Starr Law, P.C.

[ 08 / Service Area · Allen ]

Allen Criminal Defense Lawyer

Based in McKinney, serving Allen and the surrounding DFW counties.

If you were just arrested

The first hours matter. Here is what to do.

  1. Say nothing to police. You have the right to stay quiet and the right to a lawyer. Be polite, give your name, and tell them you want your attorney before you answer any questions.

  2. Know the clock is running. Magistration and a bond decision usually happen within 24 to 48 hours.

  3. Call Kent. The first call is free, seven days a week. He will walk you through what happens next and how he would approach your case.

Allen sits squarely in Collin County, which keeps the criminal-defense map simpler than it is in Plano or Frisco, every felony and most non-Class-C misdemeanor matters move to the Collin County courthouse complex in McKinney, and the city-ordinance and Class C work stays at Allen Municipal Court at 305 Century Parkway. Kent Starr’s office at 5900 S Lake Forest Dr, Suite 200 is in McKinney, the county seat, which makes in-person meetings practical for clients during the workweek and on short notice for emergencies.

The US-75 corridor runs the length of Allen, and the stretch of Central Expressway from the McDermott Drive / Bethany Drive interchange north through Stacy Road is heavily traveled. DWI is among the charges Kent defends most often for Allen arrests, and the field-sobriety, intoxilyzer, and blood-draw evidence in these matters is examined carefully in every case. Allen's county-level cases are heard in the Collin County courts in McKinney.

Allen also has its own retail and entertainment density, which produces a different stream of allegations than the highway DWIs. The Allen Premium Outlets at the Stacy Road interchange with US-75 generate a steady flow of shoplifting and theft cases, occasional escalations into resisting and evading charges, and the related drug-possession matters that surface during searches incident to a theft arrest. Watters Creek at Montgomery Farm, the open-air retail and dining district along Bethany Drive, has its own evening case mix: public-intoxication allegations, assault-by-contact charges arising from bar incidents, and the occasional DWI from drivers leaving the district by way of US-75 or the Sam Rayburn Tollway.

A pattern Kent has watched develop in Allen over the last several years involves the city’s growing high-school-age population. Allen High School is one of the largest single-campus high schools in Texas, and the city’s other schools and athletic facilities draw from a wide service area. The result is a recurring volume of juvenile defense matters, minor-in-possession allegations, vape and cannabis cases, school-resource-officer referrals, fighting and assault citations, and the occasional more serious felony allegation that can carry adult-certification risk under Section 54.02 of the Texas Family Code. Many of these cases can be resolved without an adjudication when the defense engages early, but the window for first-offender programs and deferred-prosecution arrangements closes quickly in Collin County’s juvenile system.

Bail and release work in Allen routes through the Allen city jail for short holds and through the Collin County Detention Facility on Community Avenue in McKinney for longer holds and felony bookings. Kent works with vetted bail bond resources for Collin County so release work begins before the family arrives at the jail. For matters that go further, the firm covers everything from misdemeanor county-court trials to felony jury work in the Collin County district courts, and federal exposure is handled through the federal criminal defense practice in the Eastern District of Texas.

Whatever you're charged with, the same lawyer does the work at Starr Law, P.C. Kent is a solo practitioner; the lawyer the client hires is the lawyer who appears at every setting and handles every cross-examination personally. He has thirty years of trial experience, has handled more than fifteen thousand cases, speaks Spanish and Portuguese in addition to English, and is reachable around the clock for emergency arrests. The McKinney office sits in the county seat, where Allen's Collin County cases are heard. Reading the firm’s client reviews is the most honest portrait of the work.

Starr Law, P.C. represents clients throughout Collin, Dallas, Tarrant, Denton, Rockwall, Kaufman, Ellis, Johnson, and Parker Counties. Initial consultations are free, confidential, and conducted directly with Kent.

Kent defends the full range of Allen charges in the Collin County courts, including DWI, assault and family-violence, sex crimes, theft and property crimes, weapons charges, murder and homicide, probation and parole violations, and reckless driving, evading, and warrant defense. Because Allen sits wholly within Collin County, those cases run through the McKinney courts covered in the firm’s criminal defense lawyer in Collin County guide, and eligible dispositions may later qualify for expunction or an order of nondisclosure.

If you have been arrested in Allen, cited at the Outlets or Watters Creek, or contacted by Allen PD about a case that is still under investigation, call (214) 982-1408 for a free consultation with Kent.

Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is evaluated on its own facts.

ADVERTISEMENT. This site is attorney advertising. Kent Starr is responsible for the content of this website. Information provided here is general and is not legal advice; reading this page does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Frequently asked questions about criminal defense in Allen

What court handles criminal cases from Allen, Texas?

Class C misdemeanors are handled at Allen Municipal Court at 305 Century Parkway. More serious charges, Class B and Class A misdemeanors and felonies, move to the Collin County courthouse complex in McKinney, the county seat.

Does Kent Starr handle DWI cases in Allen?

Yes. Kent's office is in McKinney, the county seat where Allen's county-level cases are heard. He regularly handles DWI defense for Allen arrests, particularly from the heavily-patrolled US-75 corridor between McDermott Drive and Stacy Road.

What is distinctive about criminal defense in Allen compared to other Collin County cities?

Allen sits entirely in Collin County, so its felony and non-Class-C misdemeanor cases are heard at the Collin County courthouse in McKinney rather than split across two counties the way Plano's and Frisco's are. DWI, theft, and assault are among the charges Kent handles most often for Allen arrests.

Do Allen municipal citations go to the same court as felony charges?

No. Class C tickets written by Allen police stay in the Allen Municipal Court. Anything Class B or above, from a first DWI to a felony, files with Collin County and is heard at the courthouse in McKinney. Kent handles the county-level cases and the municipal matters that threaten to grow into them.

[ Client Reviews ]

What clients say about working with Kent.

5.0 · 440+ Google reviews

  • I chose Mr. Starr after speaking with more than 15 different law firms, and it was one of the best decisions I could have made.

    From day one, he was personable, direct, and incredibly patient with all of my questions. What really stood out was that I was able to communicate directly with him throughout the entire process. I was never passed around to a secretary or assistant. Whenever I had a concern or needed an update, I could text him directly and he was always responsive and available.

    Christina Martin Google review
  • I couldn't be more satisfied with my experience working with Mr. Starr. He has been professional, attentive, and clearly very knowledgeable from day one. Throughout the entire process, Mr. Starr kept me well-informed and made sure I understood my options at every stage.

    Mr Starr was thorough, responsive, and always seemed one step ahead, which gave me a lot of confidence during a stressful time.

    I'm truly grateful for his dedication and would absolutely recommend him to anyone looking for effective and dependable legal representation.

    Nick H Google review
  • Just had a chat with Mr. Starr and he was extremely knowledgeable and kind, provided me with information regarding my case that helped lift a massive weight off my shoulders.

    I plan on having him represent me going forward and I have full confidence in his ability to provide accurate and helpful input.

    Brendan Hendershott Google review

Read more client reviews

[ 07 / Consultation ]

Arrested in Allen? Talk to Kent today.

Kent Starr handles your case personally, from the first call through court. Free consultation. Call (214) 982-1408. The office answers the phone seven days a week.