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Category Archives: Criminal Defense
Case Dismissed: Criminal Liability Requires More Than Just a Tragic Outcome
Not every tragic event creates criminal liability. Recently, our office secured a dismissal in a serious felony case involving allegations that our client unlawfully purchased alcohol for a minor, who shortly thereafter committed an intoxication manslaughter. The case involved heartbreaking facts, including the untimely death…
How to Handle an Arrest Warrant in Texas
What You Need to Know Before It Becomes a Bigger Problem If you are worried about an arrest warrant, the most important thing to understand is that ignoring it rarely helps. In Texas, an active warrant can lead to an arrest at home, at work,…
How Does a Self-Defense Case Work in Texas?
Not every fight leads to a conviction. Sometimes defending yourself isn’t just understandable — it’s legal. In a recent self-defense case, Houston criminal defense attorney Joseph Ruiz represented a client who was charged with assault after a bar fight. What looked like a simple altercation…
DWI Charges in Houston Don’t Always Mean Conviction: A Case I Defended and Won
Imagine being pulled over on an ordinary Friday night and suddenly realizing your entire future could be at risk because of a DWI arrest. Here in Houston, the Houston Police Department makes more than 5,500 DWI arrests every year. But I remind every client who…
Understanding Texas Stand Your Ground Laws: Your Legal Rights in Self-Defense
At Ruiz Law, we know how quickly a self-defense situation can escalate—and how easily a misunderstanding can place you at risk of criminal charges. Understanding Texas Stand Your Ground laws is essential if you ever need to protect yourself or someone else in a dangerous…
Why the Victim Cannot Drop the Charges in a Criminal Case
Here is a question I hear all the time: “If the victim wants to drop the charges, does the case automatically go away?” The quick answer is no. Once the police are involved and charges are filed, it is no longer up to the victim.…
Understanding When Self-Defense Protects You and When It Doesn’t
Most people think that if you are defending yourself, the charges just disappear. Unfortunately, that is not how it works in Texas. Self-defense is real, and it can protect you, but it is not automatic. You must demonstrate to the court that your actions were…
Texas Manslaughter Laws and Penalties
In Texas, manslaughter is considered a form of criminal homicide, making it a second-class felony. Manslaughter can be defined as the reckless causing of the death of another person, but some people may wonder what that means. Texas manslaughter laws and penalties can be confusing,…
Case Result: Felony Drug Charges Dismissed After Unlawful Stop Despite 5-Year Prison Offer
At the Law Office of Joseph Ruiz, PLLC, we recently secured the dismissal of a felony drug case after successfully challenging the legality of the methods used by police to find the contraband. The Stop and Detention Our client was pulled over for a minor…
Case Result: How a Houston Criminal Defense Lawyer Beat a 12-Year Felony
When someone is facing felony intoxication manslaughter charges in Texas, the stakes couldn’t be higher. A conviction can mean decades in prison, a permanent felony record, and a lifetime of consequences. That’s why choosing the right criminal defense lawyer in Houston can make all the…
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