Texas Federal Crimes Lawyers

Choosing a federal criminal defense attorney is one of the most consequential decisions you will make. Federal cases are fundamentally different from state cases: different courts, different rules of procedure, different sentencing systems, different investigative agencies, and different stakes. The attorney you choose needs deep experience in the federal system, the ability to challenge the government’s evidence at a technical and scientific level, and the resources to present your complete story to the sentencing judge.

Deandra Grant Law offers a combination of federal trial experience and forensic science credentials that no other criminal defense firm in North and Central Texas can match. These are not marketing claims. They are specific, verifiable capabilities that directly affect the outcome of federal cases.

James Lee Bright: Federal Trial Experience Across All Four Texas Districts

Of Counsel James Lee Bright has been defending clients in federal courts for more than 25 years. His experience encompasses the full range of federal criminal practice from early-stage investigation and grand jury proceedings through pretrial motions, trial, sentencing, and appeal.

Admitted in seven federal courts.  All four U.S. District Courts in Texas (Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western) plus the District of Columbia, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. Wherever your case is in Texas, Lee is already admitted and experienced in that court’s specific practices.

Federal trial experience that matters in negotiation.  Federal prosecutors know which defense attorneys are willing and able to try a case. This knowledge influences every stage of the case from the initial charging decision to plea negotiations, pretrial motion practice, and sentencing recommendations. An attorney who has never tried a federal case to verdict does not carry the same weight in those conversations. Lee has tried federal cases to verdict in Texas courts and beyond, including a three-month federal trial in the District of Columbia that drew national legal and media attention.

Full command of federal sentencing.  Lee has navigated the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, mandatory minimums, safety valve eligibility under 18 U.S.C. §3553(f), substantial assistance motions under U.S.S.G. §5K1.1, and §3553(a) variance arguments. The difference between an on-Guidelines sentence and a below-Guidelines variance can be years of incarceration, and achieving that variance requires understanding both the Guidelines calculation and the sentencing factors that argue for a departure.

Cases handled.  Drug trafficking and conspiracy, firearms offenses, fraud (wire, bank, healthcare, federal loan), child exploitation, identity theft, money laundering, RICO, human trafficking, computer crimes, and more. Lee has defended clients at every level of federal criminal exposure, from first-time offenders seeking safety valve relief to defendants facing mandatory life sentences.

James Lee Bright — Recognition and Credentials

• Texas Super Lawyers® — 2021 through 2024
• D Magazine Best Lawyers — multiple appearances
• President, Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (2010–2011)
• LL.M. in International Law, SMU Dedman School of Law
• Phi Delta Phi national legal honor fraternity
• Admitted: Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western Districts of Texas; District of Columbia; Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals; United States Supreme Court

Federal Cases We Defend

• Drug trafficking and drug conspiracy — all controlled substances, all quantities
• Child sexual assault, CSAM, and sexual exploitation
• Healthcare fraud and white-collar crime
• Wire fraud, bank fraud, and federal loan fraud
• Identity theft and computer crimes (CFAA)
• Weapons charges and gun trafficking
• Human trafficking
• Money laundering and RICO
• Federal DWI — charges arising on federal property or in federal jurisdiction
• Any federal criminal charge in any Texas federal court

If you or a loved one is facing federal criminal charges in Texas, contact Deandra Grant Law for a free, confidential consultation with Attorney James Lee Bright. Early involvement of defense counsel is critical in federal cases because the earlier we are retained, the more options exist. Call (214) 225-7117 or schedule online at texasdwisite.com.