Katy is one of the few places in the region where a criminal case can land in one of three different counties depending on which side of the freeway the arrest happened. North of I-10 and most of the Katy area inside Harris County is prosecuted by the Harris County District Attorney at the Harris County Criminal Justice Center in downtown Houston. Cinco Ranch and most of Katy south of I-10 is Fort Bend County, prosecuted at the Fort Bend County Justice Center in Richmond. The far west edge along FM 1463 and beyond is Waller County. Brian Foley and Luis Baez are former Harris County prosecutors who appear in all of these courts.
Call or text (713) 703-1718 for a free, confidential consultation.
Criminal Cases We Defend for Katy Residents
Katy's fast-growing master-planned communities, the I-10 and Grand Parkway retail corridors, and the Katy ISD school zones generate a predictable set of charges:
- DWI — First Offense, DWI Second, and Felony DWI on I-10, Grand Parkway (SH 99), FM 1093/Westpark Tollway, Mason Road, and Fry Road
- Assault Family Member, Aggravated Assault, and protective order violations
- Theft and shoplifting from Katy Mills, LaCenterra, and the big-box centers along I-10 and Fry Road
- Possession of Marijuana, THC vape and edible cases (Penalty Group 2), and Possession of a Controlled Substance, including arrests involving Katy ISD students
- Unlawful Carrying of a Weapon, Evading Arrest, and Criminal Trespass
- Solicitation of Prostitution stings along I-10 and the Energy Corridor
- Burglary, Robbery, Murder, and other felonies
Harris County or Fort Bend County? Why It Matters
The Texas Penal Code is the same in both counties, but the courts, prosecutors, bail practices, and diversion programs are not.
Harris County (north Katy, Katy Mills, Mason Road north of I-10, Barker Cypress, Morton Ranch). Cases go to the County Criminal Courts at Law or felony District Courts at 1201 Franklin. Harris County's misdemeanor bail rules mean most first-time misdemeanor defendants are released on a general order or personal bond, and the District Attorney's Office runs formal pretrial diversion and marijuana diversion programs. Arrests are made by Katy PD, the Harris County Sheriff's Office, the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable, and DPS.
Fort Bend County (Cinco Ranch, Grand Lakes, Seven Meadows, most of Katy south of I-10). Cases go to the Fort Bend County Courts at Law (misdemeanors) and District Courts (felonies) at the Fort Bend County Justice Center, 1422 Eugene Heimann Circle, Richmond, TX 77469. Fort Bend bonds are typically higher than Harris County's, cash or surety bonds are more common, and the Fort Bend District Attorney runs its own pretrial intervention program with its own eligibility rules. Arrests are made by Katy PD, the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office, the Fort Bend County Precinct 3 Constable, and DPS.
Waller County (far west Katy). Cases go to the Waller County courts in Hempstead.
Because Katy PD's jurisdiction crosses all three county lines, a Katy PD arrest can be filed in any of them. We confirm the county and the court on the first call and tell you exactly what to expect.
What Happens After a Katy Arrest
Booking. Katy PD books at police headquarters, 5456 Franz Road. Harris County arrestees are transferred to the Harris County Joint Processing Center at 700 N. San Jacinto in downtown Houston; Fort Bend arrestees go to the Fort Bend County Jail at 1410 Ransom Road in Richmond.
Magistration and bond. A magistrate finds probable cause, sets bond, and imposes conditions — usually within 24 hours. In a family-violence case the magistrate will almost always sign an emergency protective order. This is the first point where a lawyer changes the outcome: we can argue for a lower bond or personal bond and reasonable conditions before the hearing.
First setting. Two to four weeks after release, in the assigned court. Nothing about guilt is decided that day. The case is reset for the State to produce the offense report, body-camera and dash-camera video, and lab results, and the real work of the defense begins.
DWI Enforcement in Katy
The Katy Freeway and Grand Parkway are two of the most heavily patrolled DWI corridors in the region, and the Harris County Precinct 5 Constable's Office is one of the most active DWI-enforcement agencies in the county. Both counties run No Refusal operations on holidays and weekends, meaning a refused breath test is met with a judge-signed blood warrant. As former members of the Harris County District Attorney's Vehicular Crimes Team, Brian Foley and Luis Baez know how these cases are put together — the field sobriety tests, the Intoxilyzer breath test, and the blood-draw warrant and lab analysis — and where they fall apart. Every DWI arrest also starts a 15-day clock to request an Administrative License Revocation hearing, which we handle as part of every case.
Katy Courts and Agencies
- Katy Police Department — 5456 Franz Road, Katy, TX 77493
- Katy Municipal Court — 5456 Franz Road, Katy, TX 77493 (Class C misdemeanors and city ordinance violations)
- Harris County Criminal Justice Center — 1201 Franklin Street, Houston, TX 77002 (Harris County Class A/B misdemeanors and felonies) — see our court-by-court guide
- Harris County Joint Processing Center — 700 N. San Jacinto Street, Houston, TX 77002
- Fort Bend County Justice Center — 1422 Eugene Heimann Circle, Richmond, TX 77469 (Fort Bend Class A/B misdemeanors and felonies)
- Fort Bend County Jail — 1410 Ransom Road, Richmond, TX 77469
- Harris County Justice of the Peace, Precinct 5 — Class C misdemeanors in the Harris County portion of Katy
Why Katy Clients Hire Houston Criminal Defense Attorneys PLLC
Brian Foley is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and served as a Felony Chief Prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney's Office. Luis Baez is a former Trial Bureau Chief. Between them they have handled thousands of cases from both sides of the courtroom in Harris and Fort Bend Counties. We serve Katy, Cinco Ranch, Fulshear, Brookshire, the Energy Corridor, Cypress, and west Houston.
Call or text (713) 703-1718 or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation.