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The police often investigate a crime before making an arrest, especially if they need more proof that a person is probably the culprit. Being called into the police station or having officers show up at your doorstep is unnerving enough. But what happens if they start asking you detailed questions about where you were on […]

Preventing or otherwise impeding a person from making an emergency call is a crime in Texas. Those who are convicted face serious penalties, which is a testament to how seriously Texas takes this offense. Many people end up interfering with an emergency call because they do not even know that this is a crime in […]

Under Texas law, there are certain cases where a judge may set aside a defendant’s criminal conviction while they are still serving a term of community supervision (i.e., probation). This is informally known in legal circles as “judicial clemency,” although that exact term is not used in the law. As the Texas Court of Criminal […]

If you’re pulled over on suspicion of DWI in Collin County, Texas, you need to know that who is in your vehicle with you can make a significant difference in how you are charged. The reason for this is simple: Under Texas law, it is considered a more serious offense to operate a motor vehicle […]

Many of us will be traveling during the holiday season. When you cross states lines, however, you need to be aware that there are certain items that may be legal in your destination but not Texas, and vice versa. And we’re not talking about your grandmother’s fruitcake–we mean potentially dangerous weapons, like firearms, knives, and […]

With the increase in people shopping online comes an increase in the number of packages left on people’s porches or doorsteps for them to pick up when they return from work. But as many people are finding out, those packages sometimes go missing before they return home. The culprit? Porch pirates. Seeing a package sitting […]

Jeremy Rosenthal and Kyle Therrian were co-authors for the study “Police Discretion and Racial Disparity in Organized Retail Theft Arrests: Evidence from Texas.” The primary author of the research, Michael Braun, an associate professor at the SMU Cox School of Business worked with Mr. Rosenthal and Mr. Therrian to publish the study in the December […]

Many people take vacation in December, which would seem to lower stress levels, but with financial obligations, busy schedules and family issues, holidays can be extremely overwhelming. If a loved one is arrested during the holiday season, they may be sitting in a holding cell for 48 to 72 hours before they go in front […]

Many Collin County criminal cases start with someone contacting the police and filing a report. This is a common occurrence in family violence cases–someone tells the police their partner assaulted them. After some time has passed, however, the accuser may not wish to go forward with criminal prosecution. Maybe the person made up the whole […]

Have you received a subpoena to testify as a witness in a criminal trial or grand jury proceeding? If so, you probably have many questions regarding the law and your rights. For example, can you ignore the subpoena? If not, what are the penalties if you refuse to show up in court and testify? And […]