Criminal Defense

We all want to believe that the justice system works. We rely on the integrity and honesty of those involved in law enforcement and prosecution. But still it happens that innocent people are convicted of crimes they did not commit. In fact, according to Innocence...

The video of protests that have erupted around the country since the death of George Floyd include scenes of police using force that is excessive and unlawful. Numerous lawsuits have been filed against police forces nationwide. More are expected. Civil lawsuits...

Police interrogations are meant to be overwhelming. Putting pressure on suspects is often how officers get people to confess, though sometimes those confessions are false. Now, research is showing that suspects with mental illnesses are much more at risk of being...

If your child has struggled with substance abuse, mental illness or personality disorders, it can be a daily challenge. You may worry that these struggles will put them at odds with the law, and you may wonder what options would be available to you. What might your...

Since as far back as the 1930s at least, researchers have chronicled inaccuracy issues related to eyewitness identification. For people in Texas who are charged with crimes, a misidentification by an eyewitness can be difficult to overcome at trial. A theme among...

Texas residents may be aware that the United States has a high level of incarceration. However, they may not know that more than 20 percent of those behind bars have not been found guilty of committing a crime. While some of these prisoners are incarcerated while they...

On Dec. 18, a Texas judge recommended that a man who was convicted on child sexual assault charges have his conviction be overturned due to mistakes that were made during the criminal investigation process. The man was accused of sexually assaulting a 4-year-old boy...

In Texas and across the United States, Black men can often receive longer sentences than white men, even when both are convicted of the same crime. A study by the U.S. Sentencing Commission has shown that Black men serve sentences that average 19.1 percent longer than...

If a person in Texas or anywhere else in America accepts a plea, it may mean reduced penalties compared to being found guilty at trial. However, accepting a plea also means that a person has a criminal conviction on his or her record. It also may mean dealing with...

The District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals may not have jurisdiction over Texas, but the court is considered highly influential. For one, it's located in the District and has traditionally been a place presidents look for potential Supreme Court nominees. For...