An individual has certain rights extended to them under the Constitution. Both federal and state Constitutional rights protect people from misconduct on the part of agents working for the state. Those facing a criminal investigation or arrested by police officers are...
Did you know that Texas has a law that can protect someone from relatively minor drug possession charges if police discover the alleged offense only because they called 911 or sought emergency help in some other way for someone they believed to be suffering an...
Many people aren’t sure what to do if they’re stopped and questioned by police – whether in their vehicle, on a sidewalk or in any space. Some people answer their questions and then some, either because they’re confident they’ve done nothing wrong, or they hope that...
Being stopped by the police can be an intimidating experience, particularly if there is any accusation that you have broken the law. In situations like this, it is not uncommon for the fight or flight response to kick in. Nonetheless, you must manage this. It is...
Having law enforcement search your vehicle can be a stressful and confusing experience. And not all searches are conducted legally. Understanding the boundaries between legal and illegal searches is crucial in protecting your rights. The Fourth Amendment The Fourth...
When immigrants are charged with crimes, they often worry about getting deported. The actual criminal charges may be secondary. They are worried about being removed from the United States, where they have a family, where they have been attending school or where they...
Plea deals, also known as plea bargains, have come to play a massive role in the handling of criminal cases in the United States. Very few criminal cases make it to trial these days, as most are settled by a plea deal before they get there. Yet, despite their...
Most people have some passing familiarity with the concept of a plea bargain. Typically, these deals involve the defendant agreeing to plead guilty in exchange for reduced charges or a favorable sentencing recommendation, ultimately mitigating the consequences of...
People facing a criminal charge often want to know what sentence they’ll face if they’re convicted. Typically, this risk is relayed in a range of sentence possibilities based on factors such as the judge’s history with similar cases, sentencing guidelines and several...
If the police have a search warrant, then they are allowed to enter your property. The warrant may restrict them in some ways, such as saying they can only go into a specific part of your property, that they can only carry out the search at a certain time, or that...