Pretrial & Defense

Grand juries do important work. They determine whether individuals have committed a crime worth prosecuting. 

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Texas is on the verge of overhauling the way it selects grand jurors, shifting away from an antiquated process that critics say creates the potential for conflicts of interest.

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In a victory for prison reform groups, in-person visitations are coming back after more than two years behind screens.

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The Fort Bend County sheriff is pushing back against criticism of his agency following two reported jail suicides this fall, including a state report citing the jail for violating minimum standards.

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About $170,000 in tax money has been paid to outside attorneys to defend Harris Country officials from a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging that the bail bond system discriminates against poor people, records show.

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County officials have known for some time that the Harris County jail is overcrowded with inmates who haven't yet been convicted of a crime, who are there in many instances just because they can't afford to pay bail before trial.

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If you're accused of a crime in Harris County, within 24 hours, you'll reach a fork in the road: a bail hearing.

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When Ashley Ervin was sentenced to life in prison for capital murder, her bedroom was decorated with Mickey Mouse everything.

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University of Houston law professor Sandra Thompson promises that bail hearings are not what you've seen on TV—especially in Harris County.

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You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney.

Read the rest of this article at Houston Chronicle.