Jacob Blizzard Board Certified Lawyer Criminal Law Criminal Appeals Abilene Texas Law Firm Criminal defense

CONTACT JACOB BLIZZARD

Tel: 325.230.2751
contact@blizzardlawfirm.com

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Criminal Defense →
Criminal Appeal →
Habeas Corpus →
Personal Injury →

EDUCATION

Texas Tech University School of Law
-Doctor of Jurisprudence
-cum laude – May 2010

University of Houston
-Bachelor of Arts, Political Science/Economics – May 2007

Howard Payne University

Jacob Blizzard National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 - National Trial Lawyers

B
OARD CERTIFIED CRIMINAL DEFENSE AND CRIMINAL APPEAL ABILENE LAWYER 

 

With an enviable dual board certification in criminal law and criminal appeals, Jacob Blizzard is in the elite circle of just a handful of Texas attorneys bearing this acclaim. Commanding an impressive advocacy track, Jacob’s fast-paced caseload is paralleled by a zealous post-conviction practice that has catalyzed the freedom of the wrongfully incarcerated. Renowned and respected, Jacob was never a prosecutor – his stance has always been firmly on the side of the defense. His accolades include being a National Trial Lawyers Top 100 honoree and a recurrent Super Lawyers Rising Star. A luminary in the courts, Jacob’s litigation finesse is grounded in his cum laude jurisprudence doctorate from the Texas Tech University School of Law.

He is also licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas, United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas, the United State Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court.

Jacob’s profile on the Texas Board of Legal Specialization website: https://www.tbls.org/profile/24068558

He’s been practicing since 2010, representing individuals accused of any state or federal crime, also clients with appeals and post-conviction writs of habeas corpus, 11.07 writ of habeas corpus. View a sampling of his successful results.

Jacob is not a former prosecutor turned defense attorney. Unlike attorneys who have worked part of their careers in putting people in prison, he has zero government experience or any history of prosecuting defendants. What makes him stand out? Well, he never jumps to conclusions or assumes his clients are guilty. Instead, he wholeheartedly believes in the principles laid out in the Constitution of the United States of America, specifically the burden of proof being on the government to prove their case beyond any shadow of a doubt.

Jacob has won federal criminal cases out of the Abilene, San Angelo, and Lubbock divisions notoriously “law and order” oriented divisions of the Northern District of Texas. Cases actually tried before a jury and not plead out. He has also successfully won numerous state criminal jury trial cases, including capital murder.

Picking a lawyer can be confusing. Knowing who to choose as a Texas criminal defense lawyer or federal criminal defense lawyer in Abilene, Texas is a difficult task.

Jacob is among only 87 lawyers out of 100,000 attorneys in Texas who is board certified in both Criminal Law and Criminal Appellate Law.

When you choose a board-certified criminal defense lawyer, you know that you are getting a lawyer who is recognized by the State Bar of Texas Board of Legal Specialization as a criminal law and criminal appeal specialist. Jacob is also Capital Murder Appellate List Qualified, Texas 7th Judicial Region. He is also qualified to argue before the US Supreme Court as well as US Federal and US Federal Appellate Courts.

Blizzard’s practice has included:

  • Direct appeal following a conviction, petition for discretionary review to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
  • Post-conviction writs of habeas corpus under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure 11.07.
  • Arguing cases in oral argument before the Texas Court of Appeals.

Mr. Blizzard is also recognized by the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 and is a Super Lawyers 2020-21-22-23-24 Rising Star for Criminal Defense, Appellate, and Personal Injury – General: Plaintiff and Criminal Defense: DUI / DWI, meeting their stringent requirements.

Jacob has extensive appeal, criminal defense, and appellate court experience in the Texas state and United States federal courts. He was licensed by the State Bar of Texas in 2010.

Review some of the results that Jacob has attained for his clients.

CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER WITH A PASSION FOR ADVOCACY & CARING COMMUNICATION

Mr. Blizzard grew up in a working-class family, with his father owning his own home remodeling company. From an early age, he has had a passion for justice and a heart for mercy. Growing up as a Christian, Jacob went to college believing he would enter the ministry. Ultimately, after attending two years of college, he decided that his heart for helping and ministering to others was better suited in his pursuit as a lawyer practicing primarily criminal defense, appeals, and post-conviction writ of habeas corpus work.

Jacob has spent years gaining valuable experience, crafting unique negotiations, building relationships, and honing his skills in trial and appeal brief writing to achieve favorable results for his clients.

His strong belief in advocacy for individuals is important to him, and he has built a team of highly skilled lawyers to litigate any criminal case.

Some cases take strategic and purposeful planning in negotiations and plea bargaining, while others take sharpening the sword for attack in trial to achieve “not guilty” verdicts for clients.

As a lawyer, Jacob has heard countless clients complain of prior lawyers they’ve had who only talked to them at the hiring and then met them at court to resolve their case.

Blizzard and Zimmerman Attorneys and lawyers are different. Jacob himself strives to keep clients informed and formulates plans with clients to keep them in the loop of their cases. He takes the time to explain options to clients and their families which allows for informed decisions from his experience and knowledge in the client’s type of case. His experience and specialization are recognized by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. He has also been recognized by Super Lawyers as a 2020-2021-2022-2023-2024 Texas Rising Star

FEDERAL COURTS OF ADMITTANCE

  • United States Supreme Court
  • Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
  • Northern District Court of Texas

TEXAS BOARD CERTIFIED SPECIALIZATION THAT MATTERS

Mr. Blizzard is the only practicing criminal defense lawyer and criminal appellate lawyer, board certified in both criminal law and criminal appellate law in Taylor County, Texas.

Board Certified Criminal Appellate Law - Criminal LawIn Texas, there are more than 100,000 lawyers licensed to practice, but only 7,450 are board-certified.

In the entire State of Texas, as of the 2019 certification year, there were only 87 lawyers board certified in both criminal law and criminal appellate law. That makes Mr. Blizzard one of 0.087% of lawyers in Texas to hold both of those certifications.

Jacob regularly practices in the areas of criminal defense, criminal appeals, post-conviction writs of habeas corpus, and personal injury.

He is valued by his clients for taking the time needed to give personal attention to their legal issues. Mr. Blizzard’s knowledge and experience are applied to each client’s case.

He invests the time and effort that each client deserves in order to look at each situation with care and conduct an in-depth analysis of the facts and legal issues involved.

CRIMINAL LAW, CRIMINAL DEFENSE

Blizzard has tried many jury trials on many issues of criminal law, along with civil cases in Taylor County, Texas, and counties within a 100-mile radius.

He is dedicated to developing a winning strategy in every case to achieve the best possible outcome for each case and client.

In his practice, he has represented clients in criminal cases at all levels from low-level offenses to first-degree major felonies involving serious allegations including murder, capital murder, drug possession with intent to deliver, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and sexual assault.

Jacob has defended serious United States federal criminal cases as well, achieving rare wins not often seen in United States federal court.

CRIMINAL APPEALS

The Texas Board of Legal Specialization has stringent requirements to certify lawyers in Criminal Appellate Law. Jacob is among 127 attorneys in Texas who are board certified in Criminal Appeals.

According to the TBLS, Jacob has meet the qualifications, including:

  • Practicing law fulltime for at least 5 years as an active member of the State Bar of Texas;
  • He has at least 3 years of Criminal Appellate Law experience with a yearly minimum 25% substantial involvement with Criminal Appellate Law matters;
  • Jacob has performed substantial work in drafting the pleadings or brief for a party in a minimum of 50 Criminal Appellate cases with a minimum of 5 oral arguments at a Court of Appeals, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, a United States Circuit Court of Appeals, or the United States Supreme Court.

During in his entire practice;

  • Jacob Blizzard has received qualified vetted references from judges and lawyers in the Abilene, TX area;
  • Completed 60 hours of TBLS approved continuing legal education in Criminal Appellate Law;
  • Meets all of the TBLS Standards for Attorney Certification; and
  • He has passed a comprehensive 6-hour examination in Criminal Appellate Law.

ONE OF TWO REGIONAL ATTORNIES QUALIFIED FOR CAPITAL CASES

He is noted by the Seventh Administrative Judicial Region of Texas as being one of two lawyers in the region who is qualified for appointment as Lead Appellate Counsel in Texas capital cases in which the death penalty is sought. The full list of those lawyers is here.

Jacob Blizzard also has authored numerous criminal appeal briefs in Texas state and United States federal courts of appeals.

This practice has included direct appeal following a conviction, petition for discretionary review to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, post-conviction writs of habeas corpus under Texas Code of Criminal Procedure 11.07, and federal writs of habeas corpus.

Jacob has also argued his cases in oral argument before the Courts of Appeals in both Texas state and United States federal courts.

Jacob Blizzard, Board Certified  Lawyer | Criminal Law – Criminal Appeal

SKILL, KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE

Prior to becoming a founding and managing partner at Blizzard & Zimmerman Attorneys, Jacob:

  • Practiced as a solo practitioner under the name The Blizzard Law Firm, also in Abilene, Texas.
  • Practiced as the managing partner of Parker & Blizzard, P.L.L.C. in a partnership with now retired, Abilene, Texas lawyer Quanah Parker.
  • Worked in an insurance defense law firm representing large national insurance companies.
  • Worked in criminal prosecution with the City of Lubbock, Texas.
  • Worked with the Attorney General of Texas, Child Support Division.
  • Worked with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

Professional Awards and Recognition:

  • 2021 American Institute of Trial Attorneys Best Law Firm
  • 2020-2024 Super Lawyers Texas Rising Star – Criminal Defense
  • 2020-2021 National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 – Criminal Defense
  • 2019 National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40
  • 2019 Board Certification in Criminal Appellate Law – Texas Board of Legal Specialization
  • 2016 Board Certification in Criminal Law – Texas Board of Legal Specialization
  • 2016 Bob Black Bar Leaders Award from Texas Tech University School of Law
  • Big Country Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
    -Treasurer 2014, Vice President 2015-2018, President 2019 & 2020
  • Abilene Young Lawyers Association, President 2015
  • Texas Trial Lawyers Association Member

Law School Awards:

American Jurisprudence Award in Civil Rights Law
American Jurisprudence Award in Business Entities
American Jurisprudence Award in Supreme Court Seminar

Publications:

Author: Blizzard, Jacob A., Where have all the Taxes Gone: Creating and Administering a Working Education System Through Universal Vouchers, 13 Tex. Tech. Admin. L.J. 209. 2012.
Author: Blizzard, Jacob A., More Party Talk: Answers to Everyday Legal Questions for Texas Lawyers. Austin, TX: State Bar of Texas. 2016.

CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION – CLE – STATE BAR OF TEXAS

2023

  • Non-Capital Habeas Conference – Portland, OR / Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts Defender Services Office Training Division

2021

  • Motions for New Trial / State Writs of Habeas Corpus
  • Criminal Law and Civil Ligitators: A review of Three Little Known Federal Statues and Parallel Prosecution
  • False Evidence Claims / Brady and Other Ethical Issues
  • Mastering the Strike for Cause Method of Jury Selection

2020

  • 2020 Annual Federal Criminal Practice Seminar
  • Best of Criminal Writs: A Collection of the Top Rated Presentations

2019

  • 2018 Robert O. Dawson Conference on Criminal Appeals

2018

  • Veterans and Legal Representation
  • 31st Rusty Duncan Advanced Criminal Law Course
  • Handling Your First (or Next) Wrongful Conviction 2017

2017

  • 21st Annual DWI Means Defend With Ingenuity Seminar
  • Exceptional Oral Arguments: Tips and Techniques
  • Defending a Self Defense Case / Defending Controversial Cases
  • Experts & Daubert / Search Warrants / Technology
  • Digital Evidence: 45 Apps in 45 Minutes

2016

  • Legislative Update 2015: Criminal Law
  • US Supreme Court & Court of Criminal Appeals Update / Jury

2015

  • Federal Law

2014

  • Elder Exploitation and Criminal Prosecution
  • Appellate Issues in Criminal Law: Brief Writing / Oral
  • Attorney Fees / Sufficiency of the Evidence Standards
  • Drug Minus 2: Federal Sentencing Guidelines Update

2013

  • Defending Those Accused of Sexual Assault
  • Family Law Essentials 2013
  • Texas Estate Planning Legislative Update

2012

  • Real Estate Law 2012
  • 25th Annual Rusty Duncan Advanced Criminal Law Course
  • House Bill 274: What Passed?

2011

  • Confessions / Search & Seizure / Deferred Prosecution
  • Demonstration Exhibits / Criminal Law Update / DWI
  • How to Handle an Appeal and Write A Brief to the Court
  • Justice James A. Baker Guide to the Basics Course
  • Guardianship Law 2011
  • Representing Texas Children in Abuse and Neglect Cases
  • Appellate Update
  • Lawyer Advertising
  • Misdemeanor Courts Go Paperless
  • The Vanishing Jury
  • DWI for Dummies
  • Criminal Defense – Duty to Investigate
  • State of the Bar presented by SBOT President-Elect Bob Black
  • How the Grievance System Works

CONTACT JACOB

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