Texas legislature pushing to allow concealed guns on college campuses, penalties for felon in possession increase.

Houston Police Department, Harris County law enforcement gaining national reputation for police abuse and misconduct.

Computer crimes and prosecutions on the rise: cyber espionage, theft of corporate trade secrets and identity fraud continue to increase.

Prosecutorial, police misconduct lead to wrongful conviction unsupported by evidence.

Fifth Circuit: U.S. Court of Appeals allows search of cell phone text messages without warrant, after arrest.

46,000 innocent lives destroyed by false allegations, wrongful convictions.

Another tool for preventing wrongful convictions: Texas needs a statutory definition of reasonable doubt.

California Supreme Court allows search of data stored on mobile phone without warrant.

Courts stretch logic and allow government land grab in child porn case.

Government avoids 4th Amendment requirement of probable cause.

Legislative rush to punish “sex” offenders removes punishment alternatives, probation, unnecessarily increases prison overcrowding.

Voir Dire, inability to consider full range of punishment: proper objection and practice to preserve error for appeal.

Texas Penal Code 21.02, continuing sexual abuse of a child, thwarts long established requirement of unanimous verdicts.

Unpopular judge deserves humane and fair treatment while in federal custody.

Deliberately avoiding the truth to deny criminal knowledge.

Suggestive police procedures and mistaken identification resulted in two more wrongful convictions and incarcerations, one for 27 years.

Texas forensic science commission concludes flawed science used in trial that led to conviction and execution.

Criminal defense attorneys must file objections to pre-sentence report in federal criminal cases to protect appellate rights.

Ineffective assistance of counsel: criminal defense lawyer’s questions about defendant’s post arrest silence opens door to cross examination.

Material Support of Foreign Terrorist Organizations vs. Freedom of Speech and Association

Growing practice of “no bond” and unreasonably harsh sentences for some child sex crimes sparks judicial concern.

Suspects must invoke rights unambiguously; Justice Sotomayer strongly and forcefully dissents as high court narrows Miranda.

Abandoning Miranda in terrorism cases contrary to constitution and beginning of slippery slope towards neo-con police state.

On May 17, 2010 the United States Supreme Court in United States v. Comstock upheld a federal statute that gives Government the power to civilly commit indefinitely a “sexually dangerous person” after he has completed serving his criminal sentence.

The Fort Hood shooting massacre last year, the Christmas day bombing attempt, and the Times Square car bombing attempt have prompted the FBI to again increase its surveillance of the Muslim American community in this country.

The September 11, 2001 Al-Qaeda attacks on the Twin Towers in New York City, and the reaction to those terrorist attacks by President George Bush’s administration, left this nation with a tragic and despicable legacy that has tarnished our great Country’s reputation and image worldwide.

The Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association (TCDLA) releases every two years after each session of the Texas Legislature a summary of new or amended laws enacted during the legislative session.

In April 2009 CNN reported that there are 38 states in these United States which require juveniles convicted of sex offenses to “register” as sex offenders.

Popular law enforcement dog handler discredited after false results, exaggerated claims of accuracy exposed.

Governor’s abrupt dismissal of chairman, two members of Texas Forensic Science Commission on eve of hearing smacks of political cover-up.

Every prospective juror summoned to court for jury duty in a criminal case is questioned by counsel for the State and defendant as to his/her willingness to follow the law as given by the judge at the conclusion of the trial.

Increased use of stop and frisk leads to increased constitutional abuses, legitimizes racial profiling.

Inadmissible Evidence under 608(b) of the Texas Rules of Evidence May be Admissible under 613(b), Rule 412 or Confrontation Clause.

Arizona v. Gant, 129 S.Ct. 1710, (2009); Vehicle Searches after Arrest

In May 2007 the U.S. Sentencing Commission sent a report to Congress recommending that the 100:1 sentencing ratio in crack/powder cocaine cases be reduced to 20:1.

Addiction to Pumping Iron and Juicing Leads to Massive Arrests in Houston Area and Ft. Bend County

Legislators and State Prosecutors Attempting to Deny Confrontation Clause Guarantees, Presumption of Innocence

Rule 606(b) of the Texas Rules of Evidence; Conducting Inquiry into Juror Misconduct

Arizona v. Gant, 129 S.Ct. 1710, (2009); Vehicle Searches after Arrest

Every one has heard of the phrase “proof beyond a reasonable doubt.” But there are three primary standards of proof: preponderance of evidence; clear and convincing evidence; and reasonable doubt.

The rule of law prevails over the demands of politics

Legal Opinions Redefine Torture, Criminal Acts

Foreign Investigation of Torture Techniques Sanctioned by Bush Administration

The Right Wing and the Council on American-Islamic Relations; No Due Process for the Unindicted

Defense Lawyers Must Prepare for Federal Sentencing

Sexting Among Children; Criminal Behavior or Brash Sign of the Times

Federally funded task forces make online crimes against children top priority.

Youthful Pirate Faces Life in Federal Prison if Convicted on Piracy Charges