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The Damage of a False Accusation Many of my clients are innocent. Falsely accused, they burn with a fury that is often times difficult to reign in. I am often asked the same question, “You mean to tell me that I can be charged with a crime based only on the statement of one person?”. […]

One of the great new policies of the Harris County District Attorney’s office is the use of Pretrial Diversion. The program provides an accused the assurance of a dismissal with the completion of certain conditions. The conditions are usually burdensome, but no more than a regular probation or deferred adjudication. The difference is that at […]

Pretrial Intervention is a contract with the prosecutor that feels a whole lot like probation. That’s the bad part. The good part is that the prosecutor’s responsibility is to dismiss the criminal action so long as the accused fulfills the probation-like conditions for which he is responsible. There is no formal plea necessary. And I […]

Every summer, us criminal defense attorneys pay attention to the mechanizations of the Texas Legislature to determine what new laws we may be having to deal with in September. This year I was curious about a bill proposed by a Conroe legislator that mandated a DNA sample for essentially all persons arrested of a crime […]

I have addressed some of the problems with pretrial diversion in all types of cases, and the dangers discussed apply in DWI cases as well. However, there are some unique issues with DWI diversions that a client needs to understand. In many respects, a pretrial diversion for a DWI is a gift. An individual charged […]

I had to upgrade my computer last year. I went to the most powerful Mac Pro available, and added an external four terabytes. I didn’t have a choice but to spend the money. I needed the video editing capabilities that only a monster processor and memory would provide. Thanks to technology, the time is fast […]

The Bail Reform Act of 1984(18 U.S.C. §3142) is the best place to start. This law was enacted during “Just Say No” and the TV show Miami Vice, where the country was coming to terms with the proliferation of cocaine. The act allows a Federal Court to detain an arrestee pending trial if the Government […]

I remember most of the stupid things I have done. One that sticks out is the day I decided to replace the pea trap under my kitchen sink. It really looked simple. Two attaching rings and maybe one pipe section that needed to be replaced? How hard could that be? I’m an educated man after […]

What Is A Moep? For those of you who don’t know what a Magistrates Order of Emergency Protection (MOEP) is, it’s an order from a Judge prohibiting an accused from, among other things, going near the residence or place of business of an alleged victim of family violence in Texas. I know it seems like […]

Who Goes Into Texas Sex Offender Registry? Currently, Chapter 62 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure governs Sex Offender Registration. It details when registration is required and for how long. If we were to condense it down to basics, just about everybody has to register for the rest of their life if they plead […]