Accusations of child abuse are easy to make but very difficult to fight. No matter how sincerely you believe you are innocent, however, it is necessary to take accusations seriously because an investigation from Texas Child Protective Services can have a seriously negative impact on your relationship with your children. Many people believe that being cooperative with Child Protective Services is the best way to get a case dropped but unfortunately, that is not how it works. Your best hope for fighting unwarranted investigations from Texas CPS is having an experienced attorney who knows how to defend your parental rights. Here are three tips for how to behave if you have just learned that Texas CPS is investigating you. 

Ask What the Charges Are

Social workers will often be intentionally vague about the specific charges against you, but you have the right to know exactly what the details of the accusations are. Do not accept vague charges of abuse or neglect; these are general categories that are not meaningful or specific. You should know exactly what you are being accused of so you can justly defend yourself. 

Do Not Talk to CPS Unless You Have Your Attorney Present

You do not need to let a CPS worker into your home unless they have a warrant. Even if they make threats that your children will be taken away, hold your ground. Ask to see a warrant and if they cannot show you, do not let them in. Do not answer questions because your answers can be misconstrued against you. You may feel as though you have nothing to hide and, as such, should have no problem talking to a social worker. But social workers are often unfairly cynical about parents and may only be looking for evidence that supports their case against you. Only speak to them with an attorney present. 

While modern political currents have made it easier for true victims of sex crimes like rape and sexual assault to come forward and seek justice, there has also been an unfortunate increase in false and defamatory accusations based on events that never happened or did not happen according to the alleged victim’s version of the story. All over Texas, young people in college - especially young men - are finding themselves the target of accusations, many of which are false. 

Being accused of sexual misconduct can cause you to feel many things - shock, embarrassment, dismay, and anger being only a few. Unfortunately, a police investigation and criminal charges may only be the beginning; college students accused of sexual assault may also be facing discipline from their university’s Title IX office. 

Do I Need a Criminal Defense Attorney? 

Successfully prosecuting sex crimes is difficult because it often comes down to one person’s word against another person’s word. This is especially true in the university milieu, in which young people often engage in sexual behavior while both parties are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. What feels like an assault to one person may have been the result of insensitivity or boorishness on the part of the other. Moreover, what started as consensual sex acts may, in the sobering light of the next day, become acts that are seen with so much embarrassment or regret that false accusations of assault are made to compensate. 

Getting convicted of the crime of driving while intoxicated (DWI) in Texas can have a major detrimental impact on many areas of your life. While people are encouraged to take their punishment and then get back to living as productive members of society, DWI convictions can make that particularly difficult because living without a driver’s license makes it nearly impossible to do basic activities. Getting to work, grocery shopping, and taking your kids to school are all very difficult without a driver’s license. 

Fortunately, an experienced criminal defense attorney can defend you from DWI charges and, if you lose your license, help you get it back. Here are two common questions about getting a driver’s license reinstated in Texas. 

How Long Do I Have to Wait Before Getting my Driver’s License Back? 

DWI convictions are not all the same. A DWI for an adult under 21 years old may result in just a 90-day suspension, but an adult convicted of repeated DWIs or a DWI that caused an injury or death can result in suspensions up to two years. You will have to attend a hearing in which a judge will determine how long your suspension will be. Keep in mind that your driver’s license may be suspended even if you are not convicted of a DWI; license suspension hearings are civil procedures and can continue even if there is no DWI criminal conviction. An attorney can help you present evidence and arguments to try to shorten or eliminate your license suspension. 

Every parent is familiar with the following situation: You have a couple of small errands to run, and the process will take far less time if you can just leave the kids at home or dash into the post office while the kids are in the car. Buckling, unbuckling, dealing with coats and shoes, and the likelihood of constant whining can make even the most patient parent dread running into the grocery store for milk. 

Many parents choose to leave their children at home alone or in the car for a few minutes while they take care of their to-do list. These parents may be surprised to return to the car to find a concerned observer accompanied by a squad car - and even more surprised when they get charged with a Class C misdemeanor. If you are a parent with young children in Texas and you have been charged for leaving your child alone, consider getting help from a criminal defense attorney. 

When Can I Leave My Child in the Car Alone? 

Texas law explicitly prohibits leaving a child alone in a vehicle for more than five minutes under the following circumstances: 

It can be overwhelming to face criminal charges alone - especially when the charges are for a sex crime. Given the weight that a sex crime carries, this is not a situation that anyone takes lightly. 

One of the most common questions that we hear is, “What are the consequences of being charged with a sex crime?” In order to understand the potential ramifications of a sex crime charge, it helps to first familiarize yourself with what a sex crime entails and what to do if you are charged with one.  

What is a Sex Crime? 

If you are charged with a sex crime in Texas, you may be worried that the outcome of this experience will follow you for the rest of your life. With an experienced attorney on your side, your lawyer may be able to build a case that defends your name and seeks to prevent long-term consequences of the sex crime charge.