Felon Who Tried to Vote in Texas is Sentenced to Five Years in a Federal Prison
Voter fraud is a controversial offense, nowhere more so than in Texas, which has seen several high profile cases. Crystal Mason, a woman who tried to cast a ballot as a felon, was sentenced to five years in prison in late September. Mason, 43, attempted to vote in the 2016 election. Although she used her...Read More
What Should I Expect at a Criminal Sentencing?
Once someone has been convicted of a crime by a judge or jury, his or her case moves on to the sentencing stage. In the event an individual accepts a plea bargain, they will also go through the sentencing process. An individual is also sentenced if they take a plea bargain from the prosecutor. Most...Read More
What Is Revenge Porn?
Before the internet, it was much easier for people to lose contact or drift apart. After a bad break up, you might move away and never have to worry about bumping into an old ex. Now that social media and smartphones are everywhere, however, keeping your distance is much harder than it used to be...Read More
New Study Highlights the Dangers of DNA Testing
During police investigations, many other people often give DNA evidence to be eliminated from an inquiry. However, a new study compiled this summer points to widespread errors in how laboratories analyze DNA and dangers for people who provide samples. Researchers from the National Institute of Standards and Technology provided 105 laboratories with the same DNA...Read More
What is the Definition of a Domestic Violence Crime in Texas?
Texas has a wide definition of domestic violence crimes. Although we often think of domestic violence offenses occurring between husbands and wives or people who are dating, there are many more classifications. The Lone Star State recognizes three distinct crimes of domestic violence, namely domestic assault, aggravated domestic assault and continuous violence against the family....Read More
White-Collar Crime in Dallas: What You Need to Know About Wire Fraud
Lawyers for white-collar crime in Dallas must find strong defenses to help clients accused of wire fraud. Learn about these defense strategies. White-collar crimes in Dallas don’t get as much attention as violent felonies because they don’t involve physical injury or physical damage, so the public tends to be less interested in these offenses. But...Read More
What Does the Supreme Court’s Cell Phone Privacy Decision Mean?
Can Police Access Cell Phone Location Data Without a Warrant? In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down what digital privacy experts are hailing as a landmark case in Carpenter v. United States. If you own any kind of mobile phone, including a smartphone, you’ll want to read on to learn what Carpenter...Read More
Secret Bail in Dallas County Faces Criticism
Bail hearings are coming under fire across the country. In Dallas County, the secretive nature of the process is the subject of a lawsuit. Last month, the Texas Tribune reported bail hearings are open to the public in much of the country. The idea is the process should be transparent. However, in Dallas County people...Read More
Police Body Camera Footage Proves Pivotal in Murder Conviction of Officer
Police body camera evidence is a relatively new and powerful tool in criminal trials. Footage has helped expose improper DWI arrests and heavy-handed police tactics. In a recent murder trial, the video footage helped secure the murder conviction of a Texas officer accused of shooting a 15-year-old dead. Police officers are seldom convicted of murder...Read More
Jail Informants Can Send Innocent People to Prison
According to a recent report, information gathered from jailhouse informants is used in 23 percent of death row cases in which the convicted individual is later exonerated. In Texas, a 2017 law made the state one of the most progressive concerning how prosecutors must disclose their use of jailhouse informants, including informing the defense when...Read More