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As a citizen of the U.S., the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments protect you from being wrongfully arrested by law enforcement officials. Unfortunately, some estimate that the rate of wrongful convictions in the U.S. is anywhere from 2-10 percent. While that might not sound like a lot, at that rate there could be over 200,000 innocent...

The coronavirus pandemic has impacted state and local government in many ways, including the justice system. Closing the courts was a necessary step to help protect the spread of infection. But it has also led to a tremendous backlog of cases, leaving many wondering how the courts will ever catch up. The Texas Supreme Court...

People often rely on prescriptions drugs to treat pain, high blood pressure, diabetes, mental health disorders and other health conditions. In Texas, having prescription drugs in your possession is perfectly legal when they are issued by a doctor or other healthcare professional and picked up at a pharmacy. According to the U.S. Justice Department, the...

Criminal convictions in Texas based on false evidence continue to be a serious problem statewide, according to recent news reports about numerous criminal convictions in the Houston area possibly based on false testimonies. As many as 69 people convicted of crimes in Houston may have been wrongfully convicted based on false evidence, according to CBS...

The State of Texas (and the rest of the U.S.) has recently become crippled by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. On Friday, March 13, 2020, Governor Greg Abbott declared a statewide emergency, as the state gears up to begin testing for COVID-19. Visits to nursing homes, prisons, and daycares are now limited. State workers are...

The penalties for an arrest in Texas aren't just limited to incarceration, fines, and probation. Having an arrest on your record can make it harder to find employment, even if you were acquitted of the charges. Arrest records may become public record in Texas. That means anyone can access information about your arrest in a...

The use of electric cigarettes and vaping products has rapidly grown among teenagers over the past few years. The National Institute on Drug Abuse conducted a 2018 survey involving more than 44,000 students. Roughly 37 percent of 12 graders reported that they used vaping products in 2018 — up from 28 percent in 2017. A...

Thousands of people in the United States suffer criminal charges or years in prison based in part on testimony from police officers who lied, a USA TODAY investigation found. The problems in many of the cases feature prosecutors in district attorney's offices nationwide failing to abide by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that requires full...

The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation.” In layman’s terms, you are always protected inside your...

Far too many innocent people fall into a trap that puts them behind bars, possibly for years. It often starts when someone is interviewed by law enforcement. He or she feels comfortable speaking to investigators without first consulting with an attorney. Despite being innocent, anyone can slip up and say the wrong thing. In addition,...