A familiar face from Austin courtrooms spent part of early Wednesday in a jail cell. Former judge and longtime defense attorney Charlie Baird was arrested after Austin police say his car crashed in South Austin and he showed signs of intoxication. The 71-year-old was booked into the Travis County Jail, then released on a $3,000 bond. Officers say he refused a breath test, so investigators obtained a blood draw for lab testing.
Police: Crash, Booking and Charge
Officers pulled Baird over in South Austin after the crash and booked him into the Travis County Jail at about 12:59 a.m., according to jail records that list a driving while intoxicated charge and a $3,000 bond. He declined to provide a breath sample, and investigators obtained a blood specimen for analysis, the paper reported. Austin American-Statesman noted the charge and booking time.
Baird's Career and Public Profile
Baird is a veteran figure in Texas criminal law. He served on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals from 1991 to 1999, then as judge of the 299th Criminal District Court in Travis County from 2006 to 2010, before returning to private practice. The Austin Chronicle has profiled his years on the bench, including his approach to sentencing and rehabilitation, while his law firm publishes a biography describing his current defense work in Austin. Austin Chronicle and Baird Law Firm provide background on his career.
Baird's Remarks
At the scene, Baird tried to keep the focus on the fact that no one was injured, according to the newspaper. He told officers, "everyone’s safe, no one got hurt and we’re just going to go through the process from here," and added, "I just had too much to drink at my crawfish eatery." Austin American-Statesman published the remarks attributed to Baird.
What Comes Next in Court
Baird now faces the standard criminal process for a driving while intoxicated charge in Travis County, along with a separate administrative fight over his license under Texas implied-consent rules. Under the state Transportation Code, refusing chemical testing can trigger an Administrative License Revocation suspension, generally 180 days for a first refusal, and a driver has 15 days to request an ALR hearing to contest that. Texas Transportation Code, Ch. 724 outlines those procedures.
The criminal case will move forward in Travis County courts, where prosecutors can review the blood test results and decide on formal filings and next steps. Given Baird’s long tenure on the bench and his high profile in Austin’s legal community, the case is expected to draw continued local attention as it works through the system.
