Phone
(210) 224-9991Areas of Practice
Civil Rights Defense of Municipalities and Officers, Personal Injury Defense, including Oil Field Accidents, Motor Vehicle Accidents and Premises Liability
Education
Mr. Ralls graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio in August 1976 with a degree in Political Science. He graduated from St. Mary’s University School of Law in December 1978.
Professional Experience
Mr. Ralls has been a practicing attorney in San Antonio for 38 years. He is Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law. Mr. Ralls is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubble. He is a Life Fellow of the Texas Bar Foundation. Mr. Ralls’ practice has been primarily focused in the defense of municipalities and police officers in civil rights cases, and in personal injury defense, including death and catastrophic injury cases. As lead counsel he has tried approximately 80 cases to jury verdict. He has tried and argued cases throughout Texas. He has argued numerous cases before Texas Courts of Appeal, including the Fourth District, the Thirteenth District and the Texas Supreme Court. Mr. Ralls has also argued numerous cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, including the landmark case of Castellano v. Fragozo, 352 U.S. 939 (5th Cir. 2003), before the Fifth Circuit sitting en banc, wherein the Fifth Circuit established that “malicious prosecution” standing alone is no violation of the United State Constitution under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983. Mr. Ralls has also practiced in the area of Title IX law, having successfully represented the Lago Vista Independent School District through the Fifth Circuit, and with the former Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court, Wallace B. Jefferson, successfully represented Lago Vista ISD in the United States Supreme Court, in the 1998 case of Gebser v. Lago Vista Independent School District, 524 U.S. 274 (1998). Mr. Ralls has been fortunate to successfully defend police officers in numerous high profile civil rights trials, including Sibrian v. City of San Antonio, et al., and Jones v. Encina, et al., both of which received national attention.
Admissions
Admitted to Texas Bar 1978; U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit; United States Supreme Court; U.S. District Court for the Southern, Eastern, Western, and Northern Districts of Texas.
Personal
Mr. Ralls is proud to have served in the United States Navy from 1969 to 1973, including serving with VA-146 onboard the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Constellation during the Vietnam war. Mr. Ralls and his wife, Rosie, are proud parents of four children and grandparents of identical twin grandsons. During their time off, Mark and Rosie enjoy taking motorcycle rides, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.