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Patrick Short

Patrick Short

Board Certified Personal Injury & Criminal Trial Lawyer at Law Firm of Patri
  • Personal Injury, Criminal Law, DUI & DWI ...
  • Texas
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Claimed Lawyer Profile
Biography

Board Certified by Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial and Criminal Law. Patrick Short is a trial lawyer based in Rockwall County, Texas, the county east of Dallas County with over 39 years of experience representing clients in East and North Texas in personal injury, wrongful death, criminal defense, and selected civil litigation matters. Patrick is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and in Criminal Trial Advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. He is also Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Patrick is one of 6 lawyers in the State of Texas that are double Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in both Personal Injury Trial Law and Criminal Law. Patrick has been selected as a Texas Super Lawyer every year since 2006 in addition to his invitation-only selection of the American Trial Lawyers Association’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers in 2009 and 2011. He has been selected to the invitation-only Best Attorneys of America. Patrick is admitted to practice law before the U.S. Supreme Court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas, as well as Texas state courts. He earned his J.D. (Juris Doctorate) from California Western Law School in 1982 and his B.A. in psychology from Baylor University in 1979. He graduated from the Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College in Dubois, Wyoming in July 2009. Patrick served four two-year terms (2009-2017) on the McLendon-Chisholm City Council, Place 3. He did not seek reelection. A Spanish-speaker, he served as interim Hispanic pastor from 2004 to 2007 at Lake Pointe Church, where he and his wife have remained members since 1985. Prior to starting his own law firm, Patrick served as the Assistant Criminal District Attorney in Rockwall County, Texas from 1985 to 1986.

Education
Trial Lawyers College
Trial Lawyers College Graduate (2009) | Jury Trials and the 7th Amendment
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The study and application of being human when presenting your clients' case to a jury.
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California Western School of Law
J.D. (1982) | Law
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Honors: National Mock Trial Team
California Western School of Law Logo
Baylor University
B.A. (1979) | Psychology
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Professional Experience
Rockwall County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Current
Trial Lawyer
Law Firm of Patrick Short
- Current
Representing people in plaintiffs' personal injury cases as well as criminal cases. Also will represent business matters when clients' need a trial lawyer to represent them.
Trial Lawyer, Partner
Woodall, Short & Reed
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Trial Lawyer, Partner
Woodall & Westerbeck
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Trial Lawyer
Law Office of Patrick Westerbeck
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Representing peoples in personal injury and criminal matters.
First Assistant District Attorney
Rockwall County Criminal District Attorney's Office
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Prosecuted Felony and Misdemeanor cases.
Speaking Engagements
Your Life on Trial, Evidence and Others: A Life of Success, McKinney, Collin County, Texas
Collin County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Your Life on Trial, Evidence and Others: A Life of Success, McKinney, Collin County, Texas
Collin County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Your Life on Trial, Evidence and Others: A Life of Success, McKinney, Collin County, Texas
Collin County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Certifications
Personal Injury Trial Law
Texas Board Of Legal Specialization
Criminal Law
Texas Board Of Legal Specialization
Criminal Law
Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy
Professional Associations
State Bar of Texas  # 21216900
Member
Current
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Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Texas
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5th Circuit
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Federal Circuit
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U.S. Supreme Court
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Fees
  • Free Consultation
    I give a fee consultation either over the phone or in person. Typically, I can do this in no more than 15 minutes. I think it’s important to have an honest discussion about what you are facing as a client. What I think the initial legal issues are and whether I’m the right lawyer for you. Call me.
  • Credit Cards Accepted
    All Major Credit Cards
  • Contingent Fees
    I do a contingent fee agreement with clients involving personal injury cases. Depending on the type of case, the complexity of the legal issues, the time involved, coupled with my over 33 years of experience, I structure the contingent fee to fit your case. Typically, that fee ranges from 35% prior to suit being filed, 40%+ after suit is filed through mediation and/or trial. If I accept your case, then I typically advance the expenses to bring your case and I am reimbursed the cost of those expenses once the case is resolved. There are times clients wish to participate in paying for their own expenses of litigation. In that event, I consider reducing my legal fee percentage based on the case. The expenses are taken out of the total recovery. Your portion of recovery is the amount after legal fees and the costs of cases expenses are paid to me. I take the risk. If we lose, you do not pay me anything for expenses or legal fees. Call me, let’s talk about your personal injury case.
  • Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
    Often in criminal cases, I will charge a flat fee based on the stage of the case and what it is you think you want to accomplish in your criminal case. Call me on your criminal matter and we can talk about it. On occasion, I will do a case on an hourly fee arrangement. Depending on the case, the situation, and your ability to fund representation, we can discuss this. Typically this is done in business litigation cases. Call me; we can talk about an hourly rate arrangement and your case.
Practice Areas
    Personal Injury
    Animal & Dog Bites, Brain Injury, Car Accidents, Construction Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Premises Liability, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death
    Criminal Law
    Criminal Appeals, Drug Crimes, Expungement, Fraud, Gun Crimes, Internet Crimes, Sex Crimes, Theft, Violent Crimes
    DUI & DWI
    Products Liability
    Drugs & Medical Devices, Motor Vehicle Defects, Toxic Torts
    Nursing Home Abuse
    Medical Malpractice
    Birth Injury, Medical Misdiagnosis, Pharmacy Errors, Surgical Errors
    Asbestos & Mesothelioma
    Animal & Dog Law
Additional Practice Areas
  • Dog Bite Cases
  • Expunction of Criminal Record
  • Nondisclosure of Criminal Record
  • Sealing of Record
  • Drug Charges
  • Assault & Family Violence Charges
Languages
  • Spanish: Spoken
Websites & Blogs
Website
Contact & Map
603 White Hills Drive, Suite A
Rockwall, TX 75087
Telephone: (972) 771-1441