Awards

Highlights:

• I have been recognized by my peers as one of The Best Lawyers in America for DUI Defense for the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 & NOW 2025
• I have been recognized by The National Trial Lawyers as one of the top 100 trial lawyers in Texas
• Recognized as a DWI Super Lawyer by Texas Super Lawyer  since its inception in 2003. The ONLY DWI Super Lawyer in San Antonio for 8 years. 
• Best Lawyer in America for DUI Defense -DUI Lawyer Of The Year For The San Antonio Region 2019, 2021, 2023 & NOW 2025 (There has never been another lawyer in the San Antonio region to be awarded this national award). See the strictly peer reviewed selection process here.
• See the section process here. Only 5% of lawyers will ever be a Super Lawyer. Mr. Scharmen has been a DWI Super Lawyer for 22 years and the ONLY DWI Super Lawyer in San Antonio in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024 & NOW 2025
• The ONLY founding member of the National College of DUI Defense in San Antonio
• Lawyer Of the Year for DWI-San Antonio Region for 2023 & 2025
• Lawyer of the Year for DWI-San Antonio Region 2019 & 2021

Recognized Honors and Awards for DWI Defense in Texas:

• Recognized as DWI Super Lawyer 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025 by a survey of 66,000 lawyers in the State of Texas taken by the publishers of Law and Politics magazine and published in Texas Monthly Magazine.
• 2018 – Selected to the list of the Top 50 Attorneys in the Central and West Texas region
• Recognized by the National Trial Lawyers as one of the top 100 trial lawyers in Texas.
• Recognized as 2018, 2019, 2020 Best DWI Attorney: Top Rated
• Founding member of the National College of DUI Defense
• Voted “Best Lawyer in America” for DWI Defense 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 & 2025 Results published annually in the US News and World Report magazine.
• Voted 2016 “Best Lawyer in America” for DWI Defense to be seen in US News & World Report with added Tier One ranking for superiority
• Named as one of the best DWI/Criminal Defense Lawyers by Scene in SA Monthly magazine for the years: 2006,2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 & 2023 and voted #1 by his peers again.
• Voted by San Antonio Scene magazine as one of “San Antonio’s Top 30 Criminal defense lawyers” in 2020, 2021, 2022 &2023
• Awarded the first annual “Defender of the Year” award in 2004 by the San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (SACDLA).
• Rated 10.0 Superb by AVVO.
• Past President & Founding member of the Texas DWI Lawyers Association
• Founder & Past President San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
• Founding member of the National College for DUI Defense  

Certifications in Criminal Law and Advocacy:

• Criminal Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization, 1992
• Criminal Trial Advocacy, National Board of Trial Advocacy, 1993  
  * There are only 34 criminal law specialists in the State of Texas as of 12/2023

Notable Representative Cases in Texas:

• Hartman v. State of Texas, 946 S.W.2d 60 (Ct. of Crim. App. Tex. 1997)  
  State v. Aquilar, 947 S.W.2d 256 (Texas Appl 1997)
• Mireles v. Tex. Dept. of Public Safety, 9 S.W.3d 128 (Tex. 1999)
• Mata v. State, 46 S.W.3d 902 (Tex.Crim.App. 2001)
• Bagheri v. State, 2002 WL 1390,335 (Tex.App.-San Antonio June 28, 2002, no pet. h. 2002)  

Published Works on DWI Defense Strategies:

• The VOICE for the Defense
• “Cross Examining the Technical Supervisor in the DWI Case”, Vol 26 No. 5, 1997
• Collateral Estoppel As Applied to ALR/DWI Cases”, Vol 26 No 7, 1997

Join Our Professional Associations and Memberships:

• Member of Board of Directors of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association from 1997 to 2004
• Member of Executive Committee, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
• Member of DWI committee, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association Member of Executive Committee, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
• Co-chair, DWI Committee, Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association
• Organization Founder and Past President, San Antonio Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, 1999 – Present
• Founding Member, National College for DUI Defense
• Strike Force for TCDLA
• Member State Bar of Texas
• Founding Member/Secretary/Past President - Texas DWI Defense Lawyers Association (TDDLA) 2014