About Carl

Background

Carl David Ceder grew up in Austin, Texas, and graduated salutatorian (2nd) of his high school class out of 436 students (something he still takes pride in achieving to this day, regardless of how much time has passed since). Carl also took pride in playing football throughout high school, and still believes the values instilled back then, resulted in the strong ethic he tries to display, on a regular basis, with his law practice today (some past footage can be displayed and seen here). Carl played and was coached by his father, Dennis Ceder, a former Texas High School Football Coach. To this day, Carl's father still inspires him to always seek perfection with work, and to engage himself with the absolute hardest effort for any competitive activity undertaken. Carl's father held a relentless pursuit of perfection as a football coach, tirelessly working to ensure his teams were always fully prepared and fully operating at their fullest potential. Carl believes the same fundamentals that led to success on the football field for his father (focus, preparation, intensity, and commitment) also apply to winning in the courtroom. 

Following high school, Carl attended the Red McCombs School of Business at The University of Texas at Austin, and graduated in less than three years with a Bachelors of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance, with a double minor in Accounting and Management. After working for approximately two years in the Finance industry for Goldman Sachs, Carl decided then to shift his focus to pursue and devote his career, and lifelong dream, of becoming a practicing Trial Attorney.

Carl then went to the University of Houston Law Center determined to obtain his Law Degree, so he could achieve his goal of being able to represent those in need of an honest, ethical, and professional attorney. Carl prides in being a strong advocate in any courtroom setting, and will do anything in his power to try and assist those in need of help from a Law Office who cares for each client. Carl excelled in many advocacy-related activities while in law school, and always pursued every opportunity then to hone his skill and experience in the courtroom. Carl was a traveling member for two years on the Interscholastic Mock Trial Team at the University of Houston, and he believes he first learned then what it takes to build a strong foundation of what takes to be successful as a trial advocate in court. Carl graduated from law school early, and received his Juris Doctorate in just over two years in December of 2007, and upon successfully passing the Texas State Bar Exam, started practicing law, and trying cases, at a very early start.

DWI Defense

Carl has practiced DWI Defense literally since first obtaining his license to practice law. He was honored to learn from someone that he considers one of the best in the business: The DWI DUDE - JAMIE BALAGIA. Carl was first able to hone his skills in criminal defense, as Jamie and his Law Firm provided every opportunity for immediate trial skill training, and the opportunity to practice immediately in the courtroom. This proved to be an invaluable experience, as Carl was able to begin immediately representing the accused literally right after obtaining his license to practice law. Jamie and his team's mentoring, including and also especially from Jerry Smith and Will Mitchell, were invaluable in providing training, knowledge, and experience. When working with the DWI DUDE staff, it allowed Carl to achieve very successful results through "Not Guilty" verdicts against some of the most experienced and seasoned DWI Police Officers, and in some areas (and counties) that are traditionally known to be the toughest on crime.

While many in the field of criminal defense boast of their experience working as a prosecutor in some capacity, Carl is proud to have NEVER worked to put an individual in jail. Instead, he has ALWAYS focused his practice on defending the rights of the accused.

Carl has experience in all matters relating to criminal defense, and has the ability to represent anyone charged with a crime in the Dallas-Forth metroplex, including Dallas County, Tarrant County, Collin County, Denton County, Rockwall County, and all adjoining counties. Carl has further specialized his practice in criminal law on charges related specifically to Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) and Driving Under The Influence (DUI) charges. Carl has conducted Jury Trials in 10 different counties in DWI & DUI cases over the course of his career across the State of Texas, including both Felony and Chemical Test DWI cases. Given his past training and background, Carl has the proper knowledge to evaluate your case to try and determine the best possible outcome. While every DWI case is unique and different in someway, and while recogonizing that any particular result cannot be guaranteed, prior experience has proven that any DWI case can potentially lead to a successful result. While each case is different, The Law Offices of Carl David Ceder will firmly pledge to diligently work to make sure that the best possible outcome is reached. Carl has a passionate desire in representing the accused in court and is always ready and willing to do everything in his power to work to help achieve a positive and favorable results, given all factors involved. Regardless of the nature of the proceeding, Carl will always promise to those he represents that he will tirelessly work to do everything in his power to help ensure that their rights are always protected.

Technique

Our office tries to maintain a collaborative relationship with all clients we represent. We very much encourage active participation in their defense, and welcome help gathering information, and organizing and assimilating in preparation for trial. Being charged with any crime, especially a charge of DWI, can be incredibly embarrassing and it can be a life-changing moment for anyone. The most important factor in choosing a DWI Defense Attorney is whether you can foresee that you will be able meaningfully communicate with the person whom you choose to represent. For me, it is imperative to be able to develop a personal one-on-one relationship. In that respect, we think it is important to ask the following questions when determining whom one should work with:

  • Do I trust this person with my freedom, my employment, my family, and a possible criminal record?
  • Is this person a seasoned, certified, experienced DWI Defense Attorney that can and will fight for me if the situation calls for it? 
  • Does he have the resources, office space, support staff, facilities, and technology to compete against the government in this technological day and age? Or is he still stuck in the past?

Carl has handled literally a countless number of DWI cases since obtaining his license to practice law, in counties quite literally all across the State of Texas. He is immensely proud to state that he has prosecuted none, and has never worked to put, or keep, someone in jail. He has tried cases all over the State of Texas, obtaining "Dismissals" and "Not Guilty" verdicts in many counties that are known particularly as the most harsh on charges of DWI.

This wealth of all of his experience, training, knowledge, and skill he has received, has come from where it matters the most: from the Defense side of the table --- simply put, it has stemmed and resulted from representing persons accused of a crime, and not by prosecuting them.

Carl has a firm belief that the only way to handle a criminal case successfully is to investigate and prepare every case as if it were going to be ultimately tried in front of a jury. Carl begins to formulate differing options, even when first speaking with a potential client, from the very beginning - because he believes, even though the case might not eventually proceed to trial, this is the proper thought process to employ to achieve the best possible result in the end. By doing this, every case gets fully investigated, and it is our hope that we are able to obtain positive results for every client represented, even if the case does not ultimately conclude with a trial.

Most "former prosecutors" are not skilled and experienced in criminal defense law, in proper and skillful cross-examination techniques, utilizing defense experts, or investigating a case to analyze from the prospective of trying to obtain what matters most: obtaining a two-word verdict (a "Not Guilty" at trial). Even prosecutors that have been "criminal defense lawyers" for many years sometimes never lose their "everyone's guilty" mentality. This is a huge factor to take into account when you are considering the effects of a criminal conviction on your freedom, family, and your future career. 

 

Training/Experience
  • Carl has made a deep commitment to be on the forefront of DWI Defense, regularly attending seminars around the country to ensure he has every resource available to fight any case he undertakes. The Law Offices of Carl David Ceder, PLLC, is committed to staying on the cutting edge of DWI Defense by regularly attending seminars and different CLE events on the subject.
  • Carl is Certified in NHTSA Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, which is the same certification arresting officers receive at the police academy when learning how to properly conduct a DWI investigation.
  • He has also received Certification as a Field Sobriety Testing Instructor, which means he is qualified to actually teach Standardized Field Sobriety Testing to police officers.
  • Carl is also a Certified Technician of the Intoxilyzer 5000, which is the Breath Testing device used by law enforcement in Texas.
  • Additionally, Carl has received Advanced Training in the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) Test, which is one of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests used by police officers to determine whether someone may have been Driving While Intoxicated.
  • He has also completed a NHTSA Drug Evaluation and Classification (DRE) Course, which is the functional equivalent to the ARIDE Program (Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement).
Credentials
  • Awarded a Certificate of Completion for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)/International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Practitioner Course by Dr. Lance Platt  
  • Completed the Breath Alcohol Technician Course of the Intoxilyzer 5000EN according to the United States Department of Transportation Code Federal Regulations 49 Part 40 by Dr. Jan Semenoff  
  • Completed Advanced Training in the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests, specifically focused on Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN): Vision Science Perspectives by Dr. Steve Rubenzer  
  • Awarded a Certificate of Completion for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)/International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Practitioner Update Course by Dr. Lance Platt
  • Awarded a Certificate of Completion for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)/International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Standardized Field Sobriety Testing Instructor Course by Dr. Lance Platt
  • Awarded a Certificate of Completion for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)/International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Drug Evaluation and Classification Program (DRE) Overview Course by Dr. Lance Platt
  • Attended the TCDLA Seminar 7th Annual Top Gun DWI : A Blood Test Trial From Start To Finish in Houston, Texas
  • Attended the TCDLA Seminar Highs, Lows, and the Deep Ellum Blues: Defending the Drug Case in Dallas, Texas
  • Attended the 13th Annual NACDL & NCDD seminar DWI Means Defend With Ingenuity Ultimate DUI Defense: Strategies for the Courtroom Warrior in Las Vegas, Nevada at Caesar's Palace Hotel & Casino
  • Attended the TCDLA Seminar Stuart Kinard Memorial Advanced DWI Seminar in San Antonio, Texas
  • Attended the TCDLA Sexual Assault Criminal Defense Seminar in Fort Worth, Texas
  • Attended the 2011 TCDLA Seminar Mastering Scientific Evidence in DWI/DUI Cases in New Orleans, Louisiana
  • Attended the 2011 TCDLA Seminar DWI Defense Project in Arlington, Texas
  • Attended the Texas State Bar's 37th Annual Advanced Criminal Law Course in Houston, Texas
  • Attended the 2012 Center for American and International Law (CAILAW) Seminar Jury Selection & Communicating with Jurors for the Defense in Criminal Cases
  • Attended the 2012 TCDLA Seminar DWI Defense Project in Arlington, Texas
Membership
  • State Bar of Texas
  • Dallas Bar Association
  • Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (TCDLA)
  • Dallas-Fort Worth Chair: TCDLA Young Lawyers Committee
  • National College of DUI Defense (NCDD)
  • United States Federal District Court, Eastern District of Texas
  • United States Federal District Court, Western District of Texas
  • United States Federal District Court, Northern District of Texas