Posted by Doug Murphy | Mar 24, 2023 |
Crashes often result from driving while intoxicated in Texas. And while we often expect that damage to a car may happen during an accident, sometimes a DWI car crash can cause substantial damage, whether to multiple vehicles or buildings and structures beside the road. That's what an unfortunat...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Mar 23, 2023 |
Drag racing is nothing new in Texas and the U.S. For decades, our movies, books, and the media have glorified street racing and the racers behind the wheel. But street racing is on the rise, and when it happens on public streets, innocent bystanders can get hurt. At a recent 2K drag race event,...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Mar 21, 2023 |
An arrest for a DWI is always stressful and frightening. You're undoubtedly concerned about what will happen next and the potential penalties you could face. But if you're a high-profile person in our community, you must face DWI charges while also undergoing heightened scrutiny from the media ...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Mar 18, 2023 |
We all have visions of street racing from the movies; whether it's Danny and Leo facing off in Grease, the Fast and the Furious, or American Graffiti, street racing has been around almost as long as we've had cars to race. But when it happens on a public roadway, it can be dangerous for the rac...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Mar 15, 2023 |
In the decade since George Zimmerman's shooting of Trayvon Martin in 2012, we've heard a lot about Stand Your Ground laws and shooting in self-defense. In Texas, a similar law is known as the Castle Doctrine. But when is it legal to shoot someone in self-defense? Is it ever legal to shoot to de...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Mar 12, 2023 |
Holidays are a time for cheer, friends, family, and having a good time. Whether it's New Year's Eve, St. Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras, spring break, or the Fourth of July in Houston, we know how to have a good time. Heading to the bar, to the beach, or to a friend's house for a party or barbecue i...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Mar 09, 2023 |
It can seem like a good idea at the time. You've been out with friends or at dinner and had a few drinks. On the way home, you see blue lights flashing behind you, and you begin to worry that your blood alcohol content might be too high. The police officer talks to you about your evening, asks ...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Mar 06, 2023 |
Most of us have done it at some point in our lives. You're out with friends for the evening, you've had a few drinks, and when it's time to head home, you realize it's probably a good idea to wait a while before driving. Sleeping it off in your car is the responsible thing to do, right? Unfortu...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Mar 03, 2023 |
Being arrested is almost always a frightening and sometimes even traumatic experience. But if you're completely innocent of the crime the police are accusing you of, and you know who did it, it can be even more so. You may wonder what you should say and whether you should be loyal and just keep...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Feb 28, 2023 |
Sometimes Texas laws against driving while intoxicated can seem overly stringent. After all, what's the big deal about driving after a drink or two? But these laws are in place to keep drivers and those around them, including pedestrians and bicyclists, safe. A good example of why we need these...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Feb 25, 2023 |
You may know that Texas's penalties for a DWI conviction can be steep. But what happens if the police also charge you with a serious traffic violation like running a red light or reckless driving? Can this increase your fines or jail time if the court convicts you of the DWI? In this article, w...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Feb 22, 2023 |
No one means anything they say online, right? While you may assume that anything heated you say online will be tossed aside as an “online rant,” that's not always the case. And if you direct your online rant at a family member or someone you're dating, you could find yourself facing allegations...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Feb 19, 2023 |
We hear about “cold cases” in the media, movies, and TV. But in reality, cold cases aren't as easily solved as in a 45-minute TV show. According to the Houston Police Department, a case becomes cold when “all probative investigative leads available to the primary investigators are exhausted and...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Feb 16, 2023 |
Getting arrested for DWI is never good, and you're undoubtedly concerned about what will happen next and how you can defend yourself. But what if you're sure that the police didn't see you behind the wheel of a vehicle? Can they still arrest you, and how will that affect your defense? The good ...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Feb 13, 2023 |
The laws surrounding the purchase and use of marijuana are changing rapidly across the country. Recreational use of marijuana is now legal in 21 states, with medical marijuana legal in 37 states--but not in Texas. If you're using medical marijuana or purchasing weed legally in another state a...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Feb 10, 2023 |
These days, dating someone you've met on the internet is just as common as meeting someone at work, at school, or via friends. It's no big deal. But with internet dating also come some modern pitfalls. It's important to understand internet dating etiquette and how actions can sometimes be mis...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Feb 07, 2023 |
Video is everywhere these days. Many cars have cameras, and we walk and drive past dozens of traffic cameras daily. Businesses and homes have security cameras outside and inside. And nearly every person we encounter every day has a video camera in the cell phone they carry. So, if you're arrest...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Feb 04, 2023 |
Living in a foreign country can be exciting as a teen or young adult. The opportunity to live and attend school in the U.S. is an adventure that about one million foreign high school and college students take each year. But what happens if you're arrested for driving while intoxicated in the U....
Posted by Doug Murphy | Feb 01, 2023 |
We all know that driving while drunk is a bad idea. Of course, we want to avoid this! But it's hard for most people to know exactly where the line is between sober and drunk. How can you figure out when it's safe to drive? If you feel like your reaction time is impaired, that may be an easy dec...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Jan 29, 2023 |
Getting arrested is always a scary prospect. It can be humiliating, frightening, and overwhelming all at the same time. It's hard to know what to do and what to expect, but at least you can usually handle it privately while going about your regular life. However, if you're arrested at work, you...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Jan 26, 2023 |
So, you're facing a charge for driving while intoxicated in Houston. It happens to many people after a few drinks with dinner or out at the game. But maybe you're sure that you weren't intoxicated, and the BAC test the police gave you is just wrong. What if your absorption rate for alcohol is l...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Jan 23, 2023 |
You undoubtedly have many questions if you're facing a charge for driving while intoxicated on federal lands in Texas. How is this different from a state DWI? Is it more serious? In many states, federal DWI or DUI law is stricter than state law. That's not necessarily true in Texas, where str...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Jan 20, 2023 |
Domestic violence is a serious problem in Texas, and law enforcement agencies take family and dating violence, as well as the threat of violence, seriously. According to the Texas Advocacy Project, one in three Texans will experience domestic violence at some point in their lives. Girls and you...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Jan 17, 2023 |
The internet can seem like the Wild West sometimes. People often do and say whatever they want and seem nearly anonymous. But your actions online can come back to haunt you, particularly if some of your online activity is legal. Some of the most common legal troubles people run into online incl...
Posted by Doug Murphy | Jan 14, 2023 |
Cybercrime is increasingly common in the U.S. and Texas, targeting businesses and individuals across the state. Internet crimes cost Americans more than $6.9 billion in 2021 and cost the state of Texas hundreds of millions each year. According to the Texas Comptroller, Texas victims reported $1...