Year: 2020
Police in Texas have struggled since last year to arrest people for the possession of marijuana following the state legislature’s legalization of hemp. The process may become easier after March when new testing equipment will allow police to make the distinction between legal hemp and unlawful marijuana. Allen Police Chief Brian Harvey, who is a…
We’re all quite familiar with the criminal trial process as we see it on television and portrayed in the media. As a result, we hear mention of defense attorneys making motions for filing an appeal and often make the assumption that this is a common component of the criminal justice system, based simply on the…
Hundreds of defendants appeal court decisions every year. At Broden & Mickelsen, LLP, our criminal defense lawyers represent many people who fight their convictions in higher courts. The appeals process is far from straightforward. This month, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals overturned a decision by the 7th Court of Appeals reversing the murder-for-hire conviction…
Increasing numbers of prisoners are spending long periods locked up alone in the United States. Experts say solitary confinement is putting severe psychological pressure on inmates and was likely linked to the death of a prisoner in Texas. Russell Johnson took his life after living in solitary confinement for over two-and-a-half years, the Texas Observer…
New Texas Law: Tougher Penalties for Assaulting a Pregnant Woman According to the National Institutes of Health, about 300,000 pregnant women in the United States are victims of intimate partner violence each year. Research has shown that domestic violence can have a negative impact on a developing baby. Additionally, pregnancy can make it more difficult…
The decision of Texas lawmakers to legalize hemp last year had wide-ranging and unforeseen consequences. Although the legislation did not address marijuana, prosecutors started to drop hundreds of low-level marijuana possession charges. Now the City of Austin is considering its own solution by effectively decriminalizing possession of small amounts of pot altogether. The Austin City…
Scammers who use false numbers to make calls are a daily annoyance for many people in Texas. Making spoof calls can now be an offense after two new bills were enacted in 2019. One of the new, little-known laws imposed civil penalties on telemarketers who violate the rules while the other imposed criminal penalties. State…
Cesar Fierro spent four decades on death row in Texas. The threat of the death penalty was abruptly removed in late December when Texas’ highest ranking court decided he was given faulty jury instructions at his trial. Judges at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals vacated the Mexican national’s death sentence in December, citing incorrect…
Sexual assault is a category of crimes that involves performing sexual activities with another person without their consent. Each state has their own consent laws, with very few variances among them. In recent years, we’ve seen a greater awareness being brought to the topic of consent, in a large part due to media coverage of…
Any crime that involves sexual assault is considered a serious offense by the Texas judicial system. As a felony charge, sexual assault can carry severe penalties, including lengthy periods of incarceration and significant fines. When a person is convicted of sexual assault, how they are sentenced will depend on several factors, one of the most…