Attorney at Law

Criminal Defense

Jacob Vela represents people charged with criminal offenses in Harris County and the surrounding Texas courts. His practice includes DWI through capital murder, and he has taken cases to verdict — fourteen not-guilty verdicts and two capital hung juries among them.

Call Jacob Vela — (346) 466-8352 jacob@jvelalaw.com

Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Practice

Areas of representation

Mr. Vela handles criminal charges in Harris County and nearby Texas courts, from capital murder through misdemeanors.

Capital / serious felonies
Representation in capital murder and other first-degree felonies, including matters tried to a jury. That work includes two capital hung juries and a capital charge reduced to robbery with a sentence of probation.
DWI
Defense of DWI charges from the administrative license revocation hearing through trial, including cases that have gone to a not-guilty verdict.
Assault & family violence
Representation in family-violence and other assault cases, including charges that have been tried to a jury.
Drug cases
Defense of possession, delivery, and related drug charges in Harris County and surrounding courts.
Sex offenses
Defense of sex-offense charges, including cases involving children that have been tried to a verdict.
Other felonies & misdemeanors
Other felony and misdemeanor charges, including failure to stop and render aid, terroristic threat, and weapons cases.

Buffalo Bayou at night with the Houston skyline

We get results

Matters Jacob Vela has taken to trial. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Capital Murder

Hung Jury

State of Texas vs. C.J.

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More results

State of Texas vs. C.J.Capital MurderHung Jury
State of Texas vs. J.B.Capital MurderHung Jury
State of Texas vs. D.H.Capital MurderLesser of robbery, probation
State of Texas vs. E.L.DWINot Guilty
Sexual Assault of a ChildNot Guilty2021
Indecency with a ChildNot Guilty2021
Assault Family MemberNot Guilty2022
AssaultNot Guilty2022
Continuous Sexual Abuse of a ChildNot Guilty2022
Failure to Stop and Render Aid — DeathNot Guilty2022
Failure to Stop and Render Aid — DeathNot Guilty2022
Terroristic ThreatNot Guilty2022
Terroristic ThreatNot Guilty2023
Cruelty to AnimalsNot Guilty2024
Cruelty to AnimalsNot Guilty2024
DWINot Guilty2024
Terroristic ThreatNot Guilty2025
DWINot Guilty2026

Past results. No guarantee. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

Jacob Vela speaking at a Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association podium

HCCLA and TCDLA member since 2019. Speaker, TCDLA 2023: Negotiations for Getting Off Death and for a Plea.

About

Jacob Julio Vela

Jacob Julio Vela is a criminal defense lawyer in Houston. He represents clients in Harris County and the surrounding Texas courts.

He was licensed in Texas in October 2021 and is also admitted in federal courts across Texas. He received his J.D. from South Texas College of Law Houston in May 2021 and his B.B.A. from St. Mary's University in May 2018.

He has been a member of HCCLA and TCDLA since 2019. In 2021 he completed State Bar of Texas CLE in Administrative License Revocation Hearings and Handling Your First (Or Next) DWI Case. In 2023 he spoke at TCDLA on Negotiations for Getting Off Death and for a Plea (Mental Health and Capital Litigation). He has represented people facing the death penalty in Texas and in Washington, D.C.