Category Archives: Criminal Defense
Juvenile Assault Charges in Texas: Fights at School and Their Legal Consequences
School fights happen. A disagreement in the hallway, a heated moment on the athletic field, a conflict that escalates faster than anyone expected. Most parents assume a school-based fight will end with a trip to the principal’s office. But in Texas, the consequences can reach far beyond the campus. If your child has been… Read More »
What Happens at a Grand Jury Hearing in Texas, and Can It Help Your Case?
If you’ve been told that your case is going before a grand jury, you might be wondering what that even means, or whether it’s a good or bad thing. It’s a fair question. The grand jury process is one of the more misunderstood parts of the Texas criminal justice system, and knowing how it… Read More »
What is the Difference Between a Misdemeanor and Felony in Texas?
If you are arrested for a criminal offense in Texas and charged, what is the difference between facing misdemeanor charges and felony charges? There are some criminal offenses for which a person can face either misdemeanor or felony charges, depending on the details of the case and the person’s criminal record. For other types… Read More »
Understanding Types of Charges for Sexual Assault in Texas
Under the Texas Penal Code, more than one type of offense can be charged in relation to unwanted sexual contact. While the term “sexual assault” colloquially includes both criminal definitions that exist under Texas law, the Texas Penal Code distinguishes between the offenses of “indecent assault” and “sexual assault.” Both offenses can also involve… Read More »
Can I Get My Drug Crime Record Expunged?
If you were arrested for a drug offense in Texas, or if you were convicted of a drug charge, you may be experiencing difficulty with your current job search, child custody matters, and related issues even though you were either acquitted or served out the terms of your sentence completely. Given the ways that… Read More »
What You Should Know About Reckless Driving Charges in Texas
Reckless driving is a criminal offense that can result from driving behaviors that might result only in traffic infractions in other states. To be clear, under Texas law, reckless driving is a serious misdemeanor that can be charged when a person “drives a vehicle in wilful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons… Read More »
Defending Juveniles Charged in the Adult System for Violent Crimes
Youth arrests for violent crimes have generally declined across the country over the last two decades, according to data from the US Department of Justice (DOJ). At the same time, these arrests and charges still occur at a rate that many people might find surprising. About 8 percent of all youth arrests are arrests… Read More »
What is the Miranda Warning in Texas?
If you were recently arrested for any type of criminal offense in Texas, you should have been given what is known as a Miranda warning. This warning arises out of a US Supreme Court case from the 1960s that concerns a person’s rights under the Fifth Amendment of the US Constitution when that person… Read More »
What is the Juvenile Justice System in Texas?
When a juvenile is charged with a criminal offense, their case will proceed through the juvenile justice system rather than the criminal justice system in Texas designed for adult offenders. The juvenile justice system is governed by a section of the Texas Family Code known as the Juvenile Justice Code. Judicial proceedings, appeals, and… Read More »
Your Rights in a Stop and Frisk
If the police attempt to stop you and to search your pockets or your bags, or to search your vehicle or your home, you have rights against unreasonable search and seizure under the Fourth Amendment of the US Constitution. Generally speaking, the US Supreme Court has interpreted the Fourth Amendment to require that law… Read More »