Practice areas: Criminal Defense; view more
Licensed in Texas since: 2003
Education: Texas Tech University School of Law
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2020 - 2026 
Selected to Rising Stars: 2016 - 2017 Details
Jason represents individuals and corporations charged with criminal, regulatory, and administrative violations in Texas and Arkansas State and Federal Courts. Jason has successfully argued against the imposition of the death penalty at the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. (U.S. v. Larcade), argued for the applicability of double jeopardy at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals (Pearson v. State), and received multiple jury verdicts of acquittal in both State and Federal Courts (i.e., U.S. v. Cecil Parker; State of Texas v. Vladamir Caballero).
Jason is AV-rated and a past President of the Texarkana Bar Association. Jason spent 6 years on the State Bar of Texas District 1 Grievance Committee, serving as Panel Chair for 2 of those years. Jason has been voted a Top Texarkana Criminal Lawyer by ALT Magazine (2015-present) and was awarded the Bob Black Bar Leaders Award from Texas Tech School of Law in 2015. Jason is also a Texas Bar Foundation Fellow.
Jason was a running back at Texas Lutheran University and graduated with honors in 2000. Jason graduated with honors from Texas Tech School of Law in 2003. Jason is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Attorneys, the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and the Arkansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.
Practice areas
Criminal DefenseFocus areas
Criminal Fraud, Criminal Law, Drug & Alcohol Violations, Felony, Misdemeanor
- 100% Criminal Defense
First Admitted: 2003, Texas
Professional Webpage: https://www.jasonhortonlaw.com/meet-your-team/jason-horton/
Bar / Professional Activity
- State Bar of Texas, 2003
- Arkansas Bar Association, 2004
- United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas, 2003
- United States District Court, Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas, 2004
- United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, 2005
- Supreme Court of the United States, 2014
- President - Texarkana Bar Association, 2014
- Treasurer - Texarkana Bar Association
- Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
- Arkansas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Past Board Member, 2009-present
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- State Bar of Texas District 1 Greivance Committee (Former Panel Chair)
- Texas Bar Foundation Fellow, 2018
Verdicts / Settlements (Case Results)
- State v. Reed - Ms. Reed was charged with domestic battery after her ex-husband claimed she ran him over with her car. Even though the ex-husband produced an alleged eyewitness, Ms. Reed was found NOT GUILTY at trial after Jason significantly discredited the ex-husband during cross-examination and Ms. Reed took the stand in her own defense., 2025
- State v. Hensley - Ms. Hensley was wrongfully charged with various criminal acts, and the same accuser obtained a Protective Order against Ms. Hensley by default and used that Protective Order as a basis to file additional criminal charges in another jurisdiction. After two years of litigation, all criminal charges against Ms. Hensley were dismissed and the Protective Order was vacated and terminated after it was proven that the accuser obtained the Protective Order by fraudulent pretenses., 2022
- State v. McWilliams - Mr. McWilliams was originally arrested for and charged with felony assault stemming from an incident that occurred at a gas station in Texarkana, Texas. The alleged victim subsequently fabricated a story that painted Mr. McWilliams as the protagonist in efforts to sue Mr. McWilliams and the company he spent years building. Jason was able to obtain surveillance footage from the gas station that showed the alleged victim was actually the aggressor, and Mr. McWilliams' charges were DISMISSED., 2023
- State v. Gary Miller - Mr. Miller has been a teacher/coach for 35 years. In 2020 he was cited for Assault by Contact due to an incident with a student in one of his classes. Rather than paying a fine and moving on, Mr. Miller hired Jason Horton Law to represent him and take his case to trial. On December 7, 2023, a jury returned a verdict of NOT GUILTY. Mr. Miller is now able to retire on his terms and is hopeful this case sends a message to parents and students who wrongfully seek to harm educators when they are unhappy with a school's administrative policies and procedures., 2023
- State v. Manning - Jason's client was originally charged with Driving While Intoxicated. After litigating the case for almost a year, the prosecutor ultimately agreed to drop the charges resulting in a full dismissal of the criminal case., 2022
- State v. J.E. - Jason's client was originally charged with felony assault causing serious bodily injury. Jason reached an agreement with the prosecuting attorney that resulted in a full dismissal of the criminal case., 2023
- 4:22-CR-40001-SOH; United States v. Lansdell On December 20, 2022, Jason's client was dismissed from this multi-defendant federal prescription fraud case., 2022
- State v. Griffin - Mr. Griffin was visiting Texas from out of state. The accelerator on his rented vehicle became stuck and he was unable to stop the vehicle. A law enforcement officer got behind Mr. Griffin and ended up arresting him for felony evading with a vehicle after the vehicle came to a stop. We were able to prove the vehicle's mechanical defect, resulting in a full dismissal of Mr. Griffin's felony charge., 2022
- State of Arkansas v. Darlene Wachob - After a trial, the Court found Ms. Wachob Not Guilty of domestic assault., 2021
- United States v. Patrick James, 2015
- State of Arkansas v. Burns - Jury Verdicts of acquittal on two originally charged counts. Over objection, the jury was instructed on and convicted the defendant of two lower-level offenses. After an appeal, the lower-level felony offenses were reduced to misdemeanors and Mr. Burns received time-served., 2019
- Robert Purdie v. State of Arkansas (379 S.W.3d 541), 2010
- State of Texas v. Vladamir Caballero, 2010
- State of Arkansas v. Quinten Hope, 2016
- Mack Jones v. Iliana Quiroga (Texas Sixth Court of Appeals), 2017
- Heigelmann v. State of Texas (362 S.W.3d 763), 2012
- State of Texas v. David Moulton, 2011
- State of Arkansas v. Harper, 2017
- State of Arkansas v. Flannigan, 2013
- Ex Parte Clary (WR-82,658-01) - After 7 years of litigation, Jason secured an acutal innocence finding by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals., 2016
- United States v. Cecil Parker, 2011
Honors
- Jason was once again nominated as a Top 100 Criminal Trial Lawyer by The National Trial Lawyer's Association., Top 100 Criminal Trial Lawyer, The National Trial Lawyer's Association, 2024
- Jason was nominated as a Texas Super Lawyer in Criminal Law for the fifth straight year., Super Lawyer - Criminal Law, Thomson Reuters, 2024
- Jason was voted Texarkana's Top Criminal Lawyer (white collar and non-white collar) by the readers of ALT Magazine., Texarkana's Top Criminal Lawyer, ALT Magazine, 2024
- Jason was voted the area's Top White Collar and Non-White Collar Criminal Defense Lawyer by the reader's of ALT Magazine., Top Criminal Lawyer, ALT Magazine, 2022
- Jason was nominated as a Top 100 Criminal Trial Lawyer by The National Trial Lawyer's Association., Top 100 Criminal Lawyer, The National Trial Lawyer's Association, 2023
- Jason was voted the area's Top Criminal Lawyer and Texarkana's overall Top Lawyer by the readers of ALT Magazine., Texarkana's Top Lawyer and Top Criminal Lawyer, ALT Magazine, 2023
- Jason was nominated as a Texas Super Lawyer in Criminal Law for the fourth straight year., Super Lawyer - Criminal Law, Thomson Reuters, 2023
- Jason was nominated as a Texas Super Lawyer in Criminal Law for the third straight year., Super Lawyer - Criminal Law, Thomson Reuters, 2022
- Jason was nominated as a Top 100 Criminal Trial Lawyer by The National Trial Lawyer's Association., Top 100 Criminal Lawyer, The National Trial Lawyer's Association, 2022
- Voted Top Texarkana Criminal Lawyer., Texarkana Top Lawyer, ALT Magazine, 2017
- Top 100, Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer, The National Trial Lawyers Association, 2021
- Super Lawyer, Thomson Reuters, 2020
- Voted a Top Texarkana Criminal Defense Lawyer, Texarkana Top Criminal Lawyer, ALT Magazine, 2020
- Voted Top Texarkana Criminal Lawyer., Texarkana Top Lawyer, ALT Magazine, 2018
- Top 100, Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer, The National Trial Lawyers, 2019
- Top 100, Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer, The National Trial Lawyers, 2018
- Bob Black Bar Leaders Award, Texas Tech School of Law Alumni Association, 2015
- AV (Preeminent) Rating by Martindale Hubbell, AV-rating, Martindale Hubbell, 2019
- Top 100, Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer, The National Trial Lawyers, 2014
- Top 100, Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer, The National Trial Lawyers, 2013
- Top 100, Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer, The National Trial Lawyers, 2017
- Texarkana's Top Young Lawyer; Top Criminal Defense Lawyer; Top DUI/DWI Lawyer, ALT Magazine, 2015
- Top 100, Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer, The National Trial Lawyers, 2015
- 10 Best Criminal Law Attorneys in Texas for Client Satisfaction, American Institute of Criminal Law Attorneys, 2015
- Voted Texarkana's Top Young Lawyer and Texarkana's Top Criminal Defense Lawyer in multiple categories, Texarkana Top Lawyer, ALT Magazine, 2016
- Top 100, Criminal Defense Trial Lawyer, The National Trial Lawyers, 2016
Educational Background
- Texas Lutheran University, B.A., Honors: with honors, 2000
Scholarly Lectures / Writings
- Jason was a presenter at a "Community Law School" presentation in Marshall, Texas in August of 2022. Jason discussed Texas firearm laws and what steps to take if a person discharges a firearm in self defense., Presenter, Community Law School, Law, 2022
- Jason was a presenter at a "Community Law School" presentation at the Texarkana, Texas City Hall in April of 2022. Jason discussed Texas firearm laws and what steps to take if a person discharges a firearm in self defense., Presenter, Community Law School, Law; General Public, 2022
- Course Director for full-day Texarkana continuing legal education course, Course Director, TCDLA Come and Take It CLE Seminar, 2019
- Course Director for full-day Texarkana continuing legal educaiton course, Course Director, TCDLA Roadshow, 2016
- Presnted criminal law and ethics portion of full-day contining legal education course, Speaker/Presenter, ATLA Leaders and Legends V, 2015
Other Outstanding Achievements
- Arkansas Bar Association Leadership Academy Graduate, 2011
Industry Groups:
- Arkansas Association Of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- National Association Of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Selections
7 Years Super Lawyers
2 Years Rising Stars
- Super Lawyers: 2020 - 2026
- Rising Stars: 2016 - 2017
