A 41-year-old and a 38-year-old man were indicted in Texas for allegedly possessing over 500 pounds of liquid methamphetamine. Both men were charged with possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute it as well as a conspiracy to possess a controlled...
What is aggravated assault in Texas?
Aggravated assault is a step above a simple assault. Note that Texas does not look at “assault and battery” the same way that other states do, where bodily harm is battery and a mere threat of such harm is assault. In Texas, both get looked at together as assault, and...
The trouble that comes with a bar fight in Texas
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying a night out at the bar once in a while. Unfortunately, alcohol tends to encourage people to act a little rowdy -- and it doesn’t take much for a bar fight to start. Maybe you were the person who got out of control, or maybe you were...
Texas man exonerated after 9 years in prison for murder
In 2010, a Texas man was convicted of the murder of another man and given life in prison for the crime. He claimed he didn’t do it. Nine years later, the courts have finally been forced to agree after a nationwide search of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) databases,...
Famous White-Collar Crime Cases | From Gangsters to Actors and Television Stars
Many people might not even be familiar with what it means to engage in white-collar crime. These crimes are often committed by people or employees involved in fraud, bribery, Ponzi schemes, embezzlement, insider trading, cybercrime, intellectual property infringement,...
Advocates ask prosecutors to exclude racist police testimony
Criminal justice reform advocates in Texas and across the country are calling on district attorneys and prosecutors' offices to exclude more police from giving testimony in criminal cases. While juries and judges often give great weight to evidence presented by the...
Reformers fighting court fines and fees that criminalize poverty
Coming into contact with the Texas criminal justice system could lead to long-term financial difficulty. Court fees and fines often impose burdensome debts that result in incarceration, probation and job loss. A group formed in 2016 called the Civil Rights Corps calls...
Risk assessment tools may be inherently flawed
Texas residents who have been taken into custody may find that their fates are determined by risk assessment tools. These tools are used by judges to determine if a person should be released on bail or held until further notice. A person's risk score is determined...
What the law says about giving up phone passcodes
Texas residents may feel that their phones are private property that can't be searched by police. However, officers can get warrants demanding that citizens provide the passwords to their cellphones and access to the contents inside of the device. One man in Florida...
Survey reveals racial disparities in criminal justice system
Racial disparities are a significant factor in how people in Texas and across the country encounter the criminal justice system. An individual's personal experiences tend to inform the level of trust or regard that they have for police departments, the court system or...
