County Attorney's Office
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The County Attorney’s Office is responsible for the prosecution of misdemeanor offenses committed within Crane County. The most common misdemeanor offenses are Driving While Intoxicated, Possession of Marijuana, Assault, and Driving While License Invalid. These cases are charged by Information and prosecuted in the County Court.
The County Attorney is also responsible for the prosecution of juvenile cases, whether misdemeanor or felony. These cases are generally heard by the County Judge or District Judge in the Juvenile Court of Crane County.
The County Attorney's Office prosecutes traffic offense cases that are referred to the Justice of the Peace. These cases are heard in the Justice Court of Crane County.
In addition to prosecuting duties, the County Attorney is available to provide written legal guidance to the elected county officials of Crane County upon request. The County Attorney regularly attends Commissioner Court meetings and advises the Commissioners on legal questions regarding their responsibilities.
Austin Ryan Rawls
County Attorney
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Mr. Austin Ryan Rawls is the current County Attorney. Originally elected to an unexpired term in 2018, Mr. Rawls has already left his stamp on the position by actively working with local law enforcement to prioritize the prosecution of DWI offenses and increasing penalties for plea agreements. Mr. Rawls remains dedicated to cleaning up his hometown by aggressively prosecuting illegal dumping cases and working closely with the Code Enforcement officer.
As County Attorney, Mr. Rawls created a new Pre-Trial Intervention Program that is overseen by the County Attorney’s Office. The PTI Program gives low-level or first-time offenders a chance to dispose of their case without going to court. This saves resources of the County while also providing funds to offset expenses of the County Attorney’s Office, saving taxpayers money.
In 2019, Mr. Rawls worked with members of the Commissioners Court to relocate the office space designated for the County Attorney’s Office and to create a County Attorney Assistant position, while also saving taxpayer dollars. These changes were necessary to protect the integrity of the justice system as well as the hard work of law enforcement.