Latest and Greatest - Texas DWI Manual

Picture this: You are comfortably seated in your office with your cup of coffee sorting through your email when the telephone rings. On the other end of the line is a hysterical woman. She has been arrested for DWI. What do you do?

By Deandra M. Grant and Kimberly Griffin Tucker

James Publishing, Inc. (2015)

KFT 1497.8 .G73

For starters, you can visit the Harris County Law Library. It is, after all, Criminal Defense Law Resource Month, and we recently acquired the most recent edition of the Texas DWI Manual published by James Publishing, Inc. This book, complete with forms, will direct you through the initial client interview and the subsequent case investigation and discovery process as well as the administrative driver’s license revocation hearing. In addition, you will learn the elements of a DWI, the various intoxication offenses and their punishment, and the charging instruments used in DWI cases.

Confused by the different field sobriety tests and their admissibility and use at trial? Don’t fret. The authors examine the fundamentals of the DWI breath test and explain how to attack the test and the results on both direct and cross-examination.  In addition, they analyze the methods and strategies involved when using blood alcohol tests as evidence.

Of course, success is not always guaranteed. That is why the authors also discuss punishment options and education and treatment programs as well as error preservation, appeals, and expunctions.

So, before you go ahead and accept that DWI case, be sure to have a look at Texas DWI Manual. It is filled with lots of useful information you will need to competently defend your client. You can find it in our Texas Criminal section or you can ask one of our helpful librarians..

Keeping Current with Podcasts on the Legal Talk Network

As one of the most popular and fastest growing communication platforms on the web, podcasts are an excellent resource for staying up to date with the latest trends in legal technology, especially for busy legal professionals on the go. And few media outlets produce a better selection of programming than the Legal Talk Network.

LTN, an online content provider for legal professionals, is widely recognized as the go-to source for a number of popular and informative broadcasts. Lawyer 2 Lawyer, co-hosted by Bob Ambrogi, a leading voice in all things legal tech, was recognized by the ABA Journal as one of the 5 Most Essential Podcasts for Law Firm Professionals.

The recently-launched Legal Rebels, inspired by the ABA Journal’s annual feature of the same name, already has quite a following. Another popular offering is The Digital Edge, which “provides listeners with tips and tools for career success, as well as cutting-edge technology news.” The hosts, Sharon D. Nelson and Jim Calloway, recently sat down with ABA President-Elect Linda Klein to discuss how technology has and will shape their professional careers. They also recommend good resources for keeping up with changes in legal tech, including the Solo and Small Firm Legal Technology Guide, an annual ABA publication produced by the Law Practice Division and available for purchase on the ABA website. Members receive a discount.

To those who are not yet members, a special offer has been extended, inviting you to join free of charge for one year when you sign up by August 31, 2016. Just visit www.ambar.org/friendsofklein to receive all the generous benefits enjoyed by members of this professional network, including affiliation with one special interest group, such as the Law Practice Division. 

Miranda Monday: Online Resources

Much has been written on the Internet about the case at the heart of this year's Law Day theme - Miranda v. Arizona - but what can you believe? Well, that's up to you, but here are some reliable places to look to get you started:

• Law Day 2016: Miranda More Than Words: Law Day information page from the American Bar Association containing a variety of Miranda-related educational resources and Law Day programming.

• Facts and Case Summary - Miranda v. Arizona: A concise explanation of the case with links to related materials from the U.S. Courts.

• The Papers of Justice Tom C. Clark: 5th Amendment - Miranda v. Arizona, 1966: Brief case explanation with links to reproductions of U.S. Supreme Court documents from the case.

• Miranda v. Arizona: Case page from Chicago-Kent College of Law Oyez project containing case information, summaries, and recordings of oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court.

For even more about this landmark case, visit the Harris County Law Library's digital exhibit featuring facts and photos regarding Miranda v. Arizona.

Lexis CLE @ HCLL

Join us for a free Lexis Advance training session on Thursday, May 12, noon to 1pm. For details and RSVP information, download the flyer below.

Latest and Greatest - Suppressing Criminal Evidence

Are you considering filing a motion to suppress evidence that was obtained through a warrantless search of your client’s vehicle?

By Deja Vishny

James Publishing, Inc. (2016)

KF 9662 .V57 2016

Do you want to challenge a coerced confession or one made under Miranda v. Arizona?

Then, look than further than the Harris County Law Library’s new acquisition, Suppressing Criminal Evidence. This volume, complete with forms, will guide you, step-by-step, through the process of filing a motion to suppress from the initial client interview and discovery through actually drafting the motion and litigating it in court. The author provides a summary of the laws surrounding Fourth Amendment searches and seizures, including searches of the home, the standards of probable cause and reasonable suspicion, motor vehicle searches, and searches and seizures of electronic devices. She also discusses the suppression of confessions and other statements and police interrogation practices. Included in this volume are over 40 forms including sample motions to suppress and more than 80 pattern cross-examinations to assist you during the hearing on your motion to suppress. There are numerous practice pointers and tips throughout the book.

Before you file your next (or first) motion to suppress, come to the Harris County Law Library and have a look at Suppressing Criminal Evidence. Who knows? That evidence you got suppressed just may save your client.