As a driver, it is important to understand the legal standards police must meet before they can pull you over or search your car. This helps you know your rights during a traffic stop. Two key legal standards are "reasonable suspicion" for traffic stops and "probable...
Criminal Defense
The difference between roadside PBT and evidentiary breath tests
Breath tests play a crucial role in determining a driver’s level of intoxication. In Texas, law enforcement officers rely on two types of tests. The Roadside Portable Breath Test and the Evidentiary Breath Test both serve a purpose though they differ in their...
Common search and seizure issues during traffic stops
Nobody ever expects to drive and suddenly be pulled over by a Texas police officer. Although this could happen to anyone, it can be a nightmare if the officer suddenly searches your vehicle suspecting that they will find drugs. If this occurs, remember that you have...
Remember that social media posts are evidence
If you have been accused of a drug-related crime -- or any crime, for that matter -- you may be released from jail after posting bond. This means that you’ll once again have access to your phone and your social media accounts. People often desire to post about what...
What criminal charges qualify for expunction in Texas?
A criminal record affects everything from where you live to how you pay for college. Convictions and arrests alike can hold you back from the best opportunities in life. In theory, maintaining criminal records helps keep the public safe. It allows employers to screen...
The police are knocking on your door: What should you do?
Maybe you were having a party, things got a little loud and a neighbor called in a complaint. Or, you might have no idea why the police are at your door. Either way, that knock is startling, and even more so to see a couple uniformed officers (or -- even worse -- a...
Understanding orders of nondisclosure in Texas
If you have a criminal record, or you are worried that you may be at risk of getting a criminal record due to a current accusation made against you, privacy will probably be of high importance. You may believe that if you have a criminal record, this should be no one...
Follow your bond conditions
Following your bond conditions is important. If you break the rules, you go to jail in the vast majority of cases. As criminal defense attorneys, we work to get the most lenient bond rules possible. Apart from that, one of the things that we do to protect our clients...
Social media posts may come back to haunt you in court
People share a lot of details about their lives on their social media accounts, including their whereabouts, beliefs and preferences. All of these and more can resurface in court to undermine a person’s criminal case. Because of this, many people delete their accounts...
I was pardoned. Do I still need an expunction?
Receiving a pardon from the governor can help you regain your rights and build a new life for yourself. Unfortunately, your efforts to find a new job or a place to live might still run into problems if an employer or a landlord finds out a court has convicted you of a...