Meet the Criminal Law Team

Serious charges demand more than routine representation. The Criminal Law team at Walker Keeling Hatley combines trial‑focused advocacy with disciplined preparation to protect clients when their freedom, reputation, and future are on the line.

Led by our firm partner and criminal defense attorney Micah W. Hatley and supported by senior litigation paralegal Mellissa Whitfield, this team is dedicated to holding the State to its full burden under the law while guiding clients through each stage of the criminal justice process with clear, direct advice.

Micah W. Hatley
Partner - Criminal Defense Attorney

Micah Hatley has represented clients in both state and federal matters since being licensed in Texas in 2006. He represents individuals facing serious criminal accusations in Texas state and federal courts. He brings trial experience, strategic motion practice, and careful case analysis to each matter, focusing on challenging the State's evidence, asserting his clients' constitutional rights, and positioning every case for the strongest possible outcome—A NOT GUILTY VERDICT!

Mellissa Whitfield
Senior Litigation Paralegal – Criminal Law

Mellissa Whitfield is a TBLS Board Certified Paralegal who has been practicing since 2013.  She supports the firm's criminal practice through disciplined case management, detailed legal research, persuasive writing, and careful trial preparation. Her work behind the scenes strengthens the defense presented in the courtroom. She tracks critical deadlines, helps develop the factual record, and ensures that pleadings, discovery, and evidence are in order, allowing the attorneys to concentrate on strategy, advocacy, and defending clients where it matters most: in the courtroom.

How the Team Works for You

In every criminal matter, this team works as a unit. Micah focuses on strategy, negotiations, and courtroom advocacy, while Mellissa concentrates on the detailed preparation that keeps cases moving and trial‑ready. Together, they scrutinize the State's case, challenge weaknesses wherever the law allows, and insist that prosecutors are held to their burden of proof.

When you engage Walker Keeling Hatley's Criminal Law team, you know who is in your corner—and you know that your defense is being handled by a coordinated attorney‑paralegal team that is prepared to stand up to the State on your behalf.

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