Capital Habeas & Post-Conviction
Texas Capital Habeas & Post-Conviction Attorney
Experienced Texas and federal post-conviction counsel for direct appeals, habeas writs, stays of execution, and appellate relief.
Direct Appeals & State Writs
Representation in direct criminal appeals, Article 11.07 writs, and Article 11.071 capital habeas proceedings in Texas state courts.
Federal Habeas Corpus (§2254 / §2255)
Federal habeas litigation for state and federal prisoners, including §2254 petitions attacking state convictions and §2255 motions to vacate federal sentences.
Capital Habeas & Emergency Stays
Emergency stay litigation, last-minute constitutional claims, and capital post-conviction representation in state and federal courts.
Independent Record Review
Fresh-eyes review of trial records, transcripts, and exhibits to identify preserved error, ineffective assistance, and overlooked constitutional claims.
Co-Counsel & Appellate Consultation
Strategic support, brief drafting, and consultation for attorneys handling complex felony or capital post-conviction matters.
Why VerHagen Law for post-conviction matters
Derek R. VerHagen is a former Assistant Chief of the Federal Public Defender's Capital Habeas Unit, with over a decade of state and federal litigation experience. The firm has won emergency stays of execution, secured death sentence reversals, and established statewide precedent before the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.