Category Archives: Texas Government Watch
Texas’ Senate Bill 4, the “Show Me Your Papers Law,” is Arguably Unenforceable Under Existing State Law
Here are how things stand right now for the controversial Texas Senate Bill 4 (88-4) (“SB4”), which was passed last fall by both houses of the Texas Legislature and signed into law by Governor Abbott. You may recognize the new statute by its nickname, the “Show Me Your Papers Law.” See, e.g., “Texas’s So-Called ‘Show…
Illegal Reentry into Texas: Crimes Under Federal Statute and Texas Law
There are lots of names for people crossing the border into Texas without authority, including migrants, immigrants, illegals, undocumented noncitizens, illegal entrants. See, “Illegal Alien” Is One of Many Correct Legal Terms for “Illegal Immigrant,” written by Alex Nowrasteh and published by Cato on October 14, 2019. However, the legal terminology pursuant to federal statute…
Thirteen Significant New Texas Criminal Laws Effective in 2023
Arrests in Texas can be based upon actions or investigations by either state or federal authorities or by a combination of the two in joint operations. From a criminal defense standpoint, the choice of law upon which the arrest is made is key. This is because criminal cases move through two entirely independent justice systems…
Are Texas Anti-Smuggling Laws Unconstitutional? Governor Abbott and Texas Penal Code §20.05 and §20.06
Our state government continues to take independent state action using criminal laws to try and stem all sorts of border activities involving both people and things crossing from Mexico into Texas. Recently, for instance, Governor Abbott issued an executive order announcing that two Mexican Cartels, and possibly more in the future, will be considered as…
Texas Governor’s Designation of Mexican Cartels As Terrorist Organizations: Criminal Defense Perspective
On September 21, 2022, the Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a press release with its accompanying Executive Order GA-42 and the news that, at least in the State of Texas, Mexican cartels are now considered to be “terrorist organizations” by state law enforcement. In the release, Governor Abbott explains that the growing market…
Don’t Ever Talk to the Police! Never Give a Statement to Law Enforcement in Texas Criminal Investigation
Additional Information Provided in Addition to my YouTube video On television and in the movies, people are always giving statements to the police. In all the versions of Law & Order, for instance, the police are taking statements from people with or without their lawyer being present. In fact, it’s hard to remember an episode…
New Texas Sex Crimes: The Online Prostitution Laws Effective September 1, 2019
Texas Penal Code Amended to Address Human Sex Trafficking Over the Internet Human trafficking laws exist at both the federal and state levels; anyone arrested on these charges faces serious felony time if convicted. However, the reality has been that federal prosecutions have been fiercer and with more bite than those charges at the state…
Prosecutors and Police in Dallas: How Bad is It?
So, what’s going on here in Dallas County with our prosecutors and our police department? Well, there are lots of things going on right now that impact criminal justice – and criminal defense – here in North Texas. Because excessive force by the police and prosecutorial misconduct isn’t just stuff that happens in…
New Texas Criminal Laws 2017
The regular session of the 85th Texas Legislature ended on Memorial Day. Bills not passed by the lawmakers and signed into law by the governor are dead in the water. (Abbott vetoed 50 of them.) For the bills that did not become law: well, maybe next year. Governor Abbott has called for a special session…
Speedy Trials in Texas: Prosecuting “Killer Nurse” Genene Jones for 1981 Crime
Do you remember where you were in 1981? Were you even alive in 1981? Let’s think back … 1981 was the year: President Ronald Reagan was shot by John Hinckley; the CDC recognized the first five cases of AIDS in five homosexual men diagnosed with a “rare form of pneumonia” in Los Angeles; Donkey Kong…
