Recent Articles
Drug Charges: Texas & Consequences
For folks unfortunate enough to get themselves arrested for a drug possession offense, there are options that might keep you out of jail if they don’t result in the outright dismissal of your case altogether. Bennett & Bennett is one of the leading criminal justice law firms in Houston for individuals accused of drug possession offenses. In Texas, prosecutors aren’t friendly with drug offenders. To put it a different way, there are people in Texas serving 60+ years for the possession of a few rocks of crack-cocaine. See what I mean? Texas prosecutors lick their chops with a salivating intensity to match the amount of time a guilty person must serve before they get another chance at freedom. This is why criminal defense lawyers with experience fighting drug charges are so important.
Understanding Penalties for Texas Drug Convictions
A person that’s convicted of their first drug offense will have a chance at a minimal sentence. A person that’s a habitual drug offender could face a lengthy prison sentence. Possession of any drug, with the exception of minuscule amounts of marijuana, is a felony offense in the state of Texas.
To illustrate what this means, the possession of trace amounts or even residue of cocaine, meth, heroin, crack, and PCP can result in a minimum of 2 years state jail and up to life in prison for persons with a history of drug offenses. Considering the concept that drugs are the precursor to violent crimes, the defendant can expect to be treated like a murderer or worse as far as the criminal justice system is concerned.
If you or someone you know is under arrested for a drug crime, they’ll need a skilled criminal law attorney as counsel as soon as time permits. Why? Because an experience dope-case lawyer will know how to find defects in the case, how to weed out bullshit witnesses and expose them, and the best way to pursue a case dismissal or some form of probation. Real drug lawyers know how to keep people out of jail.
Child Pornography Offenses & Texas Law
In the Great State of Texas, the law defines child pornography as any media which depicts children in a sexually compromising position or predicament. Keep in mind that it’s not necessarily worded this way in the actual Texas law. Moving on; if a person is caught by police or thought to be in possession of any type or form of media, which includes photos and videos, a person will face felony charges in the state of Texas and possibly at the federal level.
If you’re looking for a smart lawyer to represent you on a criminal case involving the possession of a child pornography or any other sex crime, we recommend that you call Jack B. Carroll & Associates for legal representation. The law firm is based in Houston, and headed by its namesake and founder Jack B. Carroll. Jack B. Carroll has defended Houstonians accused of serious crimes since 1990, and is also a Board Certified® criminal-law attorney per the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. If you’re in need of a competent defense attorney who knows how to effectively fight back against allegations of a sex crime, call 713-228-4607 and speak to Jack B. Carroll today.
Sex Crimes with Children as Victims
Any time a person is accused of a crime involving or against a child it’s a serious offense which pits humanity and the court against the defendant. The stakes are only higher in cases where a child is a victim of an adult, but there’s sex involved. If you or anyone else is found guilty of a sex crime involving a child, you’ll face steep criminal penalties and the same is true of criminal offenses involving the possession, distribution, and manufacture of child pornography.
Sex Crimes, Texas Law, and Criminal Convictions
Persons convicted of the possession of child pornography will face stiff consequences which include fines, a sex offender registration requirement, a criminal record, and worse of all, prison time at one of the human cage facilities that are commonly referred to as prisons. In Texas, prison units and penitentiaries are operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice or TDCJ for short.
I swear, living amongst society’s dregs is probably one of the last places anyone wants to be. To be forced to live a life (or a considerable portion of it) in the company of killers, drug addicts, and people who generally have bad attitudes and mannerisms has to be experience not worth having, which is why you’ll want a solid Houston criminal defense lawyer to help you fight back against allegations of your involvement in a sex crime related offense.
Possession of child pornography is classified as a 3rd degree felony criminal offense in the state of Texas which can result in a prison sentence of up to 10 years and a monetary fine of $10,000.00 for an additional penalty. Also worth nothing, if you’re charged with multiple counts of the offense and subsequently convicted, you’ll have to serve each sentence consecutively rather than concurrently.
In other words, if you’re charged with 10 counts of possession of child pornography you could be sentenced to up to 300 years in a prison facility that’s operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
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Alimony in Texas? No. It’s Spousal Maintenance
The general definition of alimony is the amount of money that a spouse provides after a divorce or separation. In Texas however, there is a procedure to follow before the court orders this kind of payment and it mostly happens after divorce.
A family lawyer will play a huge part in this process and it is not a mandatory that the case goes to court. You can have a settlement meeting between you, the partner who wants alimony and the family lawyer and agree to the terms of the payments. These meetings are referred to as mediation.
The case will only go to court if both parties fail to agree to an out of court settlement. In Texas, the money paid to the spouse as alimony is called as spousal maintenance. Some Houston divorce lawyers are the most respected lawyers for both men and women who are fighting monetary claims of the losing party.
The John Dykes case
For over ten years, John and Sasha were officially married with three kids. It was then that John started an illegal affair with his secretary at his place of work. On the other hand, Sasha spent her time mostly at home taking care of the kids. She did not therefore have a stable income. As expected, Sasha one day found out the illegal affair that her husband had with the secretary at Lakeway. She filed for a divorce in a court based in Houston, Texas.
Despite the suggestion by their family lawyer to settle the matter out of court, both parties did not agree and after the divorce was finalized, the court had to decide whether Sasha deserved spousal maintenance or not.
The court ruled in favor of Sasha and now John has to part with a lot of money each end month as alimony.
Verdict
Alimony also known as spousal maintenance is the price on partner has to pay in the case of a divorce or otherwise for the purposes of providing for the other partner. Alimony can also serve as child upkeep if any.
Alimony in Texas? No. It’s Spousal Maintenance
The Importance of Private Investigators for Infidelity & Divorce
There may be a number of situations that make you suspect that your spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend is cheating on you. They may be secretive about text messages or phone calls they receive, or they may be spending more and more time working late at the office. It can be hard to come to terms with the fact that your partner may be cheating and you may want proof before you start to make any accusations.
Talk With A Private Investigator
Hiring an experienced infidelity investigator like Gradoni & Associates can help you get to the truth.
Infidelity investigators can carry out surveillance of your partner to find out where they really are when they have told you that they are working late. They will also be able to access phone records to see if there is any suspicious activity or numbers that are called a lot. All of the information that they compile will be used to prepare a report for you.
GPS Monitoring The Cheaters
Some infidelity investigators will be able to provide you with equipment that will let you monitor your partners movements yourself. Tracking equipment can be placed in their car which you will be able to access and this will let you see where your partner is at all times. However, you may want to choose to have some professional surveillance as well in order to make sure that you have all your facts straight.
RELATED: Top Cities for Cheating
You will be feeling a whole range of different emotions if you suspect that your partner is cheating on you. You will understandably be very hurt, but you will probably also experience a lot of anger. It can be difficult for you to bide your time when you are feeling this way, but if you are wrong then you could cause irreparable damage to your relationship. It is a better idea to be armed with the facts and this is why hiring an infidelity investigator can be such a good idea.
The Cost of Car Accidents & Understanding Recourse
There are over 5 million reported car accidents every year. If you’re involved in a car accident, it can be a very upsetting time. Not only is there emotional trauma after an accident, there is also often physical trauma. Car accidents can also be very expensive for all parties involved. There is the cost of medical bills, lost wages if the injuries prevent you from going to work, and the cost to repair your car. If you are in an accident due to the fault of another driver, you should not be held financially responsible If you are in a car accident in Texas, you should contact a personal injury lawyer. There are several ways that a lawyer can help you get the compensation that you deserve.
Assessment of the Case
When you are involved in an accident, you may not be sure whether or not you have a case. This is where a skilled Houston personal injury attorney can help. Your attorney would review all of the facts surrounding the case by reviewing the accident reports, police reports, and any witness statements that are available. Your lawyer will use this information to determine if you have grounds to sue. They may also review your medical records and other information to determine how much money you are entitled to.
Negotiations
Immediately after an automobile accident, the responsible party will contact their insurance company. Soon after, the insurance company will contact you to offer you a settlement. This settlement will often be offered before you know the extent of your injuries. In some cases, the offer will come before you have even left the hospital. When the settlement is offered, it will almost always be less than what you deserve. When you hire a personal injury lawyer, they will handle the negotiations for you. This will give you peace of mind that you will get a fair settlement and you can focus on recovering.
Case Preparation and Court Representation
If both sides were unable to agree upon a settlement, the case would go before a judge and a jury. It takes someone with extensive knowledge of the law to properly prepare a winning case. Your lawyer will use all of the evidence available, as well as anything that they could dig up while investigating the case.
After the case has been prepared, the lawyer would present the case to the court. They would present all of their evidence, question witnesses and cross examine witnesses for the other driver. They would also make an opening statement to give the jury the basic points of the case, and a closing statement, which sums up everything that the jury heard during the trial.
If you are involved in a car accident that was the fault of another person, it is a good idea to hire a personal injury attorney. Your legal counsel will make sure that you get the compensation that you deserve. A good lawyer if hard to find, if you haven’t talked with anyone yet, be sure to take your time and find a qualified Houston car accident attorney to represent you on your claim.
Cocaine & Texas Law: A Quick Look
Cocaine possession is a serious felony in the state of Texas due to its Association with crime and its high potential for addiction. The DEA is the main law enforcement charged with preventing the importation of cocaine into the country. When the DEA fails in its task to prevent cocaine importation the responsibility falls on everyday police officers who must enforce the law.
Texas Criminal Law & Cocaine
In Texas, the possession of any amount of cocaine is a felony which begs the assistance of a competent drug crime lawyer. The minimum sentence for a cocaine possession case is two years with the maximum sentence being of to 99 years. This is something to think about if you or a loved one has been arrested in connection with cocaine.
Drug Trafficking and the “Higher Powers”
If there is one thing that is destroying our world, one step at a time, it has to be drug trafficking without a doubt. The problem with drug trafficking is that it involves way too many people who are silent partners and investors that assume no responsibility for the damages caused by their enterprise.
There is no way of knowing who and how, but there is also no way to deny that those who deal the drugs are getting financed to purchase them and move them around. And I mean financing by some of the biggest names in business, government, and banking.
The only way to eradicate drug trafficking is to get to the source; the people who invest the capital to move drugs around and that is going to be extremely difficult to achieve.
Getting Help After a Weekend DWI Arrest
People tend to put themselves in a position to be arrested for the silliest reasons with the main one among them being DWI related offenses. A DUI or DWI related criminal charge is an offense in which people are busted by police officers for driving while intoxicated on public roads. In Texas and especially in Houston, DWI offenses result in thousands of deaths every year.
Understanding Texas DWI Charges
A criminal charge of Driving Under the Influence (DUI) can apply if the officer suspects that the motorist is under the influence of drugs while operating a motor vehicle on public roads. The DUI charge can apply whether the substance is an illegal narcotic or if the motorist is under the influence of prescription drugs.
Some people, like myself, don’t drink alcoholic beverages for a myriad of reasons. For one, the effectiveness of your decision making abilities takes a hit, you tend to spend more money than average, and there is the threat of being jailed for public intoxication.
The main reason I don’t drink is because of the threat of hangover, and that funky taste that lingers in your mouth when you wake up sober.
Finding The Right Legal Help
There are a number of expert DWI attorneys in the Houston area who are available to consult with anyone who needs legal representation. The main three lawyers of the bunch that I want to highlight are Houston DWI Defense Attorneys Tad A. Nelson, Dane Johnson, and Tyler Flood. They are some of the best in the business when it comes to defending individuals of accused of DUI and other crimes which involving impaired driving.
When you hire a lawyer to represent you on a criminal DWI offense in Texas, you want to make sure that you are represented by the best lawyer you can find. This should include a lawyer who has a respectable resume of experience behind their name in your area of need.
Having an experienced lawyer fighting for you can mean the difference between getting the maximum sentence if you are convicted, and walking out of court with a slap on the wrist.
You’ll certainly want to schedule a consultation with a lawyer if you are innocent of police allegations. The last thing you would want to do is enter into a plea agreement which would create a criminal record that will end up following you around for the rest of your life. All for a crime you didn’t commit.
With the public outcry against DWI offenders due to the number of preventable deaths on Houston and Texas highways, a criminal conviction could result in a stiff prison sentence. The, upon your release, the record of the offense will potentially hold you back in life and hinder the kind of advancement opportunities that involve a review or request of any criminal background history you may have.
Always be sure to secure legal representation if you have to deal with the criminal justice system in Texas. Your life may depend on it.
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