Judicial Clemency in Texas | Setting Aside Convictions
What is Judicial Clemency? One of the least discussed areas of criminal law in Texas is a judge’s power to set aside certain straight probation sentences. (Click here to read…
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Criminal defense, personal injury, wrongful death, and family law, explained by the attorneys at Varghese Summersett.
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Confidential Informants: Exceptions to Informer Privilege
Confidential Informants Often fodder for Hollywood blockbusters such as Black Mass, Reservoir Dogs, and The Departed, the secrecy surrounding the identity of confidential informants has always captivated the public. Though…
Rule 35 Agreement Reducing a Federal Sentence | Rule 35 Agreement
Rule 35 Agreement to Reduce a Federal Sentence As many know, under the federal system the most powerful departure from the United States Sentencing Guidelines exists under U.S.S.G. 5k1. This…
Collins v. Virgina Limits the Fourth Amendment Automobile Exception
Collins v. Virginia In an 8-1 decision, the Supreme Court decided that the automobile exception does not allow police to enter the curtilage of home to search a parked vehicle….
Tarrant County Magistration | Arraignment | How Long to Make Bond?
Changes in Tarrant County Magistration For many years, bonds in Tarrant County were set by municipal magistrates throughout the county. This meant individuals in different cities could receive vastly different…
Dual Sovereignty Reigns Over Double Jeopardy | Gamble vs. United States (2019)
Gamble vs. U.S. (2019) The Supreme Court handed down its decision in Gamble vs. United States (No. 17–646) on July 17 in which the Court declined to put an end…
Direct Indictments In Texas
Navigating the criminal justice system can be tricky. Most laypeople find it confusing and, just when they think they’ve got the process somewhat figured out, something comes along that throws…
Substitute Assets | Federal Criminal Defense Lawyer
Substitute Assets in Criminal Asset Forfeiture: Substitute Assets are one of the most powerful forfeiture theories in the Government’s ability to seek the forfeiture of property that isn’t connected to…
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…