Year: 2023
What is “swatting” and can you get into trouble for it?
“Swatting” is a practice that has its roots in the online gaming community, where it first got started – but swatting has become a fairly common tactic for revenge or intimidation. In essence, swatting involves placing a call to emergency services and making up some...
Who qualifies for adjudication in Texas drug courts?
Texas is notorious for having a very strict approach to drug offenses. Even those accused of drug possession sometimes face felony charges and very harsh penalties. As a result, people tend to feel despair and anxiety after an arrest for an alleged drug offense in...
New penalties for Texas drunk driving convictions
Drunk driving laws in Texas are some of the harshest in the nation. The recent passage of legislation has increased the severity while adding more punitive measures. Additional penalties will now be imposed should the parents of children lose their lives in a motor...
How the right of discovery can help those accused of crimes in Texas
Some of the most valuable civil rights specifically focus on an individual's rights during a criminal case. Police officers and other state authorities are required to follow the law when searching for evidence or questioning someone as part of an investigation, for...
Is jail time automatic after a Texas DWI charge?
Those accused of impairment at the wheel may find themselves facing driving while intoxicated (DWI) charges. In cases with no aggravating factors, a first or second DWI will be classified as a misdemeanor offense in Texas. Many people believe that pleading guilty is...
2 secondary penalties that make fighting a DWI charge worthwhile
A significant portion of those arrested for a DWI offense in Texas plead guilty because they either believe that there is no way to fight the charges that they face or that the consequences they’re likely to face aren't serious enough to warrant a rigorous defense,...
Do you have an expectation of privacy with your trash?
Your expectation of privacy is important. It generally applies to your home and property, where the police cannot usually enter without your permission or a warrant. This is your private property, and there has to be a very significant reason to override that right to...
Can someone’s intoxication upon arrest influence their defense?
Police officers often see people at their most volatile and vulnerable. They might get called to a party after a huge fight breaks out or to a home after a disagreement between spouses has turned violent. Frequently, violent incidents between people involve at least...
What substances do college students use the most?
Parents who have children in college are often worried that those children are going to get involved with drugs. Part of this concern may simply stem from the fact that most college-age young adults have never lived outside of their parents’ home before, so their...
Is someone’s license at risk after a DWI arrest?
When a police officer accuses someone of driving while intoxicated (DWI), they will arrest that driver and then give any evidence obtained during the traffic stop to a prosecutor. Those who have been accused of DWI offenses could lose their driver's license, end up in...