Author: Broden & Mickelsen, LLP
Inmates have fought in the courts against excess heat in Texas prisons for years. Now TV host John Oliver has raised the profile of the deadly situation facing inmates. The Last Week Tonight host kicked off a show this month by stating that “heat in prisons is a big problem.” He said more than half…
Being prosecuted for a criminal offense is a deeply troubling situation for anyone to find themselves in, but college students, whose professional careers have not yet even begun, have additional pressures to consider. Many institutions of higher education may expel or suspend students with criminal convictions against them, the consequences of which may affect the…
A federal case in Texas illustrates how the internet has widened the scope of hate crime laws in the United States. A man from Dallas pleaded guilty this month to one hate crime stemming from a scheme that targeted gay men on the dating app Grindr. Daniel Jenkins, 22, pleaded guilty to one hate crime…
A court has upheld Texas’ recently enacted “revenge porn” law that can land offenders in jail for up to a year. The state’s so-called “revenge porn” law makes it a misdemeanor to post somebody’s intimate photographs online without their consent. This month, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that the law does not violate…
Texas is on course to become the latest state to lift gun permitting rules after Republican lawmakers reached a deal this month. The bill will allow people to carry handguns in public without a license or training, clearing the path for Texas to become the latest state to remove penalties for carrying a gun without…
People have a right to protest peacefully under the First Amendment. However, it’s illegal to obstruct the roadway if it prevents the passing of emergency vehicles. This month, the Texas House passed a bill that would increase criminal penalties and require jail time for people who block highways during protests if their action impedes emergency…
Police reform bills were introduced across the country after the shocking death of George Floyd in Minneapolis last year. Texas was no exception. At the end of last month, the Texas House approved three reform measures that form part of a larger raft of legislation relating to police conduct. A jury convicted Derek Chauvin, a…
Date rape allegations are taken very seriously by authorities, particularly if a drug is used. In Texas, the authorities are investigating allegations of date rape at the Texas Capitol. The TV station KVUE reported a Capitol staffer claimed she was drugged with a date-rape drug by a lobbyist during a meeting in downtown Austin. The…
In recent years, the instances of credit card fraud have continued to increase. As a result, prosecutors take credit card fraud very seriously, and the penalties for a conviction can be tougher than you might realize. Furthermore, as federal law enforcement continues to develop more sophisticated tools for tracking down cyber criminals, it’s reasonable to…
A defendant’s mental illness makes him or her less morally culpable of a crime and should be taken into consideration as a reason to avoid the death penalty, according to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. However, states can and do execute defendants who suffer from mental illnesses. Texas is no exception. The Death Penalty Information Center lists…