Texas Knife Reform Bill: Are Illegal Knives a Thing of the Past?
Governor Abbot recently signed House Bill 1935, which will become law on September 1, 2017. Known as the Knife Law Reform Bill, HB 1935 removes the term “illegal knife” from…
Some Pre-Trial Diversion Programs Are Convictions for Immigration
Will Diversions Lead to Deportation? Pre-trial diversion programs are often used as a tool to avoid a criminal conviction. Whether or not something is a “conviction” depends entirely on the…
Stingrays, the Fourth Amendment, and Cell Site Simulators
Are Cell Site Simulators Legal? Law enforcement agents at the local, state, and federal levels have been using cell site simulators to obtain information in criminal investigations. The most common…
Video: Experts in DWI Cases | When Should You Use an Expert in a DWI Case?
Should you use an expert in a DWI trial? Lawyer Benson Varghese discusses some considerations when making this determination. In a DWI case, a lot of evidence is going to be…
Texas Gun Laws: License to Carry Requirements
After a slew of mass shootings, Texas passed eight new laws in 2019 designed to ease restrictions on guns and license to carry. This included allowing them to be carried…
Misprison of a Felony | Aiding and Abetting
What is Misprision of a Felony? The technical definition of Misprision can be found in the statute itself, 18 USC 4: Whoever, having knowledge of the actual commission of a…
Gun Rights after Domestic Violence | Voisine v. United States
The Supreme Court of the United State handed down Voisine v. United States in June 2016. The decision addressed the gun ownership and possession rights of individuals who have been convicted…
What is a 5K Motion in the federal criminal system?
What are 5K Motions in Federal Criminal Cases? A “5K” or a “5K motion” in the federal system is a motion filed under Section 5k1.1 of the United States Sentencing…
The Differences Between State & Federal Criminal Defense
State vs. Federal Criminal Charges Several differences exist between the state and federal criminal systems. While both systems include similar statutes, standards, and evidentiary rules, the practical application of these…