Start 2019 off with a clean record!

If you have a criminal record, call Attorney Craig Dameron to find out if you are eligible for an Expunction or Non-Disclosure! Fort Worth Attorney Craig Dameron advises not to wait to clean your record, do it immediately. Individuals with a DWI on their record now may be able to file a Petition for Non-Disclosure. The Texas Legislature changed the law and a summary is listed below.

HB 3016 – Considered a “Second Chances” Bill

The bill would allow a person convicted of driving while intoxicated (DWI) with a blood-alcohol concentration of less than 0.15 to petition for an order of nondisclosure of criminal history related to the offense.

This person could petition for the order only if the person:

Marijuana and Texas: What You Need To Know

Marijuana, marihuana, cannabis, and Mary Jane: it’s all the same when you are caught with the green leafy stuff. Getting caught with marijuana is against both State and Federal law. What does this mean for you? In Texas, the seriousness of the charge will depend on how much marijuana that an officer finds in your possession. This is what the Texas Criminal Code says:

A person commits an offense if the person knowingly or intentionally possesses a usable quantity of marihuana.

(1) Class C misdemeanors are reserved for Drug Paraphernalia charges. Under Texas Health and Safety Code section 481.002(17), drug paraphernalia is defined as any equipment, product, or material that is used or intended to be used for the purpose of planting, cultivating, manufacturing, producing, processing, testing, packaging, storing, or concealing a controlled substance. This is a pretty broad definition and gives officers a lot of leeway when it comes to issuing these up to $500 citations.

February is Warrant Forgiveness Month in the Fort Worth Municipal Court! According to the Star Telegram, the Fort Worth Municipal Court will forego arresting those who show up to take care of their warrants with the court. Instead of arresting those with outstanding warrants, the court will offer reductions in fines or sentencing or possibly community service for the month of February. The purpose of these events is to help community members take care of outstanding warrants for these low-level offenses without facing the humiliation of being booked into jail on their warrant.

Fort Worth will also have remote locations available for people who cannot make it to the municipal court. As part of the “Courts in the Community” program, warrants can be taken care of at these locations:

• Wednesday, Feb. 6, 9 a.m.- noon, Chisholm Trail Community Center, 4936 McPherson Blvd.
• Thursday, Feb. 7, 9 a.m.- noon, Victory Forest Community Center, 3427 Hemphill St.
• Wednesday, Feb. 13, 9 a.m.- noon, Riverside Community Center, 3700 E. Belknap St.
• Thursday, Feb. 14, 9 a.m.- noon, Southside Community Center, 959 E. Rosedale St.
• Wednesday, Feb. 20, 9 a.m.- noon, Como Community Center, 4900 Horne St.
• Thursday, Feb. 21, 9 a.m.- noon, Diamond Hill Community Center, 1701 N.E. 36th St.
• Wednesday, Feb. 27, 9 a.m.- noon, Thomas Place Community Center, 4237 Lafayette Ave.
• Thursday, Feb. 28, 9 a.m.- noon, Eugene McCray Community Center, 4932 Wilbarger St.

For more information, check out the Star Telegram article referencing this issue. You can also contact The Dameron Law Firm for this or any other warrant related questions at 817-222-0624 or contact us online.

A Look at the Criminal Courts in Tarrant County

Class A and Class B misdemeanor offenses are handled in the Tarrant County Criminal Courts. There are Ten County Criminal Courts in Tarrant County, all located downtown Fort Worth at the Tim Curry Justice Center, 401 W. Belknap, Fort Worth, Texas 76196. Commonly seen offenses in County Criminal Courts (CCC) are DWI offenses, Possession of Marijuana, Assault, and Theft.

District Courts are charged with overseeing felony offenses. The Fort Worth Courthouse (Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center) has Ten Criminal District Courts. Cases these courts handle felony cases anywhere from Drug Possession to Homicide.

Below is a List of the Courts located in the Tim Curry Criminal Justice Center, aka the Criminal Courthouse for Tarrant County.