Blog
Texas has a reputation for being a tough state for law and order with heavy sentences handed down to offenders. However, the Lone Star State’s initiatives to find alternatives to prison are helping drive forward a national reform bill. When the White House recently backed a bipartisan effort to cut the federal prison population and…
Stand your ground laws protect a citizen’s right to self-defense. Find out what the laws are in Texas and when they can be applied. When Is it Legally Acceptable to Use a Stand Your Ground Defense in Texas? Headlines featuring stand your ground laws seem to be more common than they were a few years…
Dogs have a much more highly developed sense of smell than humans, so it makes sense that police use them as working animals for a variety of purposes. Canine units can search for missing persons, detect explosive devices, and sniff for the presence of illegal substances. On the other hand, the Fourth Amendment gives citizens…
Illegally seeking additional prescriptions for pain medication is considered doctor shopping and it’s a serious crime in Texas. Here’s what you need to know. Prescription drug abuse and misuse are viewed as a major issue for the entire country. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, more than 15 million people use…
It’s probably fair to say that most people get their information about the criminal justice system from television and movies. While much of it is accurate, the process usually looks a lot different in reality. When you’re charged with a crime, it’s normal to feel overwhelmed and afraid. What will happen to you? What rights…
Texas is still clearing more people than the rest of the country after miscarriages of justice, but the state’s exoneration rate is falling. For years, issues with a backlog of drug cases in Harris County meant Texas led the nation in exonerations. In 2017, the Lone Star State recorded 23 exonerations, reported the Texas Tribune….
Negative interactions with police officers in Texas have made headlines in recent years. Tragedies such as the death of Sandra Bland led to the Community Safety Act. The legislation aims to teach high school students how to deal with traffic stops by police. The Texas Education Agency recently sent school districts educational material to instruct…
Sex trafficking is a serious offense in Texas and one that has been on the radar of Governor Greg Abbott this year. Recently, a North Texas man was accused of manipulating hundreds of women as part of a North Texas sex trafficking ring. He was also charged with compelling prostitution, money laundering, and tampering with…
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, it’s estimated that 14 out of every 1,000 people over the age of 18 are victims of stalking crimes every year. In addition to physical stalking and harassment, cyberstalking has become more prevalent, resulting in lawmakers taking a closer look at how to better protect innocent citizens from…
Accusations of fraud are a serious matter. Most people recognize fraud as a group of crimes committed with the intent to deceive, often associating the term with high profile white-collar crimes. Unfortunately, fraud is more prevalent than you may realize. If you are facing fraud charges in Texas, it is in your best interest to…