Posted on · Criminal court judges elected last November are using a local rule to allow many indigent misdemeanor defendants out on their own recognizance, rather than awaiting trial in jail because they can’t afford to bond out.
Posted on · If a defendant is to be released without having to pay bail, Acevedo says risk assessments need to be conducted on whether they have a history of violent crime.
Posted on · Criminal justice reform was a major topic at Houston’s recent Democratic presidential debate.
Posted on · A national movement to commemorate lynching victims could come to the Houston area and recognize four black men who were killed here.
Posted on · Ogg campaigned for election in 2016 on the need for comprehensive bail reform, but she argues the proposed settlement of Harris County's bail reform lawsuit goes too far to accommodate defendants without providing adequate protections for victims or the public.
Posted on · On Tuesday's Houston Matters: Why the DA opposes the recent bail reform lawsuit settlement, area sports team discuss how you cultivate a fan base here, the experience of foreign exchange students and their hosts, and music from The Regrettes.
Posted on · The Houston Matters panel of non-experts weighs in on stories from the week’s news and decides if they’re good, bad, or ugly.
Posted on · On Wednesday's Houston Matters: We discuss Citgo's future after a recent court ruling, we learn about the challenges faced by asylum seekers without an attorney, we break down the latest political news, we learn about historic buildings in Galveston in need of preservation, and the local duo Space Kiddettes performs some original songs.
Posted on · On Monday's Houston Matters: A tentative settlement is reached in the lawsuit over the county's bail system, a new program aims to keeps kids out of the court system, lawmakers want Texas to sue the federal government over costs of securing the border, we discuss issues raised in the Hulu movie Culture Shock, and we hear stories from the integration of Texas football.
Posted on · On Friday's Houston Matters: Bail bond companies sue the county. We explore the history of blackface. We break down The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly of the week's news. And John Oates pays homage to his roots.
Posted on · On Friday's Houston Matters: Bail reform, noise pollution, the week's news, and the emotional baggage of inanimate objects.
Posted on · The suit includes several judges and the county District Attorney
Posted on · County officials say they have presented a settlement proposal based on the opinion from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
Posted on · On Thursday's Houston Matters: We discuss a lawsuit over bail reform in Harris County. We learn how children are affected when their parents are incarcerated. A historian explains how migration to Houston before World War II changed notions of race here. And a witness to the 1947 Texas City disaster shares his story.
Posted on · The Texas Legislature is considering a bill that would keep many poor people out of jail while awaiting trial. But it could make a victim out of the bail bonds industry.