Author: Broden & Mickelsen, LLP
Another mass shooting in Texas has reopened questions about some of the most liberal gun laws in the country. Seth Ator went on a killing spree that left seven dead and wounded 25 in and around Odessa in West Texas. The shooter was barred from buying guns but purchased his assault rifle in a private…
Many people who are charged with theft in Texas fail to take the offense seriously. Although theft is a property crime rather than a violent crime, you can still be imprisoned for the offense. There is no minimum threshold of value of the stolen item for the theft laws to apply. You can be hit…
It’s tough to get your life back on track after a DWI or another serious traffic offense. The unpopular Texas Driver Responsibility Program made it much harder for drivers. Fortunately for defendants who are picking up the pieces after a drunk driving conviction, the program will be scrapped from September 1st. According to the Dallas…
Harris County, the most populous place in Texas, has bowed to pressure to reform its bail practices and settle a federal lawsuit. County officials agreed with the move in late July, in a case Commissioner Rodney Ellis said was “as big as Brown v. Board of Education,” the Texas Tribune reported. Harris County has been…
In Texas, the age of adult criminal responsibility is 17. However, younger defendants can be tried as adults in certain circumstances. A judge in Dallas County recently processed a 16-year-old through the adult criminal justice system, stating the public required protection. Under Texas law, A person who is at least 10 years of age but…
Many people who rent-to-own furniture and other goods in Texas don’t realize failing to make payments can result in criminal charges or even a term in jail. However, a bill enacted this summer by the Texas legislature has helped close a loophole that allowed people who could not afford to make payments to be prosecuted….
Evading arrest or detention in a motor vehicle in Texas can be a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the circumstances of the crime. These crimes are often associated with police pursuits but you don’t have to be involved in a long chase to be charged with the crime. Over the weekend, a woman was…
A new law in Texas is leading prosecutors to drop low-level marijuana possession charges, even though it has not legalized the drug. The law does not address marijuana. Instead, it legalizes hemp and products derived from hemp, like CBD oil. Prosecutors say the law had unexpected consequences. The Texas Tribune reported the new law had…
Initiatives intended to fight sex trafficking in Texas are high on the agenda of Governor Greg Abbott and the Office of the Attorney General. However, a recent report reveals the state still has a way to go to bring human trafficking under control. A report from the Human Trafficking Institute released in June revealed the…
Children in Texas cannot consent to sex, but they can still be charged with prostitution after state Governor Greg Abbott vetoed a bill that would have prevented them from being arrested and brought before juvenile courts. Abbott vetoed House Bill 1771. The legislation, authored by Houston Democrat Shawn Thierry, aimed to amend the Texas penal…