Recent Blog Posts
How Long Can Police Hold Me Based On Reasonable Suspicion?
Being stopped by police does not always mean you are under arrest. An officer may temporarily detain someone based on reasonable suspicion even when the officer does not yet have probable cause to make an arrest. That authority, however, has limits. Police cannot use reasonable suspicion as an excuse to hold someone indefinitely while… Read More »
Can Police Stop Me Because I Am In A High Crime Area?
If you are walking down the street, standing outside a business, sitting in a parked car, or spending time in a neighborhood that police call a high-crime area, that alone does not give officers the legal right to stop you. Police may watch areas more closely if there have been recent reports of shootings,… Read More »
What Happens If Police Find Drugs In A Shared Vehicle?
Just because drugs are found in a car does not mean everyone inside actually possessed them. This is especially true when friends, spouses, coworkers, or borrowers share a vehicle. Police might suspect everyone at first, but suspicion is not the same as what must be proven in court. Texas law requires proof that someone… Read More »
How To Defend Against A Resisting Arrest Charge In Galveston
A charge of resisting arrest can come about as a result of a confrontation that lasts just a few seconds, even though the effects can continue to follow you for a long time. Such cases usually start when an officer states that the person moved away, became stiff in one arm, put up a… Read More »
The Reasons Why You Should Ask For A Lawyer Even When You’re Innocent
Just because you are innocent doesn’t mean that talking freely to the police is always the best thing to do. It is common for people in Galveston County to think that since they haven’t done anything wrong, explaining themselves will soon put any misunderstanding right. Unfortunately, criminal investigations don’t always operate in this manner…. Read More »
Can A Confession Be Thrown Out In Texas?
A confession may turn out to be one of the most harmful kinds of evidence in a criminal prosecution that takes place in Texas, yet the fact that a person has made an incriminating statement does not necessarily mean that the prosecutors can use it in court. Under Texas law, there are significant limitations… Read More »
Can Police Search Your Cell Phone Without A Search Warrant In Texas?
Your cell phone may contain years of private information, including text messages, photographs, emails, banking records, location history, social media activity, videos, contacts, and internet searches. For that reason, police in Galveston County generally cannot treat a cell phone like an ordinary object found in your pocket after an arrest. Texas law provides specific… Read More »
Federal Charges For Mailing Or Shipping Controlled Substances
Mailing or shipping controlled substances can quickly turn a drug investigation into a serious federal case. Prosecutors often use package records, surveillance footage, text messages, payment details, tracking data, fingerprints, intercepted messages, and evidence from homes or vehicles to link someone to a shipment. However, just because drugs are found in a package, the… Read More »
Can Text Messages Be Used To Prove A Federal Conspiracy?
Text messages often play a key role in federal conspiracy cases. Investigators may use them to suggest that people agreed to work together, knew each other’s actions, divided tasks, discussed money, set up meetings, or tried to hide what they were doing. The government does not need a message that clearly says, “We agree… Read More »
The Surprising Science Of False Confessions In Criminal Cases
Many people think they would never admit to a serious crime they didn’t commit. This seems reasonable, but things can change after hours of questioning, isolation, accusations, exhaustion, and pressure. Over the years, wrongful conviction cases have shown that innocent people sometimes confess to crimes like robbery, sexual assault, or even murder. DNA exonerations… Read More »
