Learn More About Eric
BIO
My law career began as a judicial law clerk for the Honorable John M. Patterson, Judge (Governor, 1959-63) at the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals. During my time there, I wrote approximately 150 unpublished memorandum and numerous opinions. This was an extraordinary learning experience.
In 1993, I moved my family moved to Dothan, Alabama. After a brief stint in civil practice, I returned to criminal law as a sole practitioner, where I tried numerous cases, including a grisly murder that would become one of Houston County’s first DNA cases.
I joined City Attorney’s Office for the City of Dothan in 1994, and prosecuted hundreds of DUI cases, domestic violence cases and other assorted misdemeanors. I also handled some of the City’s civil work including civil suits and regulatory compliance.
The following year, I was lured from the City Attorney’s Office to the Office of the District Attorney, 20th Judicial Circuit, which encompasses Houston and Henry County, Alabama. As an Assistant District Attorney, I handled thousands of cases and tried over 200 jury trials. Many of those were murders, robberies, drug trafficking, and white collar crimes. During this period, I prosecuted hundreds of DUI and domestic violence cases while also handling juvenile matters. From 1997 to 2002, I handled all the drug forfeiture cases for both counties.
I returned to the private practice in 2003 where I continue the practice of criminal defense, DUI, and criminal appeals. Since then I have handled thousands criminal cases of all kinds and I believe my experience as a former prosecutor makes me a better defense attorney. At trial by using my experience, I have secured not guilty verdicts in capital murder, robbery, sex cases, drug possession and sales, DUI and many other cases. In other cases, I have secured, both at trial and by plea, many lesser-included offenses, including a plea from capital murder to a misdemeanor, for instance. Twice I have won the Alabama Criminal Defenses Lawyer’s Merit Award, and I was named a “Top Lawyer” by B-Metro Magazine in March 2016.
I fight hard for those criminally accused regardless of guilt or innocence. I provide service to my clients without judgment. The criminal justice system only works if I keep the prosecution honest and ensure that the court’s rulings are appropriate. If the court’s rulings are not appropriate, then I fight on in the appeal.
Qualifications:
Bar Admissions
Tennessee, 1990Alabama, 1991U.S. District Court Middle District of Alabama, 1993U.S. Court of Appeals 11th Circuit, 1994U.S. Supreme Court, 1994
Other Affiliations
National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, 2003 – Present (Member)Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, 2003 – Present (Member)
EDUCATION
Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama, 1990
J.D.
Honors: Cordell Hull Teaching Fellow
Honors: Henry Upson Sims Moot Court Board
Law Journal: American Journal of Trial Advocacy, Research, and Writing, 1988 – 1990
Law Journal: American Journal of Trial Advocacy, Research and Writing Editor, 1989 – 1990
Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, 1986 B.A. Major: Political Science
PAST POSITIONS
Judge John Patterson, Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, Law Clerk, 1990 – 1993
Eric C. Davis, Attorney at Law, Owner, 1993 – 1994
City of Dothan, Alabama, Assistant City Attorney, 1994 – 1995
District Attorney Office, 20th Judicial Circuit, Assistant District Attorney, 1995 – 2003
Eric C. Davis, LLC, Owner, 2003 – 2010
HONORS
Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Merit Award, 2009 – Present
Alabama Criminal Defense Lawyers Merit Award, 2011 – Present
