Gary J. Barton Owner & Founding Attorney | Barton & Associates, Attorneys at Law San Antonio, Texas | Board Certified — Criminal Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
Gary J. Barton built his reputation in the places most attorneys never go — death penalty courtrooms in New Mexico, Capital Murder prosecutions in Bexar County, and the high-stakes trial work that defines a legal career. Before founding Barton & Associates, he spent years as a felony prosecutor, first trying homicide and death penalty cases in New Mexico, then returning to Texas as a Bexar County Felony Assistant District Attorney. During that tenure, he became the youngest prosecutor in Texas history to lead a Major Crimes Unit — a position focused exclusively on Capital Murder and Murder prosecutions.
He has since tried more than 100 cases to jury verdict across Texas and New Mexico. That number is not a marketing figure. It is a courtroom record built one trial at a time.
What Sets Gary Barton Apart
Most defense attorneys study how prosecutors think. Gary Barton lived it. When he sits across from a Bexar County prosecutor today, he is not guessing at their strategy — he has executed it himself. That prosecutorial foundation shapes everything about how Barton & Associates approaches a case: how evidence is evaluated, how witnesses are prepared, how negotiations are handled, and when a case needs to go to trial.
He is Board Certified in Criminal Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization — a distinction held by fewer than 3% of Texas attorneys — and holds both a Juris Doctorate and a Master of Business Administration from Texas Tech University, a dual credential that delivers measurable advantages in complex criminal litigation and high-asset family law matters alike.
Criminal Defense
Gary's criminal defense practice covers the full range of charges in Texas state and federal courts — from first-offense DWI and drug possession through aggravated felonies, sex crimes, violent offenses, and Capital Murder. His background as a Major Crimes prosecutor gives him an unmatched vantage point on the most serious cases, while his trial experience across more than 66 Texas counties means he is equally effective in Bexar County courts and beyond. The firm also handles probation violations, expunction and nondisclosure proceedings, military criminal defense, and professional license defense for healthcare workers, educators, and other licensed professionals.
Family Law
When marriages end — especially those involving significant assets, business interests, or children — the attorney across the table matters enormously. Gary's MBA-informed understanding of business valuation, community property characterization, and complex financial structures gives clients a concrete edge in high-asset divorce proceedings. The firm handles all aspects of family law, including contested divorce, child custody and conservatorship, child support, father's rights, grandparents' rights, spousal maintenance, and prenuptial and postnuptial agreements.
Personal Injury
Barton & Associates represents clients seriously injured by the negligence of others — in car and truck accidents, wrongful death cases, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, premises liability claims, medical malpractice matters, and more. Gary brings the same aggressive, preparation-first approach to personal injury litigation that has defined his criminal and family law practice throughout his career.
Recognition
Board Certified — Criminal Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization Super Lawyers Rising Stars — 2023, 2024, 2025 (Criminal Defense, DWI/DWI Defense, Family Law, Estate Planning & Probate) The National Trial Lawyers: Top 100 Lawyers of Distinction Best Attorneys of America Active Member, State Bar of Texas — Bar Card No. 24082430, Licensed November 6, 2014
Education
J.D. — Texas Tech University School of Law, Class of 2014 MBA — Texas Tech Rawls College of Business B.A., Political Science — University of Texas at San Antonio
A San Antonio Attorney, Through and Through
Gary J. Barton was raised in Bandera, Texas — the Hill Country community west of San Antonio known as the Cowboy Capital of the World. He has spent nearly his entire life in the San Antonio area and has practiced in more than 66 Texas counties. He knows Bexar County's courts not as a visitor, but as someone who built his career inside them — first as a prosecutor, and now as one of the region's most experienced defense and trial attorneys.
When the charge is serious, the custody fight is contested, or the injuries are severe, Gary J. Barton is the attorney San Antonio families turn to.
Barton & Associates, Attorneys at Law San Antonio, Texas | Bexar, Travis & Nueces Counties | South & Central Texas
