in with no prior write ups under the pretense that I "failed to follow facility rules and regulations" which was completely erroneous and yet another example of how twisted things can get when you are behind bars and powerless. I was sent back to county jail and the time had come for me to hire representation. Under normal circumstances when you are MTR'd on probation, you are not granted a bond. However, literally within a day or two of hiring Mr. Gonzales, I was visited by him (yes, him-not an intern or partner etc) surprised to hear that he wasted no time in talking to a judge to grant me a bond. Hours later after being locked up between county jail and SATF for nearly 8 months, I was free. I've used both court-appointed and paid lawyers in the past and have never seen any one of them spring so quickly into action with my freedom at the forefront of their priorites as if mine was the only case they were handling. My MTR hearing date had finally rolled around and things did not appear all that well at first. Initially both the prosecution team and probation liaison for the court wanted to see me either sent to SAFEP (a state prison sponsored rehab program 9 months long) or just in state jail with a conviction altogether. However, Mr.Gonzales was able somehow to convince a notoriously unforgiving and stern judge to reset the hearing for a month out to give me an opportunity to work and attend an alternative outpatient program through the VA. The judge was very skeptical about allowing us more time to make this happen but I am convinced that this was granted purely on the graces of long-standing experience and mutual respect accrued as a result of having had worked with her in the past. You have to keep in mind that right or wrong, this was the third time I was before her on this same probation, same case. Still though, Mr. Gonzales' confidence was reassuring the whole way through. I followed his guidance and reported to pretrial every week for ua's, got a job, and attended group meetings at the VA. Finally after a couple more reseths, the day had come for the court to finally decide my fate- whether I would continue probation after my second violation, or be sent away to state jail with a conviction or in my eyes being the worst-case scenario, end up sent back to SATF or SAFEP. I was nervous naturally. All anxiety quickly faded away when I began to watch Mr. Gonzales interact with people in the court room. Anyone he seemed to interact with whether it be the prosecution team, probation liaison for the court, fellow defense attorneys, all the way down to the court clerks was all smiles and small talk-an obvious indicator of someone well-established and respected in the local legal community. The MTR was dismissed in less than 10 minutes and I was out of there. It was no coincidence that a sit-in judge was on the bench that day, he knew that would be an advantage for us and it was planned that way. His likeability, reputation, and knowledge of how and when to navigate the system is unparalleled.