Legal Practice
Garcia began his legal career in San Antonio at the law office of Arthur A. Domangue (1917–1977) in the Tower Life Building. He specialized in worker's compensation and represented more than three hundred injured employees in his first year of practice. In 1967, he and Rosario returned to Laredo, where he joined the firm of Raymond Goodman (1917–1985) and William W. Allen. He then took cases as public defender for the indigent before the 49th Judicial District Court, the first state court created in Webb County by the Texas Legislature. He also became involved in charitable, legal, and community projects. He helped to establish a program to treat heroin users through the administration of methadone. He served as chairman of the Laredo Migrant Council. Each year he donated many hours of legal services to the underprivileged. He helped to establish the Laredo legal aid program and worked against child abuse.
Garcia was known for his craftiness and originality in the courtroom. He often wore cowboy boots. He once told a justice of the peace that the judge had no authority to dismiss the case before them. The JP said, "Watch me," and dismissed the case. Garcia replied, "Thank you" and walked out of the courtroom, having tricked the JP into doing what Garcia wanted. Garcia even once pounded on the bar in front of the jury so strongly that he broke a bone in his hand.Garcia frequently took tough cases, having once defended former first assistant district attorney Ramon Villafranca on federal corruption charges.
In 2004, Garcia represented the three cousins, Larry Dovalina (Laredo city manager from 2000 to 2006), Agustin Dovalina (then Laredo police chief), and Ramon H. Dovalina (Laredo Community College president from 1995 to 2007), in a $6 million libel suit against the Laredo Morning Times and then reporter Tricia Cortez after the newspaper on June 13, 2004, carried a story about a controversy over property tax appraisals. The article quotes a Laredo citizen, Patricio Canavati, who called the trio "Robalinas". The LMT itself did not question the Dovalinas' integrity but instead quoted Canavati, owner of Quality Motors, in a public meeting. The suit was ultimately dropped in 2007, after Ramon Dovalina had already withdrawn from the case. The plaintiffs could not prove both malice on the part of the LMT and a "reckless disregard for the truth," as required for public figures who seek libel judgments.
Read more about this topic: Julio A. Garcia
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