Author Archives: Byron L. Brown
Texas Gun Laws Contain Some Curious Loopholes (No Pun Intended)
The law in Texas governing firearms is an intricate web of who, what, when, where, why, and how. For example, different laws apply to a person who is licensed to carry a handgun and a person who is not, to handguns and long guns, to times when certain events are occurring and when they… Read More »
What’s in a Signature? Sign in the Dotted Line
Autograph, signature, imprimatur, John Hancock—they all mean essentially the same thing. We sign so many things as we go about our daily lives that it hardly seems like our signature even matters. Can you even remember the last thing that you signed? Was it a check? A credit card receipt? Maybe a Valentines Day… Read More »
Requests, Disclosures and Exceptions for Body Cam and Dash Cam Videos
Body-worn cameras, or “body cams” as they are known colloquially, are becoming more and more prevalent among police departments, perhaps due in part to the several high-profile officer-involved shootings our nation has seen reported in the media in recent years. While they are not yet as ubiquitous as in-car video cameras, known as “dash… Read More »
Is Santa Claus Breaking Laws?
Santa Claus is coming to town. He’ll also be coming down your chimney, which may cause you to wonder, as I often have, whether Santa commits a crime by entering your home through the chimney. Let’s discuss. The Texas Penal Code defines the crime of burglary as when a person, “without the effective consent… Read More »
Fire Regulation in Texas on the State and Local Levels
With several deadly wildfires currently raging in California, I thought it would be pertinent to discuss some Texas fire laws at this time. First, did you know that cigarettes sold in Texas must undergo testing and certification for ignition propensity? Essentially, this testing is intended to determine whether a discarded cigarette is likely to… Read More »
A Grave Matter: The Law of the Texas Cemetery
I visited an historical cemetery once for a school project in sixth grade. Our class was studying a local historical figure — sadly, I cannot remember who — and the teacher offered extra credit for any student who visited the historical figure’s gravesite and made a rubbing of the headstone to turn in as… Read More »
Thinking About Art and Potential Liability
I have a friend whose occupation requires him to spend a lot of time in airports. Recently, he created a photo album on his social media account, titled “airport art,” and began periodically uploading photos of the artwork that he encounters in and around airports. The album consists almost entirely of paintings and sculptures;… Read More »
A Cautionary Tale: Are Home Warranties Worth It?
What follows is a case study on whether home warranties are “worth it.” I have been given permission to tell this story, but not to disclose the names of the parties involved. Therefore, I’ll call the homeowner in this story “Homer” and the home warranty company “HWC.” Incidentally, Homer is someone near and dear… Read More »
Poison: Conflicts of Interest for Texas Local Public Officials
There’s a saying in toxicology: “the dose makes the poison.” This saying is derived from the concept that any substance, including water and oxygen, can become toxic at high enough concentrations. Well, a similar concept can be applied to conflicts of interest. Virtually any action taken by a public official can have some positive… Read More »
Public Information Requests in Texas – That Information’s Gonna Cost You
The Texas Public Information Act governs the public’s access to information held by governmental bodies in Texas. It also governs the cost of obtaining such information. Specifically, the Act states that “[t]he charge for providing a copy of public information shall be an amount that reasonably includes all costs related to reproducing the public… Read More »