Marcos Garza

DUI Defense | Criminal Defense | Personal Injury

Marcos Garza

Attorney at Law

Mr. Garza is a native of East Tennessee.  He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University.  He obtained his Masters of Science from the University of Tennessee and his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law.  Marcos M. Garza of the Garza Law Firm, PLLC is best known for his defense of those accused of DUI, criminal charges and for his representation of individuals who have suffered serious personal injury.

In 2010 through 2014, Marcos Garza was one of only four lawyers in the states of Arkansas, Tennessee and Mississippi, under the age of 40 to be selected as a “Mid-South Super Lawyer Rising-Star,” in the area of DUI/DWI Defense, a distinction given to the top 2.5% of all lawyers under the age of 40 or in the first 10 years of practice. Then, from 2017 through 2019, Marcos Garza has been designated a Super Lawyer in “DUI-DWI Defense“. Mr. Garza has consistently been recognized in CityView, Newsweek, Forbes  and Time magazines for his accomplishments as an outstanding attorney. Mr. Garza has also been recognized as one of the top 40 trial lawyers under 40 years of age in the state of Tennessee, as selected by the National Trial Lawyers Association, and has also been selected as one of their top 100 Trial Lawyers in America as recently as 2019. He has consistently been rated AV Preeminent, the highest distinction given by the distinguished Martindale attorney rating system.

Mr. Garza lectures both in the state of Tennessee and nationally in the areas of Criminal Defense, DUI and trial skills. Mr. Garza has literally attended hundreds of hours of legal and scientific education related to the defense of the citizen accused and prides himself in staying on the cutting edge of trial techniques and the underlying law and science that is necessary to effectively defend those accused of crime or those who have suffered serious personal injury. Mr. Garza is trained in the science and techniques of Gas Chromatography (the method used to test drugs and alcohol in the blood), the EC/IR II breath testing device and is both a student and Instructor of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) courses.

Mr. Garza is also a graduate of the prestigious National Criminal Defense College (NCDC) in Macon, Georgia and a graduate of the well-respected Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College® in Dubois, Wyoming, an intensive 24-day trial skills college.

After a tour as a Judge Advocate and Captain in the United States Marine Corps, Mr. Garza returned to practice law in his home of East Tennessee.  He routinely travels across East Tennessee handling criminal and personal injury cases for a relatively small number of clients.  Marcos Garza is committed to handling fewer cases in the areas of Criminal, DUI and Personal Injury law in order to achieve the best results possible.  This system enables Mr. Garza to get to know his clients personally and thoroughly, and he believes this not only produces better results but is also a more rewarding way of practicing law.  He is available during the week and on weekends for free consultations.  Mr. Garza is a husband and father of four young children and enjoys running and charcoal grilling on the weekends. Read legal reviews on Marcos Garza.

Education

 Vanderbilt University, B.S., Psychology, 1996

 University of Tennessee, Master of Science in Social Work, 1998

 University of Tennessee College of Law, J.D., 2001

Court Admissions

 Tennessee, 2001

 United States District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee, 2004

 United States Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit, 2006

Awards

 

2022

 Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Lifetime Member

 Best Motorcycle Accident Attorney in Knoxville, Expertise.com

2021

 AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

 Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney, Best of the Best

 Client Satisfaction Award, American Institute of DUI/DWI Attorneys

 Best Car Accident Attorney in Knoxville, Expertise.com

2020

 AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

 Top 10 DUI Defense Law Firms, Best of the Best

 Top 10 Personal Injury Attorney, Best of the Best

 Client Satisfaction Award, American Institute of DUI/DWI Attorneys

2019

 Top 100 Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers Assoc.

 Top-Rated DUI/DWI Attorney, Super Lawyers

 AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

 Best Car Accident Attorney in Knoxville, Expertise.com

2018

 Top-Rated DUI/DWI Attorney, Super Lawyers

 AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

 Best DUI Lawyer in Knoxville, Expertise.com

 Best Car Accident Attorney in Knoxville, Expertise.com

2017

 Top-Rated DUI/DWI Attorney, Super Lawyers

 AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

 Elite Lawyer of the South

2016

 AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

 Knoxville’s Top Lawyers, CityView Magazine

 AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2015

Knoxville’s Top Lawyers, CityView Magazine

 Top 100 Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers Assoc.

 AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

2014

 Ultimate Trial Advocacy Course, American Association for Justice

 Forensic Lawyer-Scientist, American Chemistry Society

 Driving Under the Influence of Drugs Course III, American Chemistry Society

 14 Best Criminal Defense Lawyers, Newsweek Magazine

 AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

 Rising Star Mid-South, Super Lawyers

 Top 100 Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers Assoc.

Knoxville’sTop Lawyers, CityView Magazine

2013

 AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

 Spence Trial Lawyers College 3-Week Course, Gerry Spence Trial Lawyers College

 Rising Star Mid-South, Super Lawyers

 Top 100 Trial Lawyers, National Trial Lawyers Assoc.

 Hands-On DNA Analysis Course, Dr. Greg Hampikian, Justin McShane & Josh Lee

 Legal Leaders—Tennessee’s Top Rated Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell

 2013 Standardized Field Sobriety Tests Update, Impaired Driving Specialists, LLC

 Leading Criminal Defense Attorneys, Newsweek Magazine

Knoxville’s Top Lawyers, CityView Magazine

 Forensic Chromatography: Solid Drug Dose Testing, Axion Analytical Laboratories, Inc.

2012

 Rising Star Mid-South, Super Lawyers

 AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5 Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell

Knoxville’s Top Lawyers, CityView Magazine

 Pharmacology/Toxicology Principles—DUI-D & Drug Cases Scientific Law Forums, Inc.

 Top 40 Under 40, National Trial Lawyers Assoc.

 Learning at the Footsteps of the Master: Cross Examination Terry MacCarthy & Josh Lee

2011

 Rising Star Mid-South, Super Lawyers

 Outstanding Lawyers, Newsweek Magazine

 Featured Tennessee Legal Profiles, Forbes Magazine

 Forensic Gas Chromatography Course, American Chemical Society-Axion Labs-Drs. Harold McNair & Lee Polite, Justine McShane & Josh Lee

2010

 Drug Recognition Expert Course Overview, Impaired Driving Specialists, LLC

 Intoximeter EC/IR II Breathalyzer Device Course, Arkansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

 Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement Course, Impaired Driving Specialists, LLC

 Multi Device Breath Testing Mega-Course, Georgia Defense of Drinking Drivers

 Behind the Secrets of Highway Drug Interdiction Seminar, Impaired Driving Specialists, LLC

 Forensic Chromatography Course, American Chemical Society

 “Taking Care of Business” (DUI Seminar), Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

 Rising Star Mid-South, Super Lawyers

2009

 Standardized Field Sobriety Test Instructor, Impaired Driving Specialists, LLC

2008

 National Trial Practice Institute, National Criminal Defense College

 Standardized Field Sobriety Test Training Certificate, LaPier & Associates

 Leadership Law, Tennessee Bar Association

2004

 Navy & Marine Corps Achievement Medal, United States Marine Corps

 Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, United States Marine Corps

 Captain, Judge Advocate, United States Marine Corps

2003

 National Defense Service Medal, United States Marine Corps

Speaking Engagements

 Self-Defense, Defense of Others, Escalation of Force, & Right to Counsel Issues, 2018

 U.S. Law Shield (Tennessee & Kentucky), 2017, 2018

 Trial Techniques and Issues Regarding Phase Two and Other Defenses, 2017

 Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Annual DUI Seminar, 2017

 Issues of Science McMinn County Bar Association, 2017

 How to Win Your Trial at Preliminary Hearing Tennessee Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Annual DUI Seminar, 2016

 Implied Consent and other DUI Defense Issues TACDL Annual DUI Defense Conference, 2014

 The CSI Effect: All the bloody details about Blood Testing, Breath Testing & Field Sobriety Testing Smoky Mountain Paralegal Association Annual Seminar, 2014

 Preparing the DUI Case Knox County Public Defenders Office Training, 2014

 Drug Recognition Expert Cross Examination Attacks DUI Seminar – Cobb County Bar Association, 2014

 20 Ways to Win a DUI Case TACDL’s 6th Annual DUI Seminar & Training, 2013

 Preliminary Hearings TACDL General Sessions Court Training, 2013

 Debunking the Drug Recognition Expert Ohio Assoc. of Criminal Defense Lawyers Advanced DUI Conference, 2013

 20 Trial Tips for DWI Winning Arkansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Annual Seminar, 2013

 Drug Recognition Defense 2013 DUI Conference Breckenridge, CO, 2013

 Demystifying the Drug Recognition Evaluator TACDL’S DUI 2012 Seminar & Training, 2012

 Drugged Driving TACDL’s 2011 DUI Training, 2011

 NHTSA’s Standardized Field Sobriety Tests Standardized Field Sobriety Test Course, 2010

 DUI/DWI Strategies in Defending DWI and DUI Cases, 2009

 Planning your legal profession Planning your future as a legal professional, 2009