Part 8: Filing and Arguing Pre-Trial Motions Fort Worth Criminal Defense Attorney Guide Filing and arguing motions is a big part of the pre-trial process. Written motions filed with the court are your way of not only formally notifying the State and the court of what you would like to see happen in the case, but also your criminal attorney’s way of protecting your rights at pre-trial, trial, and on appeal. Your defense attorney will file at least some motions during the course of your criminal case (unless the case concludes before there is time to file any motions, or if there is a tactical reason to delay filing motions), so we will discuss the major types of motions to
Read more →This video is presented by Board Certified Texas Criminal Defense Attorney Cody Cofer. Finding a Criminal Defense Lawyer – Interview Pitfalls 1 My name is Cody Cofer. I am a criminal defense lawyer in Fort Worth, Texas. This is my first video blog post. As I was brainstorming about ideas for this post, I did the Google search for “questions to ask a criminal defense lawyer.” I combed through about 15 or 20 pages, and I saw several questions that kept popping up. Some of these questions really just don’t make any sense. A lot of ’em are really “throwaway questions.” Think about if you have ever been on a job interview. Either the person interviewing or the person being
Read more →Part 7: Securing Formal and Informal Discovery In this section we will discuss the procedures for discovery, how they have changed in recent years, and how you can be successful in securing all the discovery to which you are entitled. “Discovery” is the part of the criminal trial process when your defense attorney gets a chance to peek into the State’s case. Unless you have had an examining trial, this might be the first time your criminal defense attorney interacts with the State’s prosecutor concerning your case. While many attorneys treat discovery as merely a pesky task to be completed, experienced attorneys know that this initial interaction with the State can reveal important information about the opinions and biases the
Read more →Spanking Your Children in Texas Spanking children falls under the Texas law prohibiting “Injury to a Child” located in the Texas Penal Code. Spanking a child (under 15 years old) is a Third Degree Felony if the spanking causes any amount of pain. Of course, the purpose of a spanking is to cause pain, so a child will associate painful consequences with a bad choice. Spanking a child can land a person in prison (different than jail) up to a 10 years and cost up to $10,000 in fines. Now you are wondering, “Why aren’t all Texas parents in prison for spanking?” That question has several answers. First, it is a defense if the person spanking the child is a
Read more →Part 6: Conducting An Investigation Of The Case Attorney-Led Investigation And Hiring An Investigator Depending on the facts and nuances of your case, your attorney will advise you on the evidence that needs to be fleshed out, and whether or not you need to hire an investigator. Your attorney will simultaneously be pursuing documents and evidence produced and collected by the State, which must in turn be picked apart for authenticity and potential inaccuracies. Your attorney will review everything produced by the State and develop a plan to rebut or acknowledge the State’s evidence at trial. Using your previously developed witness list, your attorney will review the backgrounds of each individual, conduct interviews, and determine whether their testimony will benefit
Read more →Part 5: Magistrate Hearing, Examining Trial and Competency Proceedings There are a few procedural items that need to be addressed, even though they won’t all be applicable to every case. These items are the Magistrate Hearing, Examining Trial and Competency. In this section, we will briefly describe each and explain situations in which they might apply to your case, but you should discuss these with your criminal defense attorney to determine whether they would help or hurt your case. Initial Appearance Before the Magistrate Sometimes known as “Magistration” There are generally three ways to wind up in jail: 1) you committed an act in the presence of a police officer for which s/he believes there is probable cause to place
Read more →Part 4: Bond Conditions, Initial Client Meeting and First Steps by Defense Counsel Now that you know how to find and hire the best criminal defense attorney for your case, we will discuss what you can expect throughout the criminal trial process. This and the following eight installments in this series will examine the criminal case from start to finish and provide commentary and insight to how you can expect your defense attorney to handle your case, as well as things you should do as an active participant throughout the case. Although all cases won’t necessarily proceed through the entire trial process (e.g., your case might get dismissed or you might make a plea agreement with the State), it will
Read more →Criminal Trial Attorney Professionalism Trial Lawyer: Hurt Feelings Taking audience with a jury is usually a last resort in any case. But this work consumes many criminal defense lawyers. Trial lawyers die young. Maybe it’s the stress. Maybe it’s the beating our bodies take, because our dietary and physical routines are derailed. Regardless, our lives are left with scars because of the sacrifice. This is especially true of our relationships with other lawyers. Even the most professional and disciplined mind finds itself emotionally latching onto the trial. This is true for defense lawyers pleading for a client or prosecutors making a stand for victims. Especially in the criminal arena, a good trial lawyer must emotionally connect with the story of
Read more →Injury to a Child by Bath Water Burns An Ounce Of Prevention Is Worth A Pound Of Cure Babies and children are naturally accident-prone: they are uncoordinated, inexperienced and inquisitive. As parents, we try our hardest to protect them from all sorts of potential hazards such as running into hard or sharp objects, falling from tall heights, and putting small objects in their mouths. Another hazard we must protect against is coming into contact with hot and scalding water, which we can prevent by following a few easy steps. Continue reading to learn helpful tips, as well as what could happen when caution is not taken. Babies Are More Sensitive To Heat Than We Are According to the Burn Foundation,
Read more →Part 3: Time and Resources Are Essential When Hiring a Criminal Lawyer Fort Worth Criminal Defense Attorney Guide Under certain circumstances you may qualify to have a court appointed attorney (also known as a public defender) represent you in your criminal case, and we will also cover this option in this section. Continue reading to learn why adequate time and resources are so important to the success of your criminal case. Attorney Caseload Can Directly Impact Your Case Any criminal defense attorney you work with, whether appointed or hired, is obligated to dedicate “necessary” time and resources to representing you in your case. In theory, this means in-person meetings outside of court to discuss your case, walk through the facts,
Read more →
