Houston Legal Blog

Texas man facing murder charge after woman's body found

On behalf of Tommy Mingledorff of Mingledorff Law posted in Violent Crimes on Monday, August 12, 2019.

An accusation of a crime can easily turn a person's life upside down. When that accusation is in relation to murder, the entire ordeal may seem unbelievable. However, criminal charges are very real, and anyone facing allegations would be wise to gain information on how to handle this type of serious predicament.

One man in Texas will undoubtedly want to make sure that he understands his defense options after recently being accused of murder. According to reports, the man was seen on surveillance video leaving his house in his girlfriend's car. The woman's daughter noticed the vehicle missing and questioned the boyfriend, who said they were going out of town. The daughter tried to get in touch with her mother but was unable to. Due to becoming concerned about her well-being, the daughter called police.

Young man charged with animal abuse after dog found deceased

On behalf of Tommy Mingledorff of Mingledorff Law posted in Animal Cruelty Charges on Tuesday, August 6, 2019.

Being accused of a crime is no one's idea of a positive situation. Still, individuals accused of animal abuse must try to make the best out of their predicaments by working toward reaching favorable outcomes for their cases. Though facing any type of criminal accusations can seem insurmountable, individuals do have legal options.

One young man in Texas may be having a number of concerns after recently being taken into custody on allegations of animal cruelty. According to reports, authorities had gone to the man's home earlier this year after a disturbance call, and at that time, animal control tested a dog at the home for signs of abuse. Apparently, there was no reason for concern at that time. Recently, authorities came across that same dog by a fence, and it was deceased.

Additional drug charges brought against man for contraband

On behalf of Tommy Mingledorff of Mingledorff Law posted in Drug Offenses on Tuesday, July 30, 2019.

For some people, it may seem as if their situations only go from bad to worse. For instance, a person may wind up in a negative scenario because a police officer stops his or her vehicle. Next, the officer could search the vehicle, find a questionable substance and take the driver into custody on drug charges. Unfortunately, the downhill roll may not stop there.

One man in Texas may be feeling as if his ordeal is only going from bad to worse. According to reports, the man was pulled over by an officer at approximately 2 a.m. because the officer allegedly noticed that the vehicle was not maintaining the right lane. During the traffic stop, the officer conducted an investigation of the vehicle and purportedly found methamphetamine and related paraphernalia.

Murder charge results after human bones found among cow bones

On behalf of Tommy Mingledorff of Mingledorff Law posted in Violent Crimes on Monday, July 22, 2019.

When a person is accused of taking another person's life, that individual faces one of the most serious legal predicaments possible. Allegations of murder can result in lengthy legal trials, the possibility of severe consequences and various other types of detriment. As a result, a person accused of such a crime has a long road ahead when it comes to handling the charges.

According to reports, a murder charge was recently brought against a Texas man in connection with his wife's death. Apparently, the woman had gone missing earlier this year, and authorities questioned the man and took him into custody soon after her disappearance. At that time, the man was charged with evidence tampering, and authorities claimed that he did not want to help search for his wife and that he did not seem concerned about her disappearance.

Compromise may help divorce go more smoothly

On behalf of Ken Mingledorff of Mingledorff Law posted in Family Law on Monday, July 15, 2019.

Dissolving a marriage is typically not someone's idea of a happy ending. However, for many people, their relationships have become so unhappy already that filing for divorce could help them work toward a better and happier future. Of course, the legal proceedings associated with ending a marriage are known for conflict, but it does not always have to work out that way.

If Texas residents want their divorce cases to go as smoothly as possible, they may want to start by deciding what they want out of the case. Whether it relates to property division, alimony or child custody, having goals is important. It is also important to know when to fight for a desired outcome and when to compromise. When parties fight over every proposed term, the divorce will be less than smooth. Knowing when to pick one's battles could go a long way during this time.

Custody for fathers

On behalf of Tommy Mingledorff of Mingledorff Law on Thursday, July 11, 2019.

Often when you hear about custody cases, you hear about mothers trying to secure their rights as the primary caregiver, with fathers relegated to a “visitation” schedule. The courts are beginning to recognize, though, that fathers serving only in limited parenting role is detrimental to the child’s well-being. As society has evolved and more families consist of two working parents and a split of duties when it comes to child care, fathers have every need and right to fight for equal parenting time and responsibilities. While men and their children recognize the importance, many mothers are still doubtful and some courts still would rather see the kids spend the majority of time with their moms.

Woman facing animal abuse charge after leaving dog in hot truck

On behalf of Ken Mingledorff of Mingledorff Law posted in Animal Cruelty Charges on Wednesday, July 10, 2019.

Sometimes people make mistakes because they do not have the right information or do not know how dangerous their actions could be. For instance, many people may not consider it harmful to leave dogs in vehicles on hot days as long as the windows are cracked. However, doing so could lead to animal abuse charges.

It was recently reported that one woman in Texas was taken into custody for this type of incident. Apparently, the woman had attempted to go to the park with her dog, but an intern of the park informed her that the particular area did not allow pets. The woman then reportedly took the animal back to her vehicle and left it. The intern went to the parking lot and saw the dog locked in a pickup truck and called the authorities.

Can Officers Come Into My Home Without A Warrant?

On behalf of Tommy Mingledorff of Mingledorff Law posted in blog on Monday, July 8, 2019.

The basic rule of law is that a warrantless entry by police into a private home is presumed unreasonable. However, there are exceptions to this basic rule. For example, officers may enter a home without a warrant if a resident gives voluntary consent. But consent, without more, does not give an officer permission to search the entire residence or objects within the residence. Further, whether or not a person really consented is often debatable. Another exception is when an officer has probable cause to believe that exigent circumstances exist (immediate action is needed). Such an officer may enter without a warrant to provide aid to someone; to protect officers from persons whom they reasonably believe to be present, armed, and dangerous; or to prevent the destruction of evidence or contraband. Another exception is when an officer who is in a lawful position sees criminal contraband in plain view inside the home. All these issues can be addressed with a motion to suppress filed by the attorney of a person charged. A winning motion can be the end of the criminal case!

Can an Officer Search My Car When I Get Pulled Over for a Traffic Ticket?

On behalf of Tommy Mingledorff of Mingledorff Law posted in blog on Friday, July 5, 2019.

The short answer to that question is NO. However, everyone knows that cars do get searched when people are stopped for traffic violations. There are numerous ways officers can justify a search of a vehicle if they make up their minds to search it. Almost every traffic violation in Texas is an arrestable offense. Once you are arrested, the officer still cannot search your car unless the officer believes you can access your car (you will typically be in the patrol car in handcuffs), or the officer believes there is evidence of the offense for which you were arrested in your car. If these justifications fail, there is the dependable "inventory search" when your car has to be towed. And if you are not arrested for the traffic violation, there is always the "odor of marijuana" inside the vehicle that gives the officer probable cause to search. This one is fail-safe because, if there really is marijuana in the car, the officer can point to it as proof that he smelled it. If there is no marijuana, the officer can make other excuses. You need to have the legality of any car search thoroughly evaluated by a lawyer.

Can an Officer Make Me Wait for a Drug Dog?

On behalf of Tommy Mingledorff of Mingledorff Law posted in Drug Charges on Tuesday, July 2, 2019.

If you are stopped for a traffic violation and an officer suspects there may be drugs in your car, you may end up having a drug dog sniff the interior and exterior of your car. But if the officer who stops you has to call for the dog, how long do you have to wait? The United States Supreme Court has said that a traffic stop can become unlawful if it is prolonged beyond the time reasonably required to complete the mission of issuing a ticket. So an officer is not allowed to stall the ticket writing just to wait for a drug dog. But if an officer has a reasonable suspicion that a particular person actually is, has been, or soon will be engaged in criminal activity, then the traffic stop may be extended. "Reasonable suspicion" requires specific, articulable facts, plus rational inferences from those facts, and the conclusion must be one that any reasonable officer would make. What kind of facts have officers used to show reasonable suspicion? Things like travel in a known drug area, extreme nervousness, prior drug charges, furtive gestures inside the vehicle, more than a hunch or suspicion. This is a situation where a lawyer will have to evaluate whether your constitutional rights have been violated.