About John W. Armstrong III
John W. Armstrong III was born in Kerrville, Texas. In 1961, his family moved to Houston where he attended Anderson Elementary, Johnston and Fondren Junior High, and graduated from Westbury High School.
 Sheriff Jack Heard promotes a new Sergeant, 1980. |
John joined the Harris County Sheriff’s Department in 1975. He served
as a Bailiff and Process Server in the District Criminal Courts of Harris
County. In 1980, John was promoted to Sergeant, and assigned to the Detention
and Special Services Bureaus. In March, 1981, John was again promoted, this
time to the rank of Lieutenant and assigned to the Detention Bureau, as an
Administrative Lieutenant. In March, 1982 John was transferred to the Sheriff’s
Academy as the Training Coordinator overseeing all the training programs
for the Department.
From 1980 to 1982, John helped organize and subsequently served on the board of directors of the first Harris County Deputy Sheriff’s Association. This association was started to help achieve professionalism in the department through civil service. After its formation, John was elected Vice President and placed in charge of the legislative committee.
 Governor Bill Clements signs Civil Service Bill into Law, 1981. |
John spent numerous hours working on this committee and traveling to Austin to lobby legislators trying to get the department civil service. Finally, in May 1981, the Governor signed the bill bringing the department under civil service. Before leaving the Department, John was one of a group of individuals who helped write the Civil Service Regulations for the Department.
 HCSO 1975-1982 |
The culmination of the experience of lobbying in Austin, realizing his potential through such quick advancement in rank in a short tenure, as well as recognizing his love for the courtroom, became the impetus to push John into resigning from the department to go back to college and go on to law school.
Incidentally, if you are beginning to wonder whether John can go against the deputies or the department he worked so hard to help professionalize. You should know that since becoming a lawyer, John has been in two federal lawsuits against the Sheriff, represented Deputies in job disputes against the department, as well as represented individuals, both deputies and citizens, charged with a criminal offenses by the department. In other words, John has no fear in representing someone against the Department or its personnel.
In August, 1982, John re-enrolled as a Freshman at Texas State University-San Marcos (also known as Southwest Texas State University) in San Marcos, Texas. He majored in Political Science with a minor in Business. While attending Texas State University, John was on the Dean’s List every semester, graduating Cum Laude in May,1986 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. While attending college he was a member of Alpha Chi National Honor Society; Pi Gamma Mu International Honor Society in Social Science and Phi Kappa Psi National Fraternity.
 Old Main, Southwest Texas State University, 1982-1986 |
In August, 1986, John attended Saint Mary’s Law School in San Antonio. John transferred at the end of his first year to South Texas College of Law, and began working full time for the law firm of Ramsey & Tyson while attending law school. John graduated in May, 1989 and was licensed to practice law by the Supreme Court of Texas in November, that same year. In September, 1990 John went into private practice.
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During the years of his practice from 1991 to 1999, John was also an Instructor, at night, in the Law Enforcement Academy at the Houston Community College. John has taught "Basic Police Academy" classes as well as "In-Service" training schools for veteran peace officers in the following areas of the law: "Texas Penal Code"; "Texas Code of Criminal Procedure", "Arrest, Search and Seizure"; "Use of Force"; "Family Code", "United States and Texas Constitutions"; "Ethics", and "Civil Process and Liability." Finally, in 1999 John resigned deciding to devote more time to his family and to his growing practice.
 Northeast Campus, Houston Community College 1991-1999 |
He is licensed to practice in all State Courts and in the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western United State District Courts of Texas as well as before the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. John has served as volunteer speaker in the speakers bureau for the Houston Bar Association, and lectured before the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, the Galveston Criminal Lawyers Association and before Senior trial advocacy classes at South Texas College of Law on the topics of trial notebook including DWI Trial Notebook, public information requests, and pre-trial investigation.
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John has practiced criminal defense from day one. He is a member of the National College for DUI Defense, the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, the Austin Criminal Lawyers Association, the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, the Criminal Law Section of the State Bar of Texas, and the College of the State Bar of Texas. John is a Certified Practitioner, in the Standard Field Sobriety Tests in accordance with the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) and is a Certified Breath Test Operator and Maintenance Technician on the Intoxilyzer 5000 (the Intoxilyzer presently used in Texas) in accordance with United States Department of Transportation.
 Honorable F. Lee Duggan, Jr., Justice, First Court of Appeals swears in New Attorney - 1989 |
Basically, John has been on both sides of the street, and it is this diverse background that makes him uniquely qualified to help you or your loved one. For more detailed information see below.
EDUCATION
Texas State University (Southest Texas State University), San Marcos, Texas;
B. A., Cum Laude,1986
South Texas College of Law, Houston, Texas, J. D., 1989
PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS
State Bar of Texas, 1989
College of the State Bar, 1993, 1998, 2002, to present
The National College For DUI Defense, 2005 to present
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, 2001 to present
Austin Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association, 2007
Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, 1991 to present
Association of Trial Lawyers of America, 1997
American Bar Association, 1989
Houston Bar Association, 1990
HBA, Volunteer Speaker's Committee, 1991
Houston Community College System Northeast College Criminal Justice/Law Enforcement
Advisory Council, 1993-1994
SEMINARS AND LECTURES, Professional
Lecture Resume
Speaker, TDCLA, 3RD Annual Top Gun DWI Seminar (October, 2005) , Houston,
Texas - Open Records Requests, Subpoenas, Updated.
Speaker, HCCLA, Luncheon Seminar, (May, 2005), Houston, Texas - Investigating the Players Without Leaving the Office.
Speaker, TDCLA, 2ND Annual Top Gun DWI Seminar (August, 2004) , Houston, Texas - Open Records Requests and Subpoenas.
Speaker, South Texas College of Law (2002, 2003, and 2004), Criminal Trial Advocacy, Houston, Texas - Trial Notebook.
Speaker, Galveston County Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (June, 2002), Galveston, Texas - DWI Trial Notebook
Instructor 1991-1999, Northeast College Law Enforcement Academy, Houston Community
College System, Houston, Texas
Basic Academy classes and In-Service schools for licensed peace officers in
the following areas of TCLEOSE topics: Texas Penal Code; Texas Code of Criminal
Procedure, Arrest, Search and Seizure; Use of Force; Family Code, United States
and Texas Constitutions; Ethics, and Civil Process and Liability.
Adjunct Instructor 1998, Northeast College, Criminal Justice Program, Houston
Community College System, Houston, Texas
College Level classes for students in the following areas: Criminal Investigation,
The Criminal Justice System, Criminal Procedure, and Introduction to Criminal
Law.
Administrative Assistant/Student Facilitator 1983-1986, Student Learning Assistance
Center (SLAC), Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas
Assisted in instructing fundamental study skills classes for students returning
to College; and Co-Author of the first Academic Advising Handbook for Faculty.
Training Coordinator 1982, Harris County Sheriff’s Academy, Houston,
Texas
In Charge of Training of Basic Academy classes and In-Service schools for licensed
peace officers and instructing in the following TCLEOSE topics: Courtroom Demeanor
and Testimony and Rules of Evidence. Also developed the first in-service training
class for officers to learn to handle family violence cases as well assisting
in other class instruction.
Guest Instructor 1976-1981, Harris County Sheriff’s Academy, Houston,
Texas
Basic Academy classes in the following areas of TCLEOSE topics: Courtroom Demeanor
and Testimony and Rules of Evidence.
OTHER RELATED EXPERIENCE
2006— Practitioner Re-certification, DWI Detection & Standardized
Field Sobriety Testing, in accordance with the National Highway Traffic Safety
Association (NHTSA)- Jim Medley.
2003—Practitioner Re-certification, DWI Detection & Standardized
Field Sobriety Testing, in accordance with the National Highway Traffic Safety
Association (NHTSA)- Walden, Platt & Associates.
2003—Certified Breath Test Operator and Maintenance Technician of the
Intoxilyzer 5000, in accordance with the U.S. Department of Transportation-C.
E. S. Consulting, Inc.
2001— Practitioner, DWI Detection & Standardized Field Sobriety Testing,
in accordance with the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA)-
LaPier& Associates.
Harris County Sheriff's Department, Houston, Texas
1982 — Lieutenant, assigned as Training Coordinator in charge of training
at the Academy;
1981 — Administrative Lieutenant in the Detention Bureau;
1980 — Sergeant assigned to the Detention Bureau, Courts, Communications,
and Personnel Divisions;
1977 — Process Server assigned to the 182nd and 185th Judicial District
Courts;
1975 — Bailiff in the 182nd Judicial District Court.
Licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas
Admitted to practice in all Federal Courts in Texas
Not Certified By the Texas Board of Legal Specialization