At $13,115, Travis County has the lowest average bail amount when compared to Texas’ other largest counties. However, that’s still a significant chunk of money for most families. Statistics from The Bail Project show that more than 60% of inmates in the Travis County Jail are in pretrial custody because they cannot afford to post …
Ben Michael
What is a No-Bill? A Criminal Defense Lawyer Explains
Legal terminology can be confusing. If you learn that your case has been “no-billed,” it means it is over – at least for now. In a felony case, a prosecutor must present the charges to a grand jury. The grand jury will decide whether to indict or “true-bill” or not to charge and issue a …
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Who Do I Call to Drop Charges Against Someone in Texas?
Particularly in family violence cases, when someone gets arrested after an altercation, the alleged victim will sometimes have regrets and later decide that they want to drop the charges. Unfortunately, this is more complicated than it sounds, and you’ll need to call the involved prosecutor’s office or a criminal defense attorney. Then, you will have …
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What Happens If You’re Caught Vaping Under 18 in Texas?
In Texas, the law specifies that anyone under 18 cannot vape tobacco, legal hemp, or illegal marijuana. It’s also illegal to buy tobacco and illegal marijuana products. Penalties are severe. If you get caught, you could end up facing felony charges and a lifelong criminal record. The best case is that you’ll end up charged …
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How Long After a Plea Deal is Sentencing?
Once a judge has accepted your plea deal, sentencing can be almost immediate, or could take months. There is no one-size-fits-all answer. Ultimately, it will come down to the severity of the charges against you, the state you’re in, the court, and the judge. If you’re facing misdemeanor charges, it’s likely that sentencing will happen …
What is a Plea Deal? A Defense Attorney Explains
A plea deal is a legal agreement in which a defendant agrees to plead guilty (or no contest) to a criminal charge in exchange for concessions from the prosecutor. This can include reducing the severity of the charges, dismissal of specific charges, and a more lenient sentencing recommendation. Plea deals, also called plea agreements or …
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How Long Do You Have to Accept a Plea Deal?
We’ve all seen that dramatic scene on TV or in a movie when a plea deal is offered at the last second, and it’s “only on the table” for a few minutes. But real life isn’t that dramatic. If you’re wondering how long you have to accept a plea deal, the truth is that each …
How Much Does a Private Investigator Cost?
As defense attorneys, we work with private investigators often so we generally have a sense of cost. But to get a more concrete answer, we spoke with 25 private investigation firms across the top 10 metros in the United States. We determined that the average hourly rate of a private investigator is $128 per hour. …
Texas’ New Car Inspection Law: What You Need to Know for 2025
Many Texans are still unaware that vehicle safety inspections are no longer mandatory in the Lone Star State. A new state law abolished the state’s Vehicle Safety Inspection Program for non-commercial vehicles. It went into effect on Jan. 1. However, residents of 17 counties are still required to pass – and pay for – an …
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What is ISF Jail?
ISF stands for Intermediate Sanction Facility. It is an in-custody substance abuse treatment option for “low-risk” offenders. It can potentially keep probation and parole violators out of prison. However, whether or not these are a better option for drug and alcohol offenders depends on whom you ask. Though experts agree that there are definite benefits …