Joseph A. Turner graduated summa cum laude from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, where he majored in criminology. During undergraduate school, he worked as a correctional officer in the state prison. He graduated from the University of Texas School of Law on 1977 at the age of 22. He was chief of the Trial Section for the Travis County Attorney's Office. As an Assistant District Attorney, he was chief of the Special Crimes Division. He later became an Assistant United States Attorney. He has been a criminal defense lawyer in Austin, Texas since 1982. He has been board-certified in criminal law since 1983, and is a member of both the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. In his 26 years of practice, he has tried more than 100 jury trials.