Although most DWI arrests come from traffic stops, the truth is that anytime a police officer observes–or is informed of–possible evidence of drunk driving, you may be subject to questioning and arrest. That is why you always must remember you have the right to remain silent and not answer any questions posed by an officer, […]

In domestic violence cases, as with any criminal matter, prosecutors may rely on circumstantial and/or direct evidence to establish a defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Put another way, a jury can infer that domestic violence occurred from many smaller pieces of indirect evidence even when there is no direct accusation from the victim. Indeed, […]

If you have been pulled over and cited for a traffic violation, you might be wondering if the officer is not just trying to fulfill some “quota” assigned to them by their superiors. Indeed, the idea of traffic ticket quotas has been in popular culture for many years. But do they actually exist? More to […]

Texas law enforcement often relies on “confidential informants” to assist them in making drug arrests. By law, the prosecution may continue to keep the identity of these informants secret from the defendant during trial, unless the judge determines there is a “reasonable probability” that the informant can offer testimony “necessary to a fair determination of […]

When you are charged with a criminal offense in Texas, the court will set bail as a condition of your release pending trial. Bail often includes a bond requirement, i.e., the posting of a cash fee to guarantee you will make all required court appearances. If you fail to show up for a scheduled court […]

White collar crimes are no laughing matter, especially when the defendant is a public official. The misuse of government funds can lead to serious felony charges such as wire fraud. And even a single conviction on wire fraud charges may carry a prison term of up to 20 years. Recently, the U.S. Court of Appeals […]

A sex crime conviction can follow you for the rest of your life. Indeed, even after you have served a criminal prison sentence for a sex offense, a Texas judge may subsequently order your “civil commitment” if prosecutors can show you are a “repeat sexually violent offender.” And even if the court does not strictly […]

Although misdemeanor crimes carry less severe punishments than felonies, Texas prosecutors still take these “lesser” cases seriously. Indeed, it is not uncommon for misdemeanor cases to involve the use of expert witnesses. Such witnesses are used to provide a jury with information and analysis that is outside the purview of a typical “lay” witness. But […]

In any criminal trial, the defendant has a constitutional right not to testify. The jury is not allowed to infer a defendant’s guilt based on such a refusal to testify. However, this also means that the defendant waives their right to personally rebut or contradict any testimony offered by other witnesses, which in turn can […]

An issue that often comes up in the trial of domestic violence cases is the admission of evidence regarding “extraneous offenses.” That is to say, if you are accused of assaulting a family member, can the prosecution introduce allegations of similar prior acts as evidence against you? The short answer is that such evidence is […]