2019 Criminal Law Update | 40 New Criminal Laws
Updated: July 22, 2019 – Here are the 40 new criminal law legislative changes you need to be aware of from the 86th legislative session in Texas. Most of the…
The First Step Act: What You Need To Know
What is the First Step Act? The First Step Act, formally known as the Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act, signed into law on December 21,…
Warrant Required for Law Enforcement to Test Blood Drawn for Medical Purposes
The Court of Criminal Appeals handed down State v. Martinez , answering whether the State’s testing of blood previously drawn by hospital personnel for medical purposes constitutes a search under the…
Witness Tampering: The Crime and Consequences
If you follow the news, you’ve undoubtedly heard and seen the term “witness tampering” time and again. In recent years, a number of public figures have been accused – either…
Sims v. State: Can Police Obtain Real-Time Cell Site Location Without Warrant?
The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals recently went to great lengths to explain how it came to decision with a different result than the United States Supreme Court in Carpenter…
Timbs v. Indiana: SCOTUS Boot on the Throat of Policing for Profit?
The Supreme Court, in Timbs v. Indiana, recently handed down a unanimous decision that may be the death knell for “policing by profit,” limiting both police and prosecutors across the…
Common Law Marriage in Texas Defined
Common Law Marriage Most people in Texas know a couple who say something along the lines of, “We’ve lived together for so long, we are considered common law married.” But…
Case Analytics and the Criminal Justice System: A Look at Tarrant County
Case analytics are big business in the world of civil litigation. They help lawyers understand what cases are worth, what motions a given judge is most likely to grant, and…
Contraband Smuggling: Consequences of Sneaking Items in Jail or Prison
Possession of a Controlled Substance in a Correctional Facility Inmates have been smuggling prohibited or illegal items, such as drugs, tobacco, cellphones, and weapons, into jails and prisons for decades….