Broden & Mickelsen Criminal Defense Law Firm Dallas

Most people know what’s legal and which types of behavior will get you arrested. If you rob a bank, for example, you’re going to get charged with theft. If you punch someone in a bar, you can count on being taken into custody for assault.   However, some allegedly criminal behavior exists in a gray area. In some cases, whether a person’s conduct constitutes a crime comes down to their wor...

The flooding and devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey will affect Houston and greater Texas for years to come. As people slowly begin to return to their homes and rebuild, prosecutors in Harris County and the surrounding areas have already pursued looting charges against 14 people, according to media reports. The Harris County District Attorney has also stated that “burglarizing a home ...

It may sound like something out of a science fiction movie, but weaponized drones may soon be hitting the skies — at least in Connecticut. Lawmakers in Connecticut have introduced a bill that would allow law enforcement agencies to use drones equipped with weapons capable of inflicting deadly force. The proposed legislation has been opposed by civil liberties groups, but is still pending ...

There is no question that the internet has forever changed privacy rules. Because the pace of technology moves much faster than the law, courts are often challenged to make decisions about how the law applies to internet privacy and constitutional rights. In a recent New York case, the court ruled against social media giant Facebook over bulk search warrants. Court Allows Bulk Search Wa...

If you watch a lot of crime dramas on television, or you’re a fan of detective novels, you might believe that DNA evidence is the most foolproof way to determine if someone has committed a crime. Furthermore, you wouldn’t be alone in thinking that. Researchers have found that jurors often have a difficult time interpreting probability when it comes to DNA evidence. Dr. Jonathan J. Koehler...

Tasers are often touted by police as a lower level of force than handguns, however, a 2017 Reuters report reveals that Tasers have caused over 1,000 deaths in the United States. Although many people use “Taser” and “stun gun” interchangeably, only stun guns require direct physical contact to be effective. By contrast, a Taser gun has a range of about 15 feet. Additionally, stun guns work ...

Most people have a basic understanding of perjury. They know that it involves lying under oath, and most people picture this happening on the witness stand in a courtroom. However, perjury can occur any time an individual has taken an oath to answer honestly to the best of their ability. Furthermore, Texas criminal law makes it clear that a person can be convicted of perjury if they knowing...

Statutes of limitations put a limit on how long a person can be prosecuted for a crime. These time limits also exist in civil law. For example, the statute of limitations for suing someone over a breach of contract is generally 10 years. This ensures that people don’t have to spend their lives constantly looking over the shoulder, anticipating a lawsuit over something that happened decades ...

Many people hear that a crime is “aggravated” and wonder what that means. What distinguishes a robbery from an “aggravated” robbery, for example? Is one worse than the other? The short answer is that, yes, an aggravated crime is a more serious charge that carries more severe penalties upon conviction. Generally speaking, to be charged with an aggravated crime, a defendant must have done s...

Should a teenager be sentenced to life in prison? It’s a question that has resonated throughout the criminal justice system in recent years. In 2012, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole for juvenile offenders are unconstitutional. In 2016, the Court elaborated on its ruling by holding that its 2012 decision should apply retroactively....