Search Results for: excessive force
Cop Watch: Galveston County Cops Use Taser and Man Dies
The news reports are still somewhat sketchy at this point, but on Sunday night a man was obviously under the influence of something — drugs or alcohol — and some cops in Galveston County tried to bust him. It happened in La Marque. It wasn’t that late — just a bit after nine o’clock last…
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Bail after Federal Arrest in Texas and The Bail Reform Act of 1984
Bail after an arrest by federal law enforcement is very different than when someone enters the state criminal justice system. Texas bail is allowed much more often than it is in federal court. It’s not that bail is not routinely considered a part of federal matters. News coverage is filled with federal bail stories. This…
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Shoplifting: The “Shopkeeper’s Privilege” in Texas and Civil Personal Injury Claims
The retail industry in the United States has yet to solve its growing problem of “retail shrink,” which is defined as “the difference between the amount of merchandise (or inventory) that the retail company owns on its books, and the results of a physical count of the merchandise.” In 2019, $49 Billion was lost in…
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Latest Forfeiture Ruling by SCOTUS: What Does It Mean for Texas Criminal Defense?
Timbs v. Indiana is the first step in ending state-wide forfeiture abuse In an opinion written by Justice Ginsburg with two concurrences filed by Justice Gorsuch and Justice Thomas, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) vacated and remanded the judgment of the Indiana Supreme Court in Timbs v. Indiana on February 20, 2019….
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Will Forfeiture Actions be Held Unconstitutional? SCOTUS Hears Oral Arguments in Timbs v. Indiana
On November 28, 2018, oral argument was heard in Tyson Tibbs v. Indiana, Cause No. 17-1091 before the Supreme Court of the United States. At the SCOTUS site, you can read the full transcript of this oral argument in Tibbs, or download it in various formats (MP3, etc.). This is a forfeiture case. It is…
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WHITE COLLAR CRIME: INDICTMENTS OF TEXAS PROFESSIONALS
When Suits Are Arrested White collar crime prosecutions for various kinds of fraud, among other things, are popping up all over Texas right now. Professionals in nice suits and enjoying swanky life styles are getting arrested and charged for all sorts of felonies. What is White Collar Crime? You probably know more about “white collar…
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What are Racketeering Charges? Organized Crime, Gangs and Cartels, and Overcharging RICO
Most people think of movies like “The Untouchables” or “the Godfather” when asked about “racketeering” charges and arrests on R.I.C.O. violations. Makes sense; RICO was designed to combat “organized crime” in this country, and as a general rule that has meant the Mafia. The Cosa Nostra was its original target. RICO Act: Racketeering Charges Expand…
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Is There Chaos in the Dallas Criminal Justice System? Consider These Five News Stories in May 2016
Criminal defense lawyers tend to see the world a bit differently than most. Maybe that’s because we are privy to things that most of the general public is not and it skews our perspective. However, if anyone has been reading the news stories for the past three or four weeks coming out of Dallas County,…
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Lesson For Texans From Netflix’s “Making of a Murderer”: Public Defenders vs. Hired Defense Lawyers
If you haven’t watched the documentary “Making of a Murderer” yet, odds are high that you’ve heard about it. A Netflix Original, the 10-episode documentary took 10 years to make and debuted on Netflix back in December 2015. It follows the story of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin local boy Steven Avery, known to most in his…
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TOP 7 TEXAS BAIL BONDS TRAPS: DON’T GET CAUGHT IN ONE OF THEM!
Texas Bail Bonds Lawyer Warns About Traps in Texas Bail Bonds System When you are arrested in the State of Texas, your freedom will be taken from you by law enforcement as you are arrested and physically taken and enter the criminal justice system. Whether and when you are free to join your loved ones…
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