Gov. Greg Abbott recently signed HB 1927 into law, making it legal on September 1, 2021, for anyone in Texas, aged 21 and over, to legally carry a handgun without getting a state license (unless they are excluded from possessing a firearm by state or federal law). A background check is still requir...
17-Year-Olds in the Texas Criminal Justice System
Texas Family Code defines a child as a person aged 10 to 17. In the Texas criminal justice system, children under age 10 cannot be prosecuted for a crime but they could be provided with services if the state feels that’s needed to help them stay out of the juvenile justice system. 17-yr-...
Facial Recognition Programs Can Lead to Wrongful Arrest
In April 2019, we blogged about how the lack of rules for the collection of people’s images for inclusion and use by facial recognition software. Privacy advocates were raising concerns about the high potential for misuse of this powerful technology. Criminal defense lawyers saw the potential for...
Texas Criminal Defense: The Good and the Bad of Eyewitness Testimony
Prosecutors use eyewitnesses to: Identify suspects, Piece together the events that led up to an incident or a crime, Shed light on motives or the emotional state of the people involved. The testimony of an eyewitness to a crime carries a lot of weight with a jury and a judge. It can be th...
What You Need to Know About Juvenile Probation
Probation is a tool used in the juvenile justice system to help kids learn and grow after a mistake. Is your child facing probation? Hopefully, we can give you some peace of mind by explaining what you can expect. What Is Juvenile Probation? Juvenile probation is a court order that allow...
What Is Criminal Mischief in Texas?
In juvenile law, there are a few crimes that are more common than others, such as possession of drug paraphernalia, petty theft and vandalism. The latter is included in criminal mischief, a specific group of offenses with its own consequences. If your child is facing a criminal mischief charge...
Possession of a Vape Pen: Can My Child Be Charged?
Electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes or vape pens, are increasingly popular. Unfortunately, many juveniles use vape pens throughout Texas. And not only are these vape pens dangerous, but they’re also heavily regulated, just like other drug paraphernalia. Has your child been c...
More Americans face arrest over petty crimes
In Texas and across the country, a conversation has developed about excessive prosecution and incarceration. As a result, there is wide support for criminal justice reform, including proposals to decriminalize or legalize cannabis and end criminal prosecution and incarceration for related offenses. ...
Many felonies are nonviolent and some are bizzare
Texas residents likely think of serious crimes like murder and arson when felonies are mentioned, and they may be surprised to learn that dozens of acts that would barely raise an eyebrow also fall under this designation. Calling in sick to spend a day in front of the television is actually a felony...
Wrongful convictions continue to pose barrier to justice
For many people in Texas, a wrongful conviction is one of their worst nightmares. With the advent of computer surveillance technology and DNA testing, many might hope that wrongful convictions are less likely than they were in the past. However, many cases, especially for more minor crimes like shop...
