As a Top Houston Criminal-Defense Lawyer, I often encounter clients who find themselves entangled in the complex web of Texas prostitution and solicitation laws. These laws have undergone changes in recent years, and it's crucial to understand the current state of the law if you or a loved one is facing such charges. Effective September 1, 2021, Texas Penal Code Section 43.02 outlines the crime of prostitution.

In 2014, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals-Texas's highest court for criminal-law appeals-issued an important decision in the case of Ex parte Lo, which addressed the constitutionality of Texas Penal Code § 33.021(b), a statute that criminalizes the online solicitation of a minor. In that case we argued that the statute was overbroad and violated the First Amendment's protection of free speech. Specifically, we argued that the

Penalty Group I consists of drugs with the highest potential for abuse and no recognized medical value. These substances are considered the most dangerous and addictive drugs, and Texas law treats them with severe penalties. The drugs listed under Penalty Group I include: Heroin Cocaine Methamphetamine LSD Psilocybin (mushrooms) Possession, distribution, or manufacturing of these drugs can result in serious criminal charges in Texas. The penalties for

As a criminal-defense lawyer, one of the most common mistakes I see people make is talking to the police without their lawyer present. I get it-you want to cooperate and clear your name, but unfortunately, that's not always the best strategy. Here's the reality: the police are not your friends. They are trained to gather evidence and build a case against you. Even if you're innocent, anything

Being falsely accused of Online Solicitation of a Minor is a nightmare scenario for anyone. Your reputation, career, and personal life can all be severely impacted by such allegations. If you're factually innocent and find yourself in this predicament, it's crucial to take immediate action to protect your rights and clear your name.Understand the LawIn Texas, the crime of Online Solicitation of a Minor is defined under

Facing false accusations of aggravated sexual assault of a child is a harrowing experience. The emotional toll and potential legal consequences can be overwhelming. If you find yourself in this situation, it's crucial to understand your rights and the defense strategies available to you. In Texas, aggravated sexual assault of a child is defined under Texas Penal Code § 22.021. This charge specifically involves an alleged sexual

Some lawyers try cases. Some lawyers handle appeals. We do both. Trial practice makes a lawyer better at appeals (because he sees what's really happening in a trial court that the "cold record"-the transcript and the documents-doesn't reveal). Appellate practice makes a lawyer better at trials (because he learns more law, and sees, from reading cold records, how trial lawyers screw up at trial). When a

To begin, a politically incorrect fact: There are actual high-danger family-violence cases, but in lots of couples, it's an ordinary part of a relationship to be a little rough with each other. They push each other around for years, and it's only when someone goes too far that the law gets called. I'm not saying it's okay, but just that that's the way it is. Some

In a drug-possession case, the State has to prove that you knowingly possessed-that you knowingly exercised care, custody, control, or management-over the drugs. That means that they have to prove that you did something with the drugs (or helped someone else do so) while knowing that they were drugs. Five basic defenses apply in possession cases in Texas: The State can't prove they were drugs. The

We see a lot of Houston criminal-defense lawyers advertising about the number of cases they have gotten dismissed.This is not a good thing.Don't get me wrong: It's a great thing to get cases dismissed. That's always the objective. We love getting cases dismissed. Especially the hard cases!But choosing a lawyer based on the number of dismissals he gets is not a good thing. Easy cases get dismissed.