Joseph A. Turner

As the only former federal prosecutor in Austin to specialize in federal criminal defense cases, Joe Turner has earned the nickname "Mad Dog" because of his passionate defense of his clients. Mr. Turner's federal practice includes the defense of federal drug conspiracies, mortgage and bank fraud, computer-related crimes, weapon offenses, and an extensive list of other crimes. He is board-certified in criminal law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and he is licensed to practice in every federal and state court in the State of Texas. With over 30 years experience, Mr. Turner has successfully represented citizens wrongfully accused of everything from DWI to murder and has tried more than 100 jury trials.

"He is the best...," said Willie Nelson after Joe Turner had his case dismissed. Willie had been charged with possession of marijuana while passing through the small town of Hewitt, Texas. After a pretrial hearing, Joe Turner successfully moved to have the case dismissed because of an illegal search.

After his successful representation of Ruth Riddle, a Branch Davidian charged with federal conspiracy and murder, he gained national recognition appearing on Nightline, CNN, and other nationally and internationally recognized media services.

According to Kelly Fero's The Zani Murders, "Today he (Joseph Turner) is one of the most successful defense attorneys in Central Texas." The Zani case is one of the most famous cases in Austin history, and set a national precedent for the admission of hypnotically-induced testimony in the courtroom.

Joe Turner successfully defended "A Time to Kill" star Matthew McConaughey during his famous bongo playing incident. McConaughey's charges were dropped after Mr. Turner argued police did not have probable cause to enter the home without a warrant.