When you face a criminal charge, it is natural to want to turn to friends and relatives for support. You are probably scared and confused, and you do not want to go through this ordeal alone. Plus, venting about your problems may be an outlet for you.
However, discussing your case with friends or relatives can backfire. Your attorney and other people your attorney authorizes should be the only folks you trust with details about your case.
Criminal charges bring numerous consequences, no matter the outcome. You may worry about how an arrest or a conviction may affect your life.
However, right now, your biggest concern may be how much your case is going to cost. The answer depends on many factors, some of which are in your control and others that are not.
College is an exciting time for many young people. If you have a child who is heading off to college this year, or within the next few years, you are probably doing what you can to help prepare your child for life without his parents. Many kids who attend college for the first time try to enjoy their newfound freedom by partying or experimenting with drugs. However, doing so can result in some very serious collateral consequences that can impact your child’s ability to continue his or her education.
More specifically, if your child is a financial aid recipient and receives a conviction for a drug crime, regardless of whether it comes from the state or federal level, you can expect him or her to lose access to that financial aid for a certain amount of time. Possession convictions, distribution convictions and intent-to-distribute convictions are among the types of drug convictions that can lead to a loss of financial aid.
If you are among the many people across Texas currently facing some type of criminal charge, you may be doing everything you can to plead your case and, ideally, avoid criminal penalties. Part of this involves making every effort to avoid landing in additional trouble while you await your day in court, so you may be wise to avoid situations where you know you might find it.
Another important step you may want to take as you await your court date is to abstain from using social media, and you may also want to consider eliminating any social media profiles you have in their entirety. Why?
Whether you were in the wrong place at the wrong time or did something you should not have done, facing the consequences of alleged criminal activity can be scary. These days, the reputation and trustworthiness of law enforcement have suffered due to their misconduct, so you may fear what will happen to you upon arrest.
The best thing to do is prepare now in case you ever find yourself in that situation. Follow these steps if a Texas officer arrests you:
It is no surprise that criminal activity can lead to a prison sentence, high fines and legal fees. These are the natural consequences of receiving a conviction. Sometimes they can seem like no big deal, especially to repeat offenders.
If you only focus on these effects, however, you may overlook the ways a conviction can hurt other areas of your life. Once you understand the complete ramifications of facing criminal charges, you will understand the importance of having a qualified defense attorney represent you so you can avoid them.
People tend to have a stereotype in mind of the typical criminal, usually a violent and frightening person committing heinous acts. When offenders do not fit this picture, they may think that the crimes they are involved in are less severe. They may believe they can easily get out of charges or face limited legal consequences.
An example is white-collar crime. The average participant in occupational fraud, reports the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, is a well-educated, middle-aged white male in an accounting position. Furthermore, fraud usually does not entail personal interaction with victims. These characteristics can make it easy for perpetrators to think they can get off easy, but this is not true. The government takes all white-collar crimes very seriously.
Charges for statutory rape are probably something you never saw coming. Maybe you started dating a girl who said she was 18 (but turned out to be 14) while you're 25, or you started hanging out with a man who said he was 21 when he was really only 15. The age of consent matters in these cases, of course, but if you've slept with someone under the age of consent, you can face statutory rape charges.
There are a number of factors that play a role in your case. First, know that statutory rape is a strict-liability offense. That means that the burden is on you to know the true age of the person you were with. In some cases, you may be able to show that you had no idea about the person's age, either due to a fake ID or meeting that person in a club for those over 21. If you can do that, it may help your defense even if your case isn't able to be dismissed completely.
When you come into the United States and participate in a crime, you could face criminal penalties in the country. That's what's happening to a Mexican national who has been sentenced on drug charges in Texas.
A news article following the case described the man as a 34-year-old man who helped traffic marijuana across the border. He was living in El Paso when he was arrested. He faced charges including money laundering and drug trafficking; he pleaded guilty and received a sentence for 97 days in prison.
Child pornography charges can quickly ruin a person's reputation, even if they're proven false. As someone accused, it's important to protect yourself by speaking with your attorney and devising a strong defense against the allegations you face.
Legally, the definition of child pornography is loose. Any image of a child, naked or participating in sexual acts, is child pornography. However, an image of a naked child needs to be significantly sexually suggestive to fit the legal definition.
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Law Offices of Frank Jackson
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Dallas,
Texas
75206
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