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- 5 Feb 13 - The Smell of Weed is Probable Cause- and why that's a problem
- 16 Jan 13 - What are jurors really thinking in a trial?
- 3 Jul 12 - Jurors in one state TRULY get to decide cases (and why that's news)
- 7 May 12 - Austin Bars with most DWI arrests 2011
- 2 Apr 12 - Top 10 Dos and Donts for DWI cases in Texas
- 22 Mar 12 - Why you should hire a Trial Lawyer to handle your DWI or criminal case
- 17 Feb 12 - It's Official- No Refusal for Austin Mardi Gras 2012
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2012 Great Texas Warrant Roundup is coming to your town!
Well just as regular as the rodeo in this state, and on February 25, 2012, it's time again for the coordinated Texas Warrant Roundup! For those of you who take care of all your business, good for you- the rest of you should really look up the info on your traffic tickets. And clear up that old bond forfeiture and check for county warrants too. Get squared up with your child support payments, or your driver license surcharges. Because the roundup is coming for you. I foresee a lot of scurrying, and a lot of laying low. Just remember that those guys sometimes come EARLY in the morning before last night has fully worn off! And whatever you do, don't be drawing any any attention to yourself out in public!
Different Standards for Austin DWI Suspects?
I'm sad that the Statesman beat me to the punch, but glad to see I wasn't the only one annoyed by the Austin Police Chief's involvement in the dismissal of radio host Jeff Ward's DWI. According to a Statesman article last night, it looks like now the Austin Police Union is a bit irritated as well. Let's review: high profile radio host is stopped for DWI, but he knows Chief Acevedo, who is a frequent guest on his show. Host has his fiancee call the Chief on cell phone from the scene of the stop, and then the Chief accepts a call from him at the jail. Chief reviews Ward's case with police brass, then personally calls the County Attorney's office to point out problems with the case. Ward was arrested Thursday night, and County Attorney declines to prosecute the case by Monday morning. Case closed.
Austin Radio Host has unique DWI arrest
Recently in Austin, a local radio personality was stopped for speeding and subsequently arrested for DWI. Jeff Ward was pulled over Thursday evening after emceeing an event at the downtown Austin Hilton. He admitted to having one beer at the event, and was asked to perform a Field Sobriety Test to determine if he was driving while intoxicated. After performing the tests, he was asked to take a DWI breath test, which he refused (these Austin criminal defense lawyers advise you to do the same). Based on the officer's observations and judgment, the Austin Police Officer arrested Mr. Ward for DWI and took him to jail. Again, this is Thursday evening.
Top 10 Non-Obvious Ways to Get Arrested
If you’ve had a few drinks or have some weed in the car, here are
some careless things to avoid. It could save you a trip to jail.
1. Speeding- Nothing is more likely to get you pulled over than speeding. These Austin criminal defense lawyers can’t overstate how many DWI and Possession of Marijuana cases start with a traffic stop for driving too fast. Once the officer is at your car window, the smell of alcohol or marijuana combined with your appearance make you an easy target for arrest. Always, ALWAYS watch your speed.
Austin Police "No Refusal" DWI New Year's 2011 nets... fewer arrests?
Austin DWI "No Refusal" New Year's 2011
Travis County Warrants? How to Clear Them.
Travis County Warrants are like that alley cat you used to feed at your college apartment. They just never really go away. Sometimes it's a hot check you wrote by accident, or a ticket you never paid off. Just as often it's failure to pay surcharges for some ticket or small offense that you may never have known about because your address has changed. Even if you don't think you have a Travis County warrant, it never hurts to check just to be sure.
Austin Bars in APD's DWI Spotlight
I'll admit that the referring article here is a bit old (January)- but since it's a list for 2009 and the 2010 list is not out yet, I feel safe that it's relevant. Of course, some of the bars at the top have likely shifted, as the hierarchy of the hippest newest club develops. Not to say that there aren't plenty of old Austin stalwarts on the list, even places I (ahem) may have frequented back in the day...
What's up with this Marijuana ticket I got in Austin?
If you were caught carrying weed in Austin within the last year or two, you may have noticed that you got to walk away with a citation instead of going directly to jail. The recent trend of not booking everyone who commits a minor crime in Travis County seems to have caught on, with groups of folks showing up as directed to JP5, and then later to the booking desk, personal bonds in hand. These folks are going home after a minor, pre-planned appointment with the laws. I am republishing a post made back during the time this was still a fresh issue, because there seems to be a lot of curiosity about the process. Incidentally, in Vermont, where I used to practice, almost every suspect was cited to come to court at a later time, even on many felonies. They would then be arraigned and given their conditions of release, or occasionally incarcerated. In any case, very efficient use of limited police personnel who can stay on the street protecting the public. I'd be interested to know anyone's feelings about this- do we really need to take everyone to jail, for every ol' thing?? Apologies in advance for rehashing an old topic.
How do I get someone released from jail in Austin, TX?
Many people never expect to have any dealings with the police. In reality, there are a host of charges that can result in someone being taken to jail by surprise. It is actually quite easy to get arrested, and not always because you meant to break the law. Sometimes it's a check you wrote five years ago that bounced, but you moved and never received the notice to pay, and now it's an arrest warrant. Sometimes it's driving after your license has expired and you don't realize it. Either way, it's good to understand the process so you can try to get a jail release as quickly as possible.
So I stopped going to court for my old case...
This is a phone call we get all the time, from people all over the state. It usually begins with "I moved away and just stopped going to court" or "I assumed it was all taken care of." As time goes by, folks often get new jobs and want to clean up their past messes.