Tag: Texas criminal defense attorney

The stalled criminal justice system in Texas due to the COVID-19 pandemic has had an unforeseen effect on incarceration rates, leaving county jails facing an overcrowding crisis at a time when they are hotbeds of infection. The pandemic has disrupted life in Texas at all levels and criminal justice is no exception. State prisons stopped…

Most people are familiar with the term “resisting arrest.” While you may think you know what it means, are you truly familiar with how someone can get charged with resisting arrest in Texas? Specifically, are there ever instances in which it’s okay to resist arrest? What if a police officer is placing you under arrest…

Moves to strengthen Dallas’ no cruising laws to clamp down on prostitution and sex trafficking in recent weeks have provoked a lively debate. While supporters said an extension of the city’s ordinance would help police to tackle sex crimes, opponents claim they are a threat to civil liberties comparing them to maligned stop and frisk…

Crime reform bills are again prominent in the upcoming legislative agenda in Texas. It remains to be seen how many proposals will eventually become law. The Texas District & County Attorneys Association, an advocacy group for prosecutors, recently noted of about 800 bills already filed ahead of the 2021 legislative session in Texas, 33 would…

outdoor prison area

Prisons in Texas are notoriously dangerous. Inmates have died of extreme heat and suffered illness. In recent years, the deaths of three inmates at the hands of guards highlighted the hazards. According to the Texas Tribune, three prison deaths occurred at the hands of guards in as many years in the Lone Star State. One…

no hazing

Coercing a student to consume alcohol or take drugs during initiations known as hazing, is linked to a steady stream of deaths in Texas. Legislation passed in 2019 toughened up the laws against hazing on state campuses. This month, the House Higher Education Committee met at the Capitol to discuss if the new legislation went…

marijuana plant

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…

traffic stops

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

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…

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…