Mimi Coffey is a trial attorney with 17 years experience. She is the founder of The Coffey Firm, with law offices in Dallas, Tarrant and Collin counties. She is board-certified in DWI by the National College of DUI Defense (NCDD) and has been the Texas delegate for the NCDD for several years.
She has also appeared numerous times as a legal commentator for CNN, National Fox News, as well as local Dallas/Fort Worth stations on DWI-related stories. She is also a frequent speaker at both national and state-wide seminars.
She is a prolific trial attorney with a proven trial record. She has tried over 300 cases, with 80% of them being jury trials in her 17-year career. Her success include everything from .21 breath tests, blood tests to 3 car accident cases just to name a few. Mimi’s cases have also made good case law for the State of Texas. For example, in Tarvin v. State, it was found that weaving within your own lane was not a traffic violation. In Lajoie v. State, the courts determined that the defendant’s request to have his attorney must be suppressed as opposed to used as evidence of guilt.
She is the author of
Texas DWI Defense: The Law and Practice. She is also the author of three nationally-published articles and four state-wide articles.
Mimi has twice attended Indiana University’s Borkenstein Course for state toxicologists both on alcohol and drugs. She has also completed the NHTSA SFST Course, SFST Instructor Course and the 12-Step DRE Mini-Course Program. She is also one of the first attorneys in the United States to attend the Axion Labs Gas Chromatography Training. Her minor in college was Geology lending her a comprehensive and disciplined scientific mind when it comes to scientific and mathematical issues such as blood and breath testing.
Mimi has won the
President’s Heart of a Champion Award presented by the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (TCDLA) numerous times.
Mimi also led the effort to get the State Bar of Texas’ Board of Legal Specialization to recognize the NCDD’s DWI Certification.
Mimi has been active over the past 4 legislative sessions in fighting against bad DWI laws. Her efforts prevented the breath/blood test refusal as being a separate crime. She has advocated for true deferred adjudication for DWI.
Mimi also sued a Dalworthington Gardens police officer for illegally drawing blood. Since her lawsuit, the 2nd Court of Appeals ruled against police officers drawing blood. (The Court of Criminal Appeals overturned this).
Mimi also sued the Texas Department of Public Safety for its double jeopardy surcharge program. Since the initiation of her suit, Texas DPS has instituted amnesty programs based on one’s earning potential.
UPCOMING SEMINAR
September 2008
Ceasar Palace Las Vegas
DWI Means Defend With Ingenuity
"The Aging Process and Field Sobriety Tests" - Speaker
April 2008
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and National College for DUI (DWI in Texas) Defense - "14th Annual Mastering Scientific Evidence in DWI / DUI Cases" - Co-course Director
May 2007
20th Annual Aggresive Defense of the Accused Impaired Driver Seminar - Tuscon Arizona - "How to Win a Breath Test Usings the State's Technical Supervisor" - Speaker
April 2007
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and National College for DUI (DWI in Texas) Defense - "14th Annual Mastering Scientific Evidence in DWI / DUI Cases" - Co-course Director
June 2006
Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association - "19th Annual Rusty Duncan Advanced Criminal Law Short Course" - Speaker
March 2006
Tarrant County Mexican American Bar Association - "How to Win a Breath Test Using the States Expert" - Speaker
January 2006
Florida Bar Assocation - "Masters of DUI / DWI" - Speaker
2005 - DWI Seminar Committee Chairperson - Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
Texas Delegate to Nation College of DUI Defense
April 2005 - Co-course Director for the "12th Annual Mastering Scientific Evidence in DWI / DUI Cases" - Dallas, Texas
March 2004 - Co-course Director for the "Premier Scientific DWI Seminar" - Arlington, Texas
2000 - Founder & Coordinator of education meetings for the Society for the Exchange of DWI Technological Research
May 2003 - Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association Dallas, TX Use of Experts in DWI Trials
April 2003 - Northeast Tarrant County Bar Association CLE Luncheon Colleyville, Texas DWI Trial Strategy
February 2003 - Tarrant County Bar Association Cruise DWI Strategies
December 2002 - Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Fort Worth, TX Use of Expert Witnesses in a DWI Trial
August 2002 - DWI Defenders on the Beach - Cozumel, Mexico Use of Expert Witnesses in a DWI Trial
March 2002 - Tarrant County Bar Association Brown Bag Seminar - Ft. Worth, Texas Use of Expert Witnesses in a DWI Trial
April 2001 - Premier DWI Trial Lawyers Seminar - Arlington, Texas Cross Examining the Police Officer
April 2000 - Premier DWI Trial Lawyers Seminar - Arlington, Texas DWI Trial Strategy
Mimi Speaks to 2005 & 2007 Texas Legislature on DWI:
Mimi testified during the 2005 & 2007 Texas Legislative Session for fair DWI laws at subcommittee hearings.
DWI Scholar - Published on both the National & State level:
February 2008 - The Champion - The Aging Process and Field Sobriety Tests
December 2007 - Voice for the Defense - The Aging Process and Field Sobriety Tests
2004 - Voice for the Defense - Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association DWI Salem Witch Hunts
2004 - The Champion - National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers DWI Salem Witch Hunts
Why Hire Mimi?
Mimi educates lawyers on the intricacies of DWI.
Mimi is on the cutting edge of DWI developments - she is involved in the lawmaking process before laws are passed.
13 years of trial experience.
Mim's office is well staffed with 3 lawyers and 5 support staff, all dedicated to the practice of DWI defense.
