Darlina Crowder is president of The Crowder Law Firm in Plano, Texas, practicing primarily in criminal defense since 2000. She received her J.D. in 1998 from Texas Wesleyan University School of Law, where she was chosen by classmates to speak at their Hooding Ceremony. She received a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, with a minor in General Science, from Texas Woman’s University in 1995. Admitted to the Texas bar in 1999 and Admitted to The United States Court of Appeals for The Fifth Circuit. Ms. Crowder has also been licensed to practice law in the U.S. District Court’s Northern and Eastern Districts of Texas since 1999. Over her career, she has received over 200 acquittals. In 2004, Ms. Crowder teamed up with Robert Udashen to represent Lisa Diaz in a case that drew national attention, as Ms. Diaz was charged with capital murder for drowning her two children. However, the Udashen-Crowder team was successful and Ms. Diaz was found not guilty by reason of insanity. Ms. Crowder’s experience now also includes service behind the bench. She was appointed in 2013 as an Associate Judge in Collin County Probate Court, presiding over mental health hearings.
Ms. Crowder has also received a number of honors. She was selected for Texas Monthly’s, “Super Lawyers Rising Stars” list in March 2005, March 2006 & March 2007 and for its “Texas Super Lawyers” list in October & September 2009. In June 2007 & 2008, Ms. Crowder was also the recipient of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association’s Presidential Award. She has served on the Board of Directors for the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (as Associate Director, 2007-2008) and for the Collin County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (2000). She has also served as a Secretary/Treasurer (2001) and Vice President (2002-2003) for the Collin County Criminal Bench Bar Foundation since 1999, and as Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation since 2007. She is also a member of the Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the American Bar Association, the Trial Lawyers College, the Collin County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association.
Ms. Crowder’s work has been featured in the following publications: Texas Lawyer, August 2004 “Against All Odds” (Cover Story, Ms. Crowder & Robert Udashen); Dallas Observer, September 2004, “Insanely Guilty” (Cover Story, Ms. Crowder & Robert Udashen); and Houston Press, September 2004 “Insanity Defense” (Cover Story, Ms. Crowder & Robert Udashen). She has also appeared on: KLIF (FOX) Radio (as Guest, November 2006); Bill O’Reilly, The O’Reilly Factor (as Guest, November 10, 2006); and Nancy Grace, CNN, (as Co-Counsel Guest).
She has also been invited to speak and serve as faculty at the following programs:
•The Center for American and International Law, Criminal Defense Trial Skills and Law Program, Faculty, Lecturer, Speaker (2006-Present)
•Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Associate, Strike Force (2012-Present)
•Texas Center for the Judiciary conference, Co-Presented with Gary Udashen on Eye Witness Identification (May 2012)
•Military Defense Counsel Trial Litigation, Faculty, The Center for American and International Law, Plano, Texas (July 2009, 2011)
•Texas Association of Judiciary Interpreters & Translators, Speaker, “The Anatomy of a DWI Stop”, McKinney, Texas (January 2010)
•Advanced Criminal Law Seminar, 28th Annual Prairie Dog Lawyers, Speaker on Winning Strategies at Trial, Lubbock, Texas (January, 2008)
•Advanced Trial Series, Speaker on Experts, Tyler, Texas (December 14, 2007)
•Voir Dire Seminar, Course Director, Dallas (December 6, 2007)
•Rusty Duncan Advanced Criminal Law Course, Course Director & Speaker, San Antonio (June 2007)
•Texas Criminal Trial College, Faculty, Huntsville, Texas (March 2005 & 2006)
•Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers’ Association Luncheon Speaker (March 2005)
•Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association, Seminar, Speaker, (Laredo, March 2005:McAllen, May 2005: New Braunfels, July 2005)
