Patients with chronic pain are often told that they need to take charge of their health and their medical care. They’re encouraged to seek second opinions if their pain isn’t under control since medical approaches to any given health situation can vary greatly between...
Criminal Defense
Can digital communications lead to Texas assault charges?
The definition of assault that most people are familiar with involves intentionally causing bodily harm to another individual. People expect that they might face assault charges if they get into a fight and hurt someone else. However, some people end up arrested for...
Is drug court an option for those facing Texas drug charges?
With the exception of violent crimes, drug charges arguably carry the most stigma of most types of criminal accusations. People tend to judge those with prior drug charges harshly, and Texas is notorious for imposing harsh penalties on convicted offenders. Despite...
The ripple effect of a DWI conviction
You see a police officer’s lights come on behind you while driving home from a night out. You know that you’ve had a few drinks and you’re wondering if you’re over the legal limit. You start to worry about the potential ramifications of your situation. If you’re...
When does Texas require someone to install an IID?
Anyone who has been accused of a driving while intoxicated (DWI) offense in Texas could be at risk of incarceration, financial penalties and license suspension. Occasionally, the restrictions on someone's driving privileges won't only involve a temporary inability to...
What does a “reasonable belief “ of “imminent harm” mean?
A lot of times, those accused of assault will assert a positive defense, claiming that they had the right to use reasonable force to defend themselves (or others) from harm – and Texas does recognize this right. However, there are a few caveats to that right. One of...
Texas’ 3 strikes criminal sentencing law explained
In baseball, when a pitcher throws three strikes, the batter is out. In Texas criminal law, it's three strikes and you're in prison. We are talking about Texas' "three strikes" law, which is part of the state statute that discusses how to sentence people convicted of...
When does Texas allow a claim that someone acted in self-defense?
Violent offenses are among the most serious charges a person could face. Accusations of assault, manslaughter or homicide could lead to a lengthy prison sentence. The stigma associated with a violent criminal record is also hard to ignore. Those accused of a violent...
If the state has evidence, is your conviction inevitable?
Typically, police officers need probable cause or evidence of a crime to arrest you, and prosecutors will need to believe that the evidence collected exceeds the current standard for criminal court. They will need enough proof to show beyond a reasonable doubt that...
Knowing your rights to sobriety tests
Under the suspicion of drunk driving or, in some cases, after an accident, police may ask a driver to engage in a sobriety test. Police are trained to do one of two sobriety tests: Breath test: police may use a small, mobile tool that evaluates a driver’s...