About Stephen
Stephen Karns is an attorney whose legal training began in Texas. He earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from Texas Tech University in 1991 and completed a Juris Doctor at St. Mary’s University School of Law in 1994. Those early years set the stage for a career split between military service and criminal defense work.
After law school, Karns joined the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. He served as a Major and as Senior Defense Counsel in 1995. That role placed him in the center of military criminal defense practice at a relatively early point in his career. He handled court-martial work and the procedural demands that come with representing service members.
Karns is admitted to practice in Texas and holds admissions to the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces. Those credentials reflect a practice that includes trial and appellate avenues. Appearing in both military and civilian forums has informed his approach to case preparation and courtroom advocacy.
Since 1998 Karns has maintained memberships in several professional organizations tied to criminal defense. He is a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, and the Dallas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association. Those affiliations keep him connected to developments in criminal law and provide a professional network for challenging and complex litigation.
Over the years Karns has blended trial experience with appellate work. His background in the Army JAG Corps gave him early exposure to high-stakes defense matters. Later practice has continued to involve criminal defense issues in Texas courts, drawing on both trial strategy and procedural knowledge relevant to appeals.
Colleagues describe Karns as a lawyer who relies on careful preparation and direct courtroom presentation. He has worked in settings that require quick adjustments and the kind of disciplined advocacy that comes from military-trained lawyers. His memberships in state and national defense organizations reflect ongoing engagement with criminal law practice and standards.
Karns currently practices criminal defense in Texas, handling matters that range from trial-level representation to appellate proceedings.
