Failing a court-ordered drug test while on probation can have devastating consequences, including potential revocation and incarceration. However, with an experienced Texas lawyer guiding you through the process, options may exist to help with your freedom and negotiate second chances. 

Seek Legal Representation Promptly

If a failed, positive drug screening comes back from the lab against the terms of your probation, immediately inform your probation officer transparently. You should first discuss the next best steps and strategy in confidentiality with a criminal lawyer, specifically in these matters. In Texas, any admission of guilt to authorities without an attorney present can critically backfire in court.

Violating your probation terms in Texas has consequences, and the severity will have different factors. Probation grants community supervision instead of jail on condition you follow strict rules. Not following those rules adds penalties. Understanding the process is vital to ensure you follow what you are supposed to do, along with what you should do if you violate your probation. A Texas lawyer can help you understand more of these rules or what to do if you mess up on the rules.

Probation is Like a Second Chance

Probation offers a second chance. It allows you to serve your sentence supervised within society. However, freedom depends on closely obeying all probation requirements laid out by the judge. These often include regular check-ins with your probation officer, maintaining work or education, completing counseling programs and drug tests, adhering to activity restrictions, and performing community service.

Strict compliance demonstrates your determination to become a productive, law-abiding citizen again. However, violations contradict that goal, which can lead to penalties.

Police in Texas use deception when interrogating suspects, but within limits. They cannot cross ethical or legal lines. Understanding exactly when the tactics become unacceptable is key. If brought in for questioning, you must know your rights. Deceptive police tactics can wrongly pressure people into admissions or false confessions. Working with a lawyer can help you so you know when and how to answer the questions.

Common Types of Deceptive Interrogation Tactics Used in Texas

Among the most frequent deceptive tactics Texas police use are:

• Falsely claiming eyewitnesses identified the suspect when no witnesses actually exist.
• Bluffing that a suspect’s friend, accomplice, or co-defendant has already confessed and implicated the suspect, in order to elicit admissions.
• Exaggerating or minimizing the potential criminal charges the suspect faces in order to intimidate or persuade a confession.
• Deceiving the suspect into thinking prosecutors will “go easy” or offer plea bargains if they confess.

Police use deception to pressure suspects into making admissions or confessions during interrogations. Their lies are strategically designed to manipulate people into telling the “truth.” However, these tactics can result in false confessions as well. Suspects often do not fully understand their rights or how the justice system works. This lack of knowledge allows officers to exploit people into confessing to things they did not actually do.

In recent years, there has been a growing shift in public opinion regarding marijuana use. The majority of states allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes, and some states have also legalized the drug for recreational use. However, it is important to remember that marijuana is still considered an illegal controlled substance under federal law and in Texas. If you are facing drug charges for marijuana possession in Texas, it is crucial to understand the potential consequences you may face if you are convicted.

Marijuana Laws in Texas

Texas has some of the strictest drug laws in the United States when it comes to marijuana. The possession, sale, distribution, or cultivation of any amount of marijuana is considered a criminal offense. The severity of the offense depends on several factors, such as the amount of marijuana involved and whether there was an intent to distribute.

Under the Texas Controlled Substances Act, possession of less than two ounces of marijuana is classified as a Class B misdemeanor. This offense carries a penalty of up to six months in jail and/or a fine not exceeding $2,000.

Originally published: December 27, 2021 -- Updated: August 17, 2023

Update: As described below, accusations that someone has possessed child pornography can lead to multiple types of serious consequences. However, it is also important to understand when a person could potentially be accused of promotion of child pornography, which is an even more serious offense. This sex crime can not only result in large fines and multiple years of jail time, but a person who is convicted will be required to register as a sex offender, which can limit where they will be able to live and affect their ability to find employment.