A lot of convictions are made because there is an overwhelming amount of evidence against a defendant. However, many trials only have the word of witness testimonies and the defendant. It can often take many eyewitness stories to align or the defendant confesses to...
Texas Criminal Law Blog
Do you qualify to have your case heard in the Texas drug courts?
Maybe you got arrested for drug possession, or perhaps you face a nonviolent offense that directly relates to your substance abuse issues. The criminal consequences of such offenses include prison sentences and large fines, as well as probation or community service....
Pop culture has skewed the perception of forensic science
When the general public thinks about forensic science, they usually imagine television shows. They have this idea of the investigative team walking into the crime scene, quickly gathering very important evidence, putting all the pieces together and figuring out...
Can an intoxication claim play a role in your defense strategy?
Alcohol is a known disinhibitor. It doesn't necessarily change your personality entirely, but it will free you to do things that you might otherwise recognize as inappropriate. When you have had too much to drink, you might lose control of your temper and get into a...
Did the Supreme Court get rid of the Miranda Warning?
The Supreme Court helps evaluate legal matters and clarify the federal stance on crucial issues. It was a Supreme Court ruling decades ago that gave rise to the Miranda warning. Named for the defendant in a case that made it all the way to the Supreme court, the...
Is mental illness really a defense for criminal acts?
If you or someone you know has a mental illness, you know the fine line that you’re walking when you excuse behaviors that took place when someone was mentally ill. Many people can and do make good decisions in their lives despite mental illnesses, so is it really...
The reliability of an eyewitness is a myth
People often trust eyewitnesses in criminal trials. Say you've been accused of assault and you claim that you weren't even there. The prosecution produces a witness who claims that they saw you at the scene and that you were the one who committed the assault. In a...
Expert witnesses can help debunk junk science used in court
If you were to take your information from movies and prime time television, you would probably assume that cutting-edge forensic science solves every major criminal case. In reality, forensic science is not nearly as dramatic or reliable as the media would make it...
3 hallmarks of an effective attorney
When you have to defend yourself against charges, it’s important that you have the right team on your side. An effective attorney can make a big difference between facing harsh penalties and having charges dropped or altered in a way that could benefit you. What makes...
Don’t let prosecutorial misconduct negatively affect your case
When you’re facing charges, it’s extremely important that the prosecution and defense teams are both working within the confines of the law. The last thing that you should have to worry about is the prosecutor taking steps to charge you or make claims against you in a...