Search Results for: sexual assault

Child Sex Trafficking Arrest in Texas: Criminal Defense Overview

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) defines Child Sex Trafficking as “… a form of child abuse that occurs when a child under 18 is advertised, solicited or exploited through a commercial sex act.  A commercial sex act is any sex act where something of value – such as money, drugs or a place to stay…


Manslaughter: When Killing Someone Does Not Mean Murder – Texas Penal Code §19.04

Tragedies happen every day here in Texas, where someone dies because of the actions or failures to act of another person.  Sometimes, these deaths are criminally culpable and sometimes they are not.  It is when someone dies because of another person’s intentional, knowing, or reckless action or as a result of their criminal negligence that…


Indecency with a Child Arrest in Texas 

In Texas, it is possible for the testimony of a minor to result in the conviction of an adult for a felony sex crime involving child sex abuse.  This can come with extended prison time as well as the serious social stigma for the accused (and his loved ones) that comes with being labelled as…


When Dating Leads to Arrest in Texas:  Dating Violence Under Texas Family Code §71.0021

In Texas, romance that erupts into physical violence between two people who are married or live together is considered domestic violence that can form the basis of some serious criminal assault charges.  For more, read our earlier discussions in: Family Violence in Texas: Crimes based upon Domestic Violence – It’s More Than a Fight That…


Family Violence Charges: 5 Reasons to Leave Before the Police Arrive

Domestic violence, referenced as “family violence” in Texas Penal Code §71.004, is one of the most common types of 911 calls received by police in this country, with one research study suggesting that as many as 50% of all police calls historically have dealt with domestic violence complaints.  See, Hendricks, J., ed. Crisis Intervention in…


Organized Criminal Activity Charges Under Texas Penal Code §71.02

Organized crime for many is a term that deals with movie characters like the Corleone Family in the Godfather Saga or infamous criminals like Al Capone. Even the Encyclopedia Britannica, referencing names like John Gotti and Bugsy Siegel, defines “organized crime” as a “…complex of highly centralized enterprises set up for the purpose of engaging…


Financial Exploitation of Elderly: Criminal Acts and Civil Injury Claims

Financial exploitation of the elderly can involve many things.  The National Institute on Aging (NIA) explains that elder financial abuse occurs when “… money or belongings are stolen from an older adult. It can include forging checks, taking someone else’s retirement or Social Security benefits, or using a person’s credit cards and bank accounts without…


Texas Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect: Criminal Acts with Civil Claims for Damages

Nursing homes and care facilities here in Texas are sadly one of the most predominant examples of the overlap between criminal justice prosecutions at both the state and federal levels with corresponding injury claims filed in civil proceedings.  All sorts of criminal acts occur at nursing homes:  from theft of property; to physical assaults or…


Deadly Drunk Driving Accidents: Criminal DWI and Civil Injury Claims for Wrongful Death in Texas

Under Texas law, Drunk Driving Wrongful Death Liability May Involve a Variety of Responsible Parties According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), one person dies every 50 minutes in this country from a drunk-driving accident.  Serious and fatal drunk driving crashes remain a very real danger on our roads today, despite public awareness…


Civil Claims

Civil Personal Injury Claims Related to Criminal Investigations, Prosecutions, or Criminal Harm Over the past two decades, Michael Lowe has taken a great many cases to trial in civil lawsuits as well as in criminal courtrooms, first as a prosecutor for the Office of the District Attorney for Dallas County and later, as a criminal…