As long as I have been practicing criminal law I have been watching DWI videos. As a prosecutor in East Texas DWI videos were on VHS tapes. This was very inconvenient for trial. I had to write down the time stamp for each scene I wanted, while noting all any…
HBO looks to have another winner with John Adams. I think it is fitting that The Wire is being succeeded by the story of America’s Revolution. Whereas The Wire highlights tyranny’s creation- Prohibition, John Adams is about the revolution and ideas that gave us freedom. It is unfortunate that we…
MADD is on a never ending quest to destroy the Bill of Rights. To MADD any protection for suspects/defendants, any privacy rights, any amount of due process is simply an obstruction on their neo prohibitionist highway. The Texas lege is usually an easy target for the MADD lobby. However, Texas…
The Drug Free America Foundation is a non profit group that advocates for the War on Drugs. I actually support this group financially because they are a recipient of large annual grants from the federal government. It’s not bad enough the feds arrest and incarcerate millions of Americans, they also…
Ratemycop.com is a new website where the public can post information on law enforcement. RMC is sending out open records requests to Texas law enforcement agencies. District Attorney offices are responsible for handling some Open Records requests. How do you think prosecutors feel about Open Records/RateMyCop.com? Let’s ask Jim Tirey…
I have been following the embarrassing proliferation of forced blood draw warrants in Texas. One issue that has not been covered is what happens when a subject is faced with a warrant and still refuses the blood test? Prosecutor Jeff Swain (Parker County) wrote an article describing the horrific practice…
It has come to my attention that some readers are not completely in love with the new name of IWTS. I Was The State was easier to remember and the initials IWTS look a lot better than DCDLB. However, I am working on the advise of the Justia experts and…
Texas employs the Intoxilyzer 5000 is used for DWI Breath Alcohol Testing. The Operator’s Manual for this machine is available online here. I know you don’t want to read this manual so let me share some points of interest. 1. The Intoxilyzer Does Not Measure Alcohol Really. It measures the…
I have been reading Sitemeter again to see what brings you to my site. A recent reader googled “HOW TO GET A DWI CASE DIMISSED”. Reader, first let me tell you that Google will search the internet very well even if you do not TYPE IN ALL CAPS. Now on…
The Texas Tax Code requires our State comptroller to produce tax stamps for controlled substances. Theoretically, you buy these stamps and then place them on your bag of weed, meth, or crack. How much are these stamps? $200 per gram for eachcontrolled substance except for pot. Pot is a much…