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
- Kentucky, 2018
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
