Piney Woods Justice

In a heated Republican race for the spot on the bench of the 159th District Court in Angelina County, Texas, you heard me interview Al Charanza.  Now it's turn for his opponent, Todd Kassaw to tell y…

A hot election is taking place in Angelina County to replace Paul White as the District Judge of the 159th District Court.  The position presides over felony cases in the county including the worst o…

Kevin Dutton shares the rewards and challenges of presiding as District Attorney over two east Texas counties, San Augustine and Sabine on the shores of Lake Sam Rayburn.  From a tiny office run on a…

Through childhood sexual abuse to a step-dad who suffered a broken back working offshore and then dying of brain cancer, Kayla May has lived through seemingly unsurmountable tragedies.  By escaping t…

Meet Sean Hightower.  Sean was a member of the first graduating class of the brand new Texas A&M law school who came to practice law by way of a full ride debate scholarship to Stephen F. Austin Stat…

An old soul who's seen it all, Chinta Spikes doesn't sugarcoat her tale of early childhood abuse from her mother, including beatings with an extension cord that made her bleed.  She went on to be inv…

Every defense attorney longs for that glory moment when he's cross-examining a key witness for the State, who admits on the stand, "Yes, I lied.  I made it up 'cause I'm crazy!"  and your client goes…

Brent Tanksley shares his own recovery journey as we explore the psychology of addiction.  Brent is a well known substance abuse counselor, or as he likes to put it, a substance use disorder, counsel…

March 2020 Valeria, a 54 year old mentally ill African-American who pleads guilty to aggregated theft of over 1.3 million, is sentenced in Conroe, TX to 70 years in the Texas State Penitentiary.  But…

This Episode I answered Kristy Waters' question about how to change a statute regarding liquor laws in her town of Lufkin, TX.
What authority does the Federal Govt. have over Texas liquor laws?
Why are…

21 years old and already lived more than enough for one lifetime.  Erika was no stranger to the criminal justice system having been first detained at age 15 in 9th grade for stealing her Uncle's car …

Brad has been counseling addicts for several years with the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Council of East Texas (ADAC).  He works with the Angelina County Probation Dept. as well as the 159th District Drug …

Dana Williams calls it as she sees it and that ain't always pretty.  She's a defense attorney in Livingston, Texas, just north of Houston.  Dana describes some of the unfair practices common in the c…

Drug Court is a program for defendants on felony probation.  In Lufkin, Texas Judge Paul White started such a program sixteen years ago because he was tired of sending the same people to prison over …

Ryan shares his personal stories of how he became a lawyer, what it's like practicing criminal and family law in East Texas and the surprising details of several of his most interesting cases:  how h…