Chris Hoover has been an attorney since 1986. He has always operated his own law office defending criminal cases. He began by accepting court appointments until he built his practice. For the past 15 years, Mr. Hoover has focused exclusively on DWI defense, making him one of the most experienced and respected DWI trial lawyers in the country.
The son of a well-respected physician in Dallas, Chris Hoover studied biology and chemistry during his first years of college. In 1992 he became interested in the science behind breath testing and took advanced DWI courses across the United States to learn more about breath testing and defending DWI cases.
Science Knowledge Supports DWI Defense
His advanced knowledge of science has proven very helpful in defending breath test and blood test cases as he understands the science the State experts discuss during trials and can make it understandable for a jury.
He is a Founding Member of the National College of DUI Defense. This college is dedicated to providing the most advanced teachings on the subject of defending DWI cases and is attended by attorneys from across the United States.
Nationwide DWI Defense Teacher
Chris Hoover has also been featured in many seminars across the United States that discuss the defense of DWI cases. He has gained a National Reputation as one of the best DWI attorneys in the State of Texas.
Most of his clients are referred by attorneys from across the United States and Texas as well as satisfied clients. He has a reputation as a thorough, educated and caring attorney. In dealing with cases involving addiction and dependency issues, he is also quite well known throughout the rehabilitation industry and often receives referrals from these agencies.
Education
Cistercian Preparatory School, Irving, Texas
University of Mississippi; B.A. History; J.D.
Memberships
Founding Member, National College of DUI Defense
National Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
College of the State Bar of Texas
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Board of Directors 2001
Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Former Member of the Board of Directors
Collin County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Past Member of the Board of Directors & Past President 1997
Bar Admissions
Supreme Court of the United States of America
United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas, Texas
United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, New Orleans, Louisiana
Texas Supreme Court
Advanced Professional Educational Achievements
National College of DUI Defense, Advanced DWI Training & Education; 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999; Harvard Law School, Boston, Massachusetts
This is the most advanced DWI practice course offered to attorneys. It consists of a given factual scenario and each attorney is required to prepare the case for trial. Upon arrival, lectures are given on each area of trial preparation and presentation by the nations leading DWI defense attorneys. The class is then broken into smaller groups in which each student demonstrates his ability and understanding of the lecture topic. After each demonstration, the student is critiqued by a three member panel again composed of the best DWI defense attorneys in the United States. In addition to the legal training, extensive training is given in the areas of science involved with professional DWI defense. Attendees work closely in groups with scientists who explain the most advanced developments in chemical breath testing using the same scientific instruments employed in their home jurisdictions.
Certified Field Sobriety Instructor, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
This course is based upon the scientific study conducted by the Southern California Research Institute for DWI Detection and Field Sobriety Exercises. It includes instruction on administration, procedure and evaluation of data collected for the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus, One Leg Stand and Walk & Turn tests used by police officers across the United States in identifying potentially intoxicated drivers during traffic detentions. Mr. Hoover is a certified instructor in this course of study.
Certified Intoxilyzer 5000 Operator, American Legal Education
The Intoxilyzer 5000 is the breath test machine used throughout Texas to test possibly intoxicated persons who have been arrested for DWI and DUI under the current implied consent law. This machine is manufactured by CMI, Incorporated and is the predominant machine in the United States for breath testing by law enforcement personnel. This certification exceeds standards set by the Texas Alcohol Breath Testing Program for Breath Test Operators. In addition to learning how to conduct a valid breath test, this course also teaches the scientific aspects of breath alcohol testing, infrared photo-spectroscopy, the internal workings of the Intoxilyzer 5000, and calibration of the Intoxilyzer 5000 breath test machine.
Certified Blood & Urine Alcohol Testing, American Legal Education
This course is specifically tailored to study and understand the chemical testing of blood and urine used in intoxication offenses (DWI, Intoxication Assault & Intoxication Manslaughter, etc.). It includes extensive study of gas chromatography testing procedure and protocol. This type of testing is widely used in most hospitals and criminal laboratories for blood and urine analysis for the presence and concentration of alcohol and other substances in these body fluids. In addition to gas chromatography, testing kits used by police and paramedics in the field were also explained. Enzymatic blood analysis is another type of blood analysis that is encountered in laboratory testing and covered with this instructional certification. All potential problems in the collection, storage and testing procedures for blood and urine are covered for a proper and thorough defense of these issues at trial.
Publications
Cross Examination of the Technical Supervisor, VOICE for Defense, March 1999
Handling the Intoxilyzer Supervisor in a DWI Case, VOICE for the Defense, March 1999
Spotlight on Chris Hoover@, North Texas Relocation Journal, Tarrant County, Spring Summer 1999
Spotlight on Chris Hoover@, North Texas Relocation Journal, Collin County, Spring Summer 1998
Constitutional Implications of DWI@, Voice for the Defense, June 1997
A Constitutional Implications of DWI@, National Law Journal, April 28, 1997 ADWI: A Scapegoat in Wolf's Clothing, Root out Jurors' Attitudes on DWI Laws@ The Texas Lawyer, February 17, 1997
Attorney Christopher N. Hoover's top ten list on how to avoid DWI and have a safe holiday@ Fort Worth, Texas Commercial Recorder, December 31, 1996
Presentations
State Bar of Texas, Advanced Criminal Law Seminar, San Antonio, Texas, Relevant Issues in 2004 DWI Law, Enhancements & Surcharges, 2004
State Bar of Texas, Advanced Criminal Law Seminar, Dallas, Texas, Ten DWI Statutes You Should Know, 2003
Continuing Defense Lawyers Project; DWI Trial Evidence; Midland, Laredo, Texarkana and South Padre Island; 2003
American Legal Education; Mastering Scientific Evidence; Presentation of a Trial Before the Court; April 2002
American Legal Education; Mastering Scientific Evidence; ATop Ten Attacks of the Technical Supervisor@; March 2001, Atlanta, Georgia
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association; Winter President's Retreat; ATop Ten ALR Defenses & the Effect of Prior Alcohol Related Arrests on Occupational Drivers Licenses@; Banff Springs Canada; February 2001
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, DWI 2001;@ Cross Examination of the Technical Witness at ALR & Trial@; January 2001, Austin, Texas
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Annual Advanced Criminal Law Seminar, Cross Examination of the Intoxilyzer Supervisor in a DWI Case, June 2000 (San Antonio, Texas)
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association; Course Director & Speaker, ADWI 2000", February 2000 (Lectures: Effective Client Interviews & The Importance of Effective DWI Representation (Galveston, Texas)
Criminal Trial Advocacy Institute, Faculty, Trial Advocacy Skills Course, Sam Houston State University, March 2000 (Huntsville, Texas)
Plano Bar Association; What Civil Attorneys Should Know about DWI; October 1999 (Plano, Texas)
Harris County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association; Cross Examination of the Technical Supervisor of the Intoxilyzer 5000, Fall 1999 (Houston, Texas)
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Annual Advanced Criminal Law Seminar, Handling the Intoxilyzer Supervisor June 1999 (San Antonio Texas)
Collin County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, June 1999 (McKinney, Texas)
Dallas/Tarrant County, Winter DWI Specialty Program, January 1999 (Purgatory, Colorado)
Tarrant County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, December 1998 (Fort Worth, Texas)
Dallas County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, October 1998 (Dallas, Texas)
Dallas/Tarrant County, Winter DWI Specialty Program, January 1998 (Colorado)
Dallas County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, First Annual DWI Seminar, January 1997 (Dallas, Texas)
