In early April 2021, the Texas Department of Public Safety implemented a “no refusal” DWI policy in advance of the Poteet Strawberry Festival. These initiatives are often implemented around holidays and heavy travel ... Read more
Although the possession or sale of marijuana is still illegal under federal drug laws, there are only about half a dozen states in which it remains fully illegal. More than forty states, including Texas, have relax... Read more
Since 2020 is time for another Presidential Election, many who have served time in jail or been incarcerated in prison but have served their sentence are asking whether they now have the ability to vote again? The ... Read more
When people hear the term drugs, they often think about two types of substances. The first involves controlled substances such as prescription medications. The second type involves illegal drugs such as marijuana and... Read more
With many restaurants expanding to-go offerings to include to-go alcoholic beverages, the COVID-19 crisis has reshaped drunk driving enforcement throughout the country, including in Texas. Some drivers may unwitting... Read more
Just after the announcement that Dallas will join many other cities in the country in making police reforms, Police Chief U. Renee Hall announced a new policy for the release of police videos for critical incidents. Thes... Read more
The world has changed drastically as a result of COVID-19. Counties across the country have been asked to shelter in place in an effort to halt the spread of this deadly virus. As many people stay in their homes, police ... Read more
Driving under the influence is a major problem across the country and there has been a major push during the past few years for police officers and law enforcement agencies to step up their enforcement of DUIs. For t... Read more
To say the laws and enforcement about CBD, hemp, and medical marijuana in Texas are confusing would be something of an understatement. In 2019, lawmakers half-heartedly rode the wave of states legalizing these produc... Read more
As of January 1, 2020, Texas college and university employees could be fired or even face criminal charges if they fail to report (or, in some cases, investigate) credible accusations of rape, sexual harassment, or s... Read more
Texas is badly in need of bail reform. Federal judges in Harris and Dallas Counties ruled that the bail systems in those counties was unconstitutional. The system currently locks up those charged with crimes, whethe... Read more
Breathalyzer tests have been used for years by law enforcement when they have stopped someone for suspicion of driving while intoxicated (DWI). The tests are generally done by the roadside and require a driver to blo... Read more
Crime is a very serious problem throughout the state of Texas. From breaking into cars to stealing purses and wallets, people throughout the state are constantly on the lookout for these criminals. But in order to fu... Read more
Dating in the digital age often means receiving texts, emails, and app messages from would-be paramours. But when these sexting messages contain unsolicited nude photographs, a phenomenon now known as “cyber flashi... Read more
Most Texas drivers know they can receive a driving while intoxicated charge with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 or greater when operating a motor vehicle. Law enforcement officials estimate BAC indirectly usin... Read more
Some drug cases in Texas could go up in smoke because of a new law that makes it legal for Lone Star state farmers to grow hemp. HB 1325 essentially changed the legal definition of marijuana when signed into law o... Read more
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott capped off the legislative efforts of the state’s House of Representatives to help sexual assault survivors by signing a bill to address the heavy backlog of untested rape kits. In a publi... Read more
There has been a lot of discussion over the past few years regarding prison sentencing reform. This comes from overcrowded prisons, the cost that comes with extended imprisonment, and the morally just way to rehabilitat... Read more
Anyone who has spent much time around toddlers knows that young children are prone to putting just about anything in their mouths—hence the popularity of child-proof lids on everything from aspirin to ca... Read more
The very idea of legal marijuana was once unthinkable in Texas, but increasingly, it is regarded as an idea worth pursuing — to an extent. Texans For Responsible Marijuana Policy are focusing on two bil... Read more
Congress had been prosecuting racially-motivated crimes under Civil Rights laws since 1871. However, Matthew Shepard’s death galvanized the issue for the American public. Now the types of hate crimes includes gende... Read more
In December 2018, the mother of a Dallas Cowboys player received a judgment for $25 million in a drunk-driving case against her son's best friend and a local nightclub. A Dallas jury found that Jerry Brown Jr.'s death in... Read more
What are the Rights for Rent-to-Own Customers? Likely surprising to many Texans, an obscure law on the books in the state makes it possible for rent-to-own stores to initiate criminal charges against their custome... Read more
Starting with the 2018-19 freshman high school class in Texas, teens must complete instruction on how to interact with law enforcement during traffic stops in order to get their diploma. The legislation, the "Communi... Read more
Although it's legal for licensed firearm owners to openly carry handguns, and for just about any adult to openly carry a long-arm rifle in the Lone Star State, individuals who are caught with certain keychain designs ... Read more
Self-driving cars don't drink, and Denton County will get a self-driving car service this summer. The nation's first publicly available self-driving car service will begin its test run this July in Frisco. Who’s te... Read more
Having a DWI conviction on your record can have serious long-term consequences when facing a background check for employment or any other purpose. However, a new law in Texas is aimed at allowing certain first-time DWI o... Read more
Just a few weeks ago, at around 2:43 a.m., a woman was driving her Cadillac Escalade on the freeway when she felt like she had a flat tire. She pulled over near the Coit Road exit and her two male passengers got out to... Read more
If Texas law enforcement officers have probable cause to pull you over for driving while intoxicated (DWI), you will most likely be given a standard Breathalyzer test. Texas law says that by driving with a Texas d... Read more
A shortage of available spots in Texas' state-administered psychiatric hospitals has caused many facing charges across the state to languish in jail without treatment, bond or a trial date. The problem arises when an in... Read more
A recent survey of registered Texas voters has revealed that a majority of those questioned support significant sentencing reform for juvenile and nonviolent drug offenders. According to the poll results of more than 50... Read more
A proposed law that would seek to protect juvenile victims of bullying and cyberbullying in Texas is inching closer to becoming law. The Texas legislature is scheduled to hold a hearing this month on Texas House Bi... Read more
With both opioid poisoning and arrests related to “legal” drugs on the rise with juveniles, it’s no secret that more young people than ever are gaining access to prescription drugs.Despite an increase in medical st... Read more
Understanding Standard Field Sobriety Test Can Help in DWI Defense The nationwide crusade against impaired driving of all types continues to intensify in the U.S., and drivers are increasingly at risk of being pulled ... Read more
DWI and DUI laws across the country can be fairly strict, and many people don't realize that laws can vary in severity depending on the specific area that an offense occurs. According to a study that was recently conduct... Read more
If you’ve ever been pulled over in Texas on suspicion of driving while intoxicated (DWI), you probably know that the officer may request to search your vehicle. What you may not know is that any field tests an officer ... Read more
Oftentimes, when someone is arrested and charged with a DWI in Texas, they think because they failed a field sobriety test or blood test, that they have no option but to plead guilty. One should never plead guilty to a D... Read more
The Texas Legislature has finished up for the season, and there are some new criminal laws on the books. Here’s a snapshot at a few of them. HB 910 & SB #11: Open Carry Laws The open carry handgun law has changed f... Read more
It’s been 56 years since South Texas beauty queen Irene Garza was found murdered and floating in an irrigation canal in McAllen, TX. This dark-haired beauty queen was brutally beaten and raped. There were no eye witnes... Read more
In summer of 2015, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed a potentially game-changing law regarding driving after a DWI conviction. DWI convicts will now be able to have more freedom to drive as long as they opt for the insta... Read more
Witness testimony can be crucial in the court’s determination of innocence or guilt. Without DNA evidence or video surveillance of the crime itself, it may be the only way to receive the desired verdict. A case can hin... Read more
In November, Harris County authorities charged 12 young people — including one juvenile and others ranging in age from 18 to 21 — with crimes related to a raft of burglaries, robberies and auto thefts. Police say the... Read more
In a tragic story, an immigrant from Cuba is currently being held in the Dallas County Jail with capital murder charges pending against him. The man, 24 year old Michael Maceda, fatally stabbed to death a 64 year old str... Read more
With the school year quickly approaching and students about to hit the books, there’s no more interesting time to look into crime rates at Texas colleges and universities. The following considers crime rates at 20 scho... Read more
Mail fraud is a federal offense that carries serious penalties. The following takes a look at what mail fraud is, what the penalties for mail fraud are, and what you should do if you’re charged with mail fraud in Dalla... Read more
Dallas County is at the forefront in Texas of enforcing a penalty on individuals charged with domestic violence. Officials in Dallas County will soon start collecting the guns from individuals convicted of domestic viole... Read more
The age-old adage about everything being bigger in Texas isn’t far from the truth when it comes to the number of drunk drivers in the state. In 2013, Texas led the nation in regards to the number of deaths caused by dr... Read more
In Texas, persons of legal age (21 years) are allowed to purchase and consume alcohol. This is common knowledge, as is the right of the individual to enjoy the state’s many public spaces. In this Venn diagram of lega... Read more
Results from a recent study report that 80 percent of Dallas Police Department officers are unhappy in their jobs. Some of those officers polled even admit to actively seeking another job. According to the Dallas Morn... Read more
A Federal Appeals Court in New Orleans decided to grant a stay of execution to convicted felon Robert James Campbell. The ruling came after Campbell's criminal defense attorneys argued that he and the State of Texas had ... Read more
