Texas criminal law does not stand still. New legislation, court decisions, regulations, and enforcement practices can change what conduct is legal, what penalties apply, and what rights a person has. This section highlights significant developments and explains them in plain English.
- RECENT SUPREME COURT DEVELOPMENTSearches & Seizures
Your Phone, Your Data & the Police: Digital Privacy Is Changing
Police generally cannot search your phone just because they stopped or arrested you — and the Supreme Court's new Chatrie decision holds that your cell-phone location history is constitutionally protected.
Updated September 12, 2026Read Update - ACTIVE DEVELOPMENTSSecond Amendment & Firearms
Second Amendment: The Changing Landscape
The Supreme Court continues to redefine where firearms may be carried, who may possess them, and what kinds of weapons the Constitution protects. Follow the major decisions and cases still ahead.
Updated September 6, 2026See What's Changing - EFFECTIVE NOWArrest, Jail & Bond
Texas Bail Law Changed: When Can Someone Be Held Without Bail?
Texas expanded the circumstances in which a person accused of certain serious crimes can be held without bail — and changed how bail decisions are made.
Updated September 6, 2026Effective January 1, 2026Read Update - EFFECTIVE NOWDrugs & THC
Delta-8 THC in Texas: The Law Changed on July 31, 2026
Texas reinstated controlled-substance scheduling treatment of Delta-8 THC. Products once sold openly as hemp can now carry serious criminal exposure.
Updated September 6, 2026Effective July 31, 2026Read Update
This section provides general information and is not legal advice. Using it does not create an attorney-client relationship.
