Joe Stephens
Email: joe.stephens@ttu.edu
After working in public defender offices in rural South Texas and the Hill Country, Joe was hired as Chief Public Defender to create the Concho Valley Public Defender Office. By the time he left, it was the largest rural office in Texas (covering twelve counties with locations in San Angelo and Abilene).
Joe has also served on the Board of Directors of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Association and currently sits on TCDLA’s Public Defender, Rural Practice, and Law School committees. He was also appointed to serve as a Member of the State Bar of Texas Legal Services to the Poor in Criminal Matters Committee, is a mentor in the Future Indigent Defense Leaders of Texas program, and sits on the Oversight Board of two different regional public defender offices across Texas. He is a frequent speaker around Texas on an array of criminal defense matters.
Joe was born in Australia and grew up in the Washington, D.C. area. He was an Ingram Scholar at Vanderbilt University where he was President of the Vanderbilt Prison Project. In 2010, he graduated from the University of Texas School of Law with honors. Joe has also worked for two chairmen across three legislative sessions in Austin, and spent time in private practice in Baltimore, where he worked on appellate and post-conviction matters.
Outside the office, Joe is an amateur potter, a recent recipient of his Master Gardener certification, and an eleven-time Ironman triathlete.
Education
- J.D., University of Texas School of Law, 2010
- B.A., Vanderbilt University, 2004
Select Publications
Forthcoming in 2025: “Texas Criminal Jury Charges,” James Publishing, 2025. (A two-volume publication containing more than 650 charges covering everything from arson to murder – each instruction is supported by legal analysis and case citations.)
“Court Cost Pamphlet,” Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, 2022. (Part of a statewide workgroup that compiled the authoritative manual on how the indigent accused can challenge court costs, fines, fees, and restitution.)
“Opening a Rural Public Defender Office (a three-part series),” as published in The Voice, the trade magazine for the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, May – August, 2022.
Speaking Engagements
- “Handling Challenging Courtroom Situations” – 11/2024, (College Station, TX), at a multi-day judicial training seminar sponsored by the Texas Association of Counties.
- “Criminal Law – Basic Training for County Judges” – 10/2024, (San Marcos, TX), 9/2024, (Terlingua, TX) at a multi-day judicial training seminar sponsored by the Texas Association of Counties.
- “Mental Health Issues in Criminal Representation” – 6/2024, (San Antonio, TX), as part of the annual Rusty Duncan Conference sponsored by the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.
- "Riding For the Defense” – 4/2024, (San Angelo, TX), served as Course Director of a full-day continuing legal education seminar through the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Subjects ranged from jury selection to cross-examination, opening statement to mental health.
- “Admonishments: Rights and Consequences of a Plea” – 4/2024, (Amarillo, TX), at a multi-day judicial training seminar sponsored by the Texas Association of Counties.
- “Embracing the Guilty: Mitigation & Continued Holistic Client Representation” – 6/2023, (San Antonio, TX), as part of the annual Rusty Duncan Conference (Public Defender Program) sponsored by the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.
- “Magistrate’s Duty Regarding Mental Health” – 4/2023, (Abilene, TX), as part of a “Mental Health Workshop” through the Texas Association of Counties.
- “Considerations for Setting Bail” – 3/2023, (Lubbock, TX), at a multi-day judicial training seminar sponsored by the Texas Association of Counties.
- “Indigent Defense” – 1/2023, (Lubbock, TX), at the Judicial Orientation for New County Judges” sponsored by the Texas Association of Counties.
- “The Stigma of Mental Health in the Criminal Legal System” – 11/2022, (Grapevine, TX), as part of the Judicial Summit on Mental Health. And again in 6/2022, (San Antonio, TX), as part of the annual Rusty Duncan Conference (Mental Health Program) sponsored by the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.
- “Magistration and SB6” – 10/2022, (Cedar Creek, TX), 9/2022, (Terlingua, TX), at a multi-day judicial training seminar sponsored by the Texas Association of Counties.
- “Magistration: County Judge's Role in Bail Setting” – 7/2022, (Denton, TX), 4/2022, (Arlington, TX), 3/2022, (Lubbock, TX) at a multi-day judicial training seminar sponsored by the Texas Association of Counties.
- “Sentencing in DWI Cases” – 2/2022, (Bryan, TX), at a multi-day judicial training seminar sponsored by the Texas Association of Counties.
- “The Future of Indigent Defense in Texas” – 1/2022, sponsored by the University of Texas School of Law, on the 20th Anniversary of the Fair Defense Act.
- “Pre-Trial Motions Practice” – 11/2021, (Boerne, TX), at a multi-day judicial training seminar sponsored by the Texas Association of Counties.
- “Mental Health Issues in Criminal Defense” – 10/2021, (Wichita Falls, TX), 9/2021, (Victoria, TX), at a continuing legal education event sponsored by the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.
School of Law
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Address
Texas Tech University School of Law, 3311 18th Street, Lubbock, Texas 79409-0004 -
Phone
806.742.3791 -
Email
law@ttu.edu