Attorneys in Mesquite

The State Bar of Texas's 2025 report put the median hourly rate for full-time private practitioners at $368 statewide and $388 in Dallas-Fort Worth. The report doesn't split rates by practice area and isn't meant to set fees, so ask each lawyer for a written fee agreement.

If a lawyer offers a contingent fee instead, Texas requires that contract to be in writing and signed by you and the lawyer, and it must state how the fee is worked out, any different percentage for settlement, trial or appeal, and which expenses come out of the recovery and when. More on fees is in the Texas lawyer guide.

• State Bar Find a Lawyer: basic information on every Texas-licensed attorney, filterable by board certification and languages.
• Discipline: the State Bar shows a lawyer's disciplinary history and keeps an Ineligible Attorney List.
• "Board Certified": a Texas lawyer may say it only if certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization or an organization it has accredited.
• Solicitation: Texas generally bars lawyers from soliciting new clients in person or by live phone, and bars written personal injury solicitations sent before the 31st day after the accident. Someone who calls you after a wreck offering a lawyer is a reason to hang up.

Referral services for Mesquite residents

The State Bar's statewide referral line sends Dallas County residents to their local certified service. The Dallas Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service, (214) 220-7444, refers you to a Dallas-area attorney for a 30-minute consultation for a $20 fee. For free legal information and forms, try TexasLawHelp.org.

Dallas County's District Clerk handles civil, family and juvenile filings at the George L. Allen, Sr. Courts Building, 600 Commerce Street, Suite 103, Dallas. The county's East Dallas Government Center has moved from St. Francis Avenue to 9731 Lake June Road, so check the address on older paperwork.

Deadlines that apply to Mesquite claims

• A personal injury suit generally must be filed within two years of when the claim accrues (Civil Practice and Remedies Code §16.003), with exceptions set out in the statute.
• A claim against a government body, such as an injury involving a city vehicle, carries a notice deadline of six months under the Texas Tort Claims Act, and a city charter can set its own period.
• A divorce can go forward only if either spouse has lived in Texas for the preceding six months and in the filing county for the preceding 90 days.

This is general information, not legal advice. Confirm how any deadline applies to you with a licensed Texas lawyer. See also attorneys in Dallas or the Mesquite local services page.