Posted on June 11, 2025 in Family Law

If Child Protective Services (CPS) shows up at your door, you may feel blindsided, angry, or scared. Whether the complaint is valid or false, a CPS investigation can affect your custody rights, your reputation, and your sense of safety. As of June 2025, the Texas Family Code still allows people to make anonymous reports to CPS. That can be frustrating if you believe the call was made out of spite rather than genuine concern.

While you may want to know who called CPS on you, the law limits your ability to find out.
Retaliating against the person who made the report can lead to serious criminal charges. Talk to our Fredericksburg, TX family law attorney to learn more. 

Can You Legally Find Out Who Made the CPS Report?

Under Texas law, reports to CPS are confidential. Section 261.101(d) of the Texas Family Code specifically protects the identity of the person making the report, even from the person being investigated. This rule exists to encourage people to report suspected abuse or neglect without fear of retaliation.

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 Posted on May 29, 2025 in Family Law

Texas family courts recognize that your needs and your child’s needs can change after a child custody order is finalized. With good reason, you may be able to modify a custody agreement to better suit your present situation. However, the court is careful to protect your child’s best interests and requires you to meet specific qualifications before a judge will consider modifying the order. If you have questions about how Texas law applies to your case, a Marble Falls, TX custody modification attorney can offer advice based on experience.

Contested vs. Uncontested Custody Modification in Texas

Whether your custody modification is uncontested, meaning you and your co-parent agree on the proposed changes to be made, or contested, meaning you are not in agreement, will impact the process and how long it will take. Typically, everything moves more quickly with an uncontested modification. 

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 Posted on May 12, 2025 in Criminal Defense

In recent years, marijuana laws have changed rapidly across the United States. As a result, many Texans are left wondering what is legal and where. Despite growing public support for cannabis reform, marijuana possession is still illegal under Texas state law. However, how these laws are enforced can vary widely depending on the county or city.

If you have been cited or arrested for marijuana possession, even a small amount, you may be facing real legal consequences. Do not assume that just because marijuana is legal elsewhere, you are protected. A Texas criminal defense attorney can help you understand the charges, evaluate your options, and work toward a favorable resolution.

What Does Texas Law Say About Marijuana?

Under the Texas Controlled Substances Act, marijuana is still classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning it is considered to have a high potential for abuse. That classification remains even though many other states now allow both medical and recreational cannabis use.

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 Posted on April 29, 2025 in Family Law

When child custody is at stake, anything that raises questions about a parent's behavior or judgment can become an issue — especially involvement in the criminal justice system. In Texas, family law courts are required to make decisions that prioritize the best interests of the child. That means criminal charges, whether pending or resulting in conviction, can impact your custody rights.

A Fredericksburg, Texas family law attorney who understands both child custody and criminal defense can provide essential guidance when these legal areas overlap.

What Happens to Your Custody Rights If You Are Charged With a Crime?

Being charged with a crime does not automatically mean you will lose custody or visitation rights. The court will look at the nature of the charge, your criminal history, and whether the alleged offense affects your ability to care for your child safely and responsibly.

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 Posted on April 14, 2025 in Criminal Defense

Drug crimes, such as drug possession, can carry hefty consequences in Texas, especially if you have an existing criminal record. If you are facing drug possession charges, a Llano, TX drug crimes attorney is your best available option for challenging the allegations and evidence against you. Your defense strategy will be the result of careful investigation into the details of your case, but some common defenses may suit your circumstances.

What Are Some Common Defenses Against Drug Possession Charges?

There are many ways to fight a drug possession charge. Some common and effective methods include:

• Illegal search and seizure: You have a constitutional right that protects you from unlawful search and seizure. If the police secured the evidence that led to your charges and did not have probable cause or a warrant, you can argue to suppress the evidence.

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 Posted on March 19, 2025 in Family Law

When parents who are not married raise a child, it typically takes a lot of effort for everyone to work together. If one parent violates the custody order, it can be challenging both emotionally and logistically for the other parent. If this happens to you, you should know that you have options available, including the possibility of taking legal action to have your custody order enforced. A qualified Llano, TX family lawyer can explain your rights and advise you on how you may want to proceed.

How Do Custody Orders Work in Texas?

In Texas, child custody is often referred to as conservatorship. A conservatorship order outlines each parent's rights and responsibilities, including parenting time schedules, decision-making authority, and child support obligations. If one parent violates the terms of a custody order, the other parent has legal options to enforce it.

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 Posted on March 05, 2025 in Criminal Defense

When facing criminal charges, people often try to claim they are innocent and did not do what they are accused of doing. However, sometimes, defendants admit that they committed the actions in question but do not deserve to be penalized. Since intent is a major component of a criminal conviction, if you committed a crime against your will, this could be grounds for getting charges dismissed or reduced. 

Duress can be a defense if you did something illegal under threat of harm. Proving duress can be challenging, and you need to demonstrate that you had no reasonable alternative but to commit the crime because of an immediate threat of serious injury or death to yourself or a loved one. If this is relevant to your case, speak with a qualified Texas criminal defense lawyer to understand your options.

Key Elements of Duress

To successfully claim duress as a defense, you need to demonstrate several things:

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 Posted on February 18, 2025 in Family Law

For unmarried parents who do not have full custody of their children, visitation can be crucial in maintaining their relationship. However, parents who are convicted of a crime might have limitations imposed on their time with their children. In some cases, the court can order supervised visitation, which allows the parent and child to spend time together but another adult must be present during the visit.

While it may feel like a burden not to be able to enjoy quality time with your child in private, some consider supervised visitation a beneficial compromise that still enables convicted parents to stay involved in their child’s life. To learn more about this, speak with a qualified Texas family law attorney.

When Does a Judge Order Supervised Visitation?

Under certain circumstances, a court will order supervised visitation. Some examples include:

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 Posted on February 03, 2025 in Criminal Defense

Scientific evidence has been critical for both securing convictions and exonerations for many years. However, it is not always reliable, properly preserved, or interpreted correctly and can therefore result in wrongful convictions. Texas is one of many states where questionable scientific evidence in criminal cases can be challenged in court. If you are facing charges and believe that faulty scientific evidence was used, speak with a knowledgeable Texas criminal defense lawyer who can explain your options.

What Makes Scientific Evidence Questionable?

In recent years, the reliability of some forensic methods has been questioned. Some of these methods include:

• Bite mark analysis: There have been increasing doubts about this technique’s credibility because it lacks sufficient scientific basis and can be quite subjective. Several wrongful convictions in Texas and elsewhere in the country have been linked to faulty bite mark comparisons.

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 Posted on January 20, 2025 in Family Law

Several matters that are addressed in the Texas legal system can be handled through litigation in the courts or through mediation. Many people who are trying to navigate divorce and child custody issues in particular find that mediation is a good option for them. However, how do you know if you can trust and rely on a mediator to remain impartial and truly help you and your spouse reach productive agreements that will serve your best interests?

In Texas, mediators typically complete training, education, and practical requirements set by the certifying organization before they can be assigned to a case.  At Law Office of Russ Alan Baker, PLLC, you have the benefit of working with a qualified Texas divorce lawyer who is also a certified advanced mediator and can draw on his extensive experience to explain why mediation may or may not be a good choice for your case.

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