Fraud, embezzlement, Ponzi schemes and other white collar crimes are usually tied to a financial motive. Defendants are often accused of being arrogant and greedy – but they may really be suffering from a serious mental illness. If you or your loved one has been...
Criminal Defense
Choosing the right jury, and approaching it correctly, matters
If you are facing charges and will go to trial, something to understand is how a jury is chosen and what you can do to help make the jurors see you in a positive light. To begin with, Texas has specific qualifications jurors must meet. These include being at least 18...
What is a white collar crime?
When most people think of crimes, they think of things like murder or drug charges. They may not realize that there’s an entire group of crimes that are known as white collar crimes because they’re most likely to affect those in administrative or management positions....
3 ways the Fifth Amendment protects criminal defendants
Many American adults don't really understand the different Constitutional Amendments included in the Bill of Rights. They know that many of these civil rights impact what happens to those accused of crimes but couldn't tell you which Amendments specifically apply in...
What are mitigating circumstances in a criminal case?
Criminal cases aren’t over when the jury comes in with a verdict. In many cases, a guilty verdict will just start the next phase of the trial. For the defense, a conviction usually means focusing (at least for a while) on mitigation. Mitigation is the process of...
Could a fight with your spouse lead to a weapons charge?
The state government in Texas has many rules that help protect your right to own a firearm as a citizen of the United States. However, the state still arrests and prosecutes people for firearm offenses when they violate certain state or federal rules. Many people...
Is the evidence against you admissible in court?
A lot is at stake if you have been charged with a serious criminal offense, including your freedom. That’s why it pays to carefully examine all aspects of your case, including the admissibility of evidence against you. Challenging the admissibility of the evidence...
Does Texas restrict the kinds of ammunition you can own?
You may know about some of the gun laws in Texas, but do you know that there are ammunition ones as well? Ammo laws may restrict the kinds and how much ammunition you can purchase, for example. The good news for gun owners is that there are no strict regulations on...
What’s the difference between probation and parole?
Someone facing criminal charges will likely wonder what penalties they’re facing. These might include incarceration, fines, community corrections, special court programs or community service. It’s important that a person understands what the possibilities in their...
What is restitution, and why do judges impose it?
You're likely aware that judges generally impose imprisonment, probation, fines and fees when sentencing a defendant for a white collar criminal offense. What you might not know is that the court typically also imposes restitution. What's the purpose of imposing...
