2017

Whether for hunting, sport shooting or protection, Texans love their guns. In fact, more than 46 percent of people living in the Lone Star State own a gun.  Unfortunately, every year we hear tragic stories about children who get hold of a firearm and shoot themselves or someone else. Not only is this tragic, but

What Does the Law Say about Improper Relationship Between Teacher and Student in Texas? An Improper Relationship Between Teacher and Student is a crime under Texas law, regardless of the student’s age. In fact, the law is actually broader than just applying to teachers or educators. Improper Relationship Between Teacher and Student Under Texas Penal

Most criminal offenses in Texas have some sort of mental state requirement. These are sometimes referred to as “culpable mental states” or “mens rea” which is Latin for “guilty mind.” The possible mental states in Texas criminal law are: Intentionally Knowingly Negligently Recklessly No Mental State Required You generally cannot commit a crime purely on

What is Unlawful Carry of a Weapon? Unlawful Carry of a Weapon, or UCW, refers to offenses involving the illegal possession of a handgun, illegal knife, or club in Texas. This is generally a Class A misdemeanor in Texas although as explained below, it can become a third degree felony under certain circumstances. This article

What is the Tarrant County SWIFT Program? The Tarrant County SWIFT program is a post-plea, intensive probation program that gives high-risk, high-need offenders an opportunity to change  — and immediate sanctions for probation violations. The program is overseen by state District Judge Mollee Westfall and is aimed at motivating noncompliant probationers to follow the rules.

You would think defining “arrest” would be a simple task, but nothing could be further from the truth. There are police encounters, which are distinguishable from police stops, detentions, and arrests. Crossing the line from a detention to an arrest is very fact specific. There are two general premises that are not seriously disputed: officers