Police departments in Texas and around the country routinely use trained dogs to sniff the air around vehicles during traffic stops, and the courts have ruled that this does not violate rights protected by the Fourth Amendment. One of the most important rulings...
Criminal Defense
Criminal Defense
What are the costs of Social Security fraud in Texas?
Sometimes, Social Security fraud isn't found out about until years after the fact, and thousands of dollars have been paid out already. The Social Security Administration estimated that during the 2019 fiscal year, the government sent out about $7.9 billion in...
The harsh penalties for violation of federal drug laws
Texas upholds very strict drug laws mandated by the federal government. When it comes to federal criminal defense, understanding the penalties for a drug offense can help you understand a potential sentence. Even first-time drug offenses come with strict mandatory...
Illegal evidence and exceptions to the exclusionary rule
When police officers in Texas and around the country conduct searches without first obtaining a warrant, the evidence they discover is not usually admissible in court because rights protected by the U.S. Constitution were violated in order to obtain it. This is known...
Police cannot force consent to search with threat to use K-9
Law enforcement agencies in Texas use canines trained to alert to the presence of illegal drugs. This alert authorizes searches of people's vehicles and other private property. When a person refuses to consent to a search, police officers have the option to bring in a...
Does jail time come with small marijuana possession charges?
Texas is one of many states that has legalized CBD and hemp. However, marijuana still remains illegal for residents to possess or use within the state's borders. While Texas has not legalized this drug like other states, it has started to see a reduction in the amount...
Legal myths about your Miranda rights and being arrested
Many Texas residents are familiar with criminal television shows always specifying the need for an officer to read people their Miranda rights. In fact, that's one of the most memorable parts of any arrest scene. However, it's important to separate myth from fact....
Can you use entrapment as a defense?
If you are accused of a DUI or other crime, one of the factors you may want to look into is if you’ve been entrapped. Entrapment is not legal, and showing that it occurred could be a good way to have your case dropped. Entrapment is a defense that you can use to...
When can police search vehicles without a warrant?
The Fourth Amendment protects citizens in Dallas, Texas, against illegal search and seizure and requires probable cause. This amendment doesn't allow as much leeway for police to search homes as it does vehicles. While police want to search vehicles, they may not need...
Is eyewitness testimony really reliable?
Texas and all other states have relied heavily on eyewitness testimony for convictions in criminal cases. As humans, we tend to naturally accept eyewitness testimony for an exact replay of the events that happened. However, is this really a reliable form of evidence...