De Mott, McChesney, Curtright and Armendariz, LLP: Criminal Defense

04/21/2023

06/21/2022

A week or so ago I was fortunate to be able to help a couple of attorneys in a big sexual assault case. I was tasked with tackling the DNA evidence: cross-examining the State's experts and directing our own expert witness. Scientific evidence, especially DNA, is tricky and complex. I have developed some knowledge and skill in this area and was happy to play a role in the overall defense in this case.

05/07/2022

A good end to this week. We were finally able to clear a path to legal status for a client who struggled with addiction in the past. Over the last several years, we were able to avoid 2 drug convictions through some creative plea bargaining.

However, he had a drug conviction from before he hired us. As a result, immigration deported him. We filed a writ claiming he didn’t get proper immigration advice from his trial counsel.

In 2020, The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals granted the writ and vacated his conviction. This year, immigration let him back into the country.

And this week, we worked a deal on that vacated case to plead him to a non-drug class c misdemeanor.

I can’t really explain how happy I am for him, now in a better place physically and mentally, he can stay here with his family.

04/17/2022

Happy Easter! Please be careful, drink responsibly, and get a designated driver.

And if you do get pulled over, remember your rights, remain silent and refuse all tests. Then give us a call.

04/14/2022

Big win for our client in Federal Court yesterday with the Judge granting our motion for a downward variance, saving the client from extended prison time

04/03/2022

Check out our 2022 Fiesta Medals!

03/16/2022

It's been a while, but it's time to get the activity back running on this page! Be on the lookout for more content coming soon!

01/20/2021

President Biden is sending an immigration bill to Congress. If you are a non-citizen facing criminal charges, now, more than ever, it is important that you have a dedicated defense attorney who is aware of how your case can affect your immigration possibilities. We are here, and we are ready to fight for you.

January 20, 2021Press Releases FACT SHEET: President Biden Sends Immigration Bill to Congress as Part of His Commitment to Modernize our Immigration System The U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021 establishes a new system to responsibly manage and secure our border, keep our families and communities safe, a...

01/18/2021

I Have a Dream SpeechMartin Luther King's Address at March on WashingtonAugust 28, 1963. Washington, D.C.When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from e...

09/23/2020

Wrongfully convicted? Facing hardship because of a criminal conviction? Don't lose hope! There may be a way out!

Post-conviction relief: What is it and how can it help both citizens and non-citizens?

Post-conviction relief is the name given to process by which a person attempts to vacate, that means to throw out, a conviction suffered under criminal law. Convictions can result in prison time, the loss of voting rights, the loss of the right to own fi****ms, or in the case of non-citizens, the loss of the ability to remain in the United States. Methods of post-conviction relief include motions for new trial, direct appeal, and habeas corpus. To undo a conviction, a person must show that some serious error occurred during their case sufficient to merit throwing out the conviction. For example, non-citizens must have the immigration consequences of a conviction explained to them by their attorney before they enter a guilty plea. If these consequences are not explained, this could be a ground for a court to throw out the conviction. If a person is successful in vacating their conviction, the case doesn’t automatically get dismissed, instead, the person is given a new opportunity to go back to court and fight the charge against them. In other words, the case starts again.

Vacating a conviction can have immense benefits for an individual. For example, a person who is facing deportation because of a criminal conviction may be able to stop the removal process if their conviction is thrown out.
If you, or someone you know, has a conviction that is causing hardship in way, call us, and we will discuss the possibilities that may be available to you.

09/23/2020

¿Condenado injustamente? ¿Enfrentando dificultades debido a una condena penal? ¡No pierdas la esperanza! ¡Puede haber una salida!

Alivio posterior a la condena: ¿Qué es y cómo puede ayudar tanto a los ciudadanos como a los no ciudadanos?

El alivio posterior a la condena es el nombre dado al proceso por el cual una persona intenta desalojar, eso significa elimine, una condena sufrida por el derecho penal. Las condenas pueden resultar en encarcelamiento, pérdida del derecho al voto, pérdida del derecho a poseer armas de fuego, o en el caso de no ciudadanos, pérdida de capacidad para permanecer en los Estados Unidos. Los métodos de alivio posteriores a la condena incluyen mociones para un nuevo juicio, apelación directa y hábeas corpus. Para deshacer una condena, una persona debe probar que hubo algún error grave durante su caso suficiente para merecer la condena. Por ejemplo, los no ciudadanos deben tener las consecuencias migratorias de una condena que les haya explicado su abogado antes de declararse culpables. Si no se explican estas consecuencias, esto podría ser una razón para que un tribunal retirara la condena. Si una persona logra revocar su sentencia, el caso no se desestima automáticamente, sino que se le da una nueva oportunidad de regresar a la corte y luchar contra él. En otras palabras, el caso comienza de nuevo.

Vaciar una condena puede tener enormes beneficios para un individuo. Por ejemplo, una persona que se enfrenta a la deportación debido a una condena penal puede ser capaz de detener el proceso de expulsión si su condena es expulsada.

Si usted, o alguien que conoce, tiene una convicción que está causando dificultades en el camino, llámenos, y discutiremos las posibilidades que puedan estar disponibles para usted.