Sugar Land Criminal Defense Blog

Juvenile defense can help turn a life around

On behalf of The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC posted in Juvenile Defense on Thursday, May 16, 2019.

Anyone who has raised children knows that teenagers can be prone to getting into trouble. When one's child gets into trouble with the law in Texas it can feel like one's world is crumbling, and it can be difficult to know in what direction to turn. A conversation with a juvenile defense attorney is a good place to start.

In a recent case near Austin, some teenagers were arrested after people in the neighborhood reported suspicious activity. The neighbors claimed that there was a car moving slowly through the area and people on foot trying car doors in a nearby lot. When officers arrived, they detained five juveniles and located an SUV they had apparently been riding in. The youths were between the ages of 11 and 15 and the SUV was found to have been stolen.

Can a child custody agreement be modified?

On behalf of The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC on Tuesday, May 14, 2019.

Just like any decision made during the divorce process in Sugarland, agreements concerning child custody and parenting time should not be made lightly. Though the courts make every effort to base child custody arrangements on the best interests of the child and in regard to the parents’ circumstances, issues can occur after the divorce that necessitate a need for adjustments.

Child custody arrangements are not set in stone, but that does not mean that either parent should violate or ignore them. Parents can take steps when there are challenges to the custody arrangement that keep them from adhering to it. Sometimes, the issues are short-term. In those cases, parents should try to work the issues out themselves with minimal court involvement. Long-term or contentious issues may require professional and court intervention. Here are actions parents can take to ensure their child custody arrangement works for everyone.

What happens to insurance rates after a DUI in Texas?

On behalf of The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC on Friday, May 10, 2019.

Every day, people's lives in Texas become impacted by others driving while under the influence of alcohol. One drunk driver recently plead guilty to charges after striking a police officer's vehicle while intoxicated.

You need to start building a valid legal defense as soon as the police arrest you for suspicion of DUI. Even for a first offense, you will look at possible jail time and fines. There are also long-term consequences, such as having to pay higher rates on your auto insurance. Many people do not think about it at the time, but you should do everything possible to avoid a conviction, or else you will pay for it for years to come.

Texas man arrested on suspected DUI charges

On behalf of The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC posted in DUI/DWI on Thursday, May 2, 2019.

A man accused of slamming his vehicle into a highway patrol car was arrested for suspected drunk driving, according to local sources. Texas authorities have confirmed the accident, which took place in the early morning of April 5, injured at least one deputy in Harris County. The man now faces DUI charges. No court date has been announced at this time.

According to the limited information available in the report, around 2 a.m. a Harris County police SUV was parked on the side of North Beltway as part of a mandate to curb traffic violations. At this point, the 33-year-old accused man's pickup truck apparently slammed into the back of the SUV. The force of the impact shoved the SUV up on top of the highway guard rail. The crash was called in by another officer passing by.

Community property, separate property and your divorce

On behalf of The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC on Wednesday, April 17, 2019.

Divorce is not a decision made lightly. Deciding to end a relationship once built on love can leave spouses who were once on the same page squabbling over everything.

It helps to know some of the key factors when it comes to dividing things. Few things elicit as much as emotion as splitting money and property during a divorce. One party usually comes out feeling shorted. Do you understand the difference between separate property and community property? If not, take a peek at some of these facts for some key takeaways before negotiations begin.

Actor, spokesperson arrested in Texas on DWI charge

On behalf of The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC posted in DUI/DWI on Tuesday, April 16, 2019.

The spokesperson for a well-known website is facing drunk driving charges. Timothy Williams, 52, an actor and spokesperson for Trivago, was recently arrested in Texas on a DWI charge. Although Williams was freed on a $100 bond, he will need to enlist the help of an experienced legal team to help him fight the charge. A conviction may put a damper on his career.

A spokesperson for the Houston police force said Williams was behind the wheel stopped in traffic allegedly asleep with his foot on the brake. Cops say he failed a field sobriety test and agreed to have blood drawn to ascertain his blood alcohol level. The results of that test are not known.

Drug crimes accusations require strong criminal defense

On behalf of The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC posted in Drug Crimes on Tuesday, April 2, 2019.

Trafficking in illegal drugs has been a serious problem in Texas and the rest of the country for many years. Texas's proximity to the Mexican border does make it an attractive base of operation for distribution of drugs that may be coming in from Mexico and other countries in Central and South America. An investigation spanning several years has recently culminated in multiple people being arrested and charged with drug crimes.

More than 43 people were recently arrested following an investigation of more than two years regarding what authorities say is a Texas drug organization. In addition to those arrests, four other people were arrested previously. Another nine suspects remain at large. In addition to the arrests, officials claim to have seized more than $3.1 million.

Drunk driving charge re the death of a Lyft passenger

On behalf of The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC posted in DUI/DWI on Monday, March 18, 2019.

Cars are necessary to be able to get from point A to point B in our busy daily lives. Sadly the increase in traffic leads to an increase in the likelihood of being involved in an accident. A serious accident in Texas very early one morning resulted in the death of a man returning home from a trip. The accident was allegedly the result of drunk driving.

A man was returning home from a trip and had summoned a Lyft car to get home from the airport. He was within five miles of his home when he texted his wife that he would be home soon. Shortly after that, a truck nearing an intersection reportedly clipped one vehicle, then continued through the intersection and collided with the Lyft car.

4 provisions that may make your parenting plan better

On behalf of The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC on Monday, March 18, 2019.

Going through a divorce can be overwhelming. If you share children with your spouse, though, deciding how to parent them in a post-divorce world can be challenging. With the right parenting plan, you remove much of the uncertainty that comes from sharing physical custody.

There is no such thing as a standard parenting plan. On the contrary, parents must decide how to split parental responsibilities in a productive way. That is, what works for another family may not be right for yours. While you probably want to address education, medical treatment and other important matters, there are some commonly overlooked provisions that may improve your parenting plan. Here are four subjects you may want to address.

Do you want to keep your business after your divorce?

On behalf of The Love DuCote Law Firm LLC on Thursday, March 14, 2019.

As an entrepreneur, your business is part of your identity. While everything may seem to have become topsy-turvy during your divorce, you may find some stability by focusing on your company. Nonetheless, if your business is marital property, you could lose it after a divorce.

Texas judges usually split marital property evenly. If you are hoping to keep ownership of your business after a divorce, you likely need to think about preventing it from becoming marital property. While far from an exhaustive list, here are some basic suggestions.