State Jail Diligent Participation Credit | Early Release
State Jail Diligent Participation Credit Texas currently has 19 state jails housing approximately 9,500 state-jail offenders. Under Penal Code Section 12.35 , a person serving…
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…
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…
Immigration Consequences for Non-Citizens Facing Criminal Charges
Certain criminal convictions can have immigration consequences such as deportation, denial of admission or naturalization for any non-citizen. A defendant’s particular category of non-citizenship may…
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…
Affirmative Defenses in Texas | What is an Affirmative Defense to a Crime?
An affirmative defense allows a defendant to avoid legal responsibility for the charged offense. When a defendant uses an affirmative defense, the defendant is admitting…
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…
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…
Tarrant DA breaks protocol in latest officer-involved shooting. What will happen next?
Duplicity in Prosecution or Politics as Usual? In recent days, Tarrant County District Attorney Sharen Wilson has publicly stated that her office plans to pursue…