• ALL JURY TRIALS ARE CANCELED THROUGH MAY 11, 2020
• Current court dates through April will be evaluated and may be rescheduled
• Necessary court appearances will be scheduled at requested specific time slots
• All of these appearances will be in the 26th district courtroom at 9:00 11:00 1:30 or 3:30
• Specific courts have issued reset dates for pending cases as reflected below

26TH DISTRICT COURT

• March 23. 2020 reset to June 23, 2020
• March 26. 2020 reset to June 25, 2020
• April 6, 2020 reset to July 2, 2020
• April 9 through April 23, 2020 reset to July 14, 2020
• May 4 through May 18, 2020 reset to July 16, 2020

277TH DISTRICT COURT:

• Wednesday March 25, 2020 will be reset until June 24, 2020 at 9:00 am
• April 8, 2020 reset to July 1, 2020
• April 14, 2020 reset to July 7, 2020
• April 15, 2020 reset to July 8, 2020
• April 16, 2020 reset to July 9, 2020
• April 28, 2020 reset to July 21 2020
• April 29, 2020 reset to July 22, 2020 *court time remains at 9:00 or 1:30 for this date as previously set
• April 30, 2020 reset to July 23, 2020

368TH DISTRICT COURT:

• March 24. 2020 reset to June 23, 2020
• March 25. 2020 reset to June 24, 2020
• April 7, 2020 reset to June 30, 2020
• April 8, 2020 reset to July 1, 2020
• April 21 through June 9th, 2020 reset to July 14, 2020

WILLIAMSON COUNTY MISDEMEANOR CRIMINAL COURTS COVID-19 RESETS

• ALL MISDEMEANOR MATTERS ARE CONTINUED THROUGH MAY 11, 2020.
• Jail cases will be handled by arrangement with individual courts
• Electronic court hearings may be handled through Microsoft Teams or Court Call

FOLKS HAVE MANY REASONS FOR ENTERING AND STAYING IN TROUBLESOME RELATIONSHIPS.

TROUBLING SIGNS IN A ROMANTIC PARTNER

• Extremes of emotion—they're either over-the-top happy, or extremely sad or angry,
• A tendency toward impulsivity,
• Blaming others for their own problems,
• Attempts to control you or others,
• Obsessing about perceived wrongs done to them by others,
• Compulsive shopping or gambling,
• Self-harm activities (cutting, burning) or threats of suicide,
• Verbal abuse directed at you or others around them,
• More violent actions, like hitting, screaming, or throwing things,
• Drug and/or alcohol abuse.

• Troubled work history/repeated firings,
• Bankruptcies, evictions, or other escalated debt issues,
• Accusations or charges of child/elderly abuse or domestic violence against your partner,
• Accusations or charges of child/elderly abuse or domestic violence by your partner against another person,
• Any history of stalking or harassing former partners or co-workers,
• Any history of filing restraining orders,
• Loss of child custody or termination of parental rights,
• Multiple divorces or brief marriages,
• Suicide attempts,
• A history of treatment and relapse for alcohol or drug problems,
• Incarceration for a violent criminal offense.

PROTECT YOURSELF IF YOU ANTICIPATE TROUBLE

• Save copies of every text message and email between you and your partner, or you and your partner's friends and family. In the end, all communication others claim came from you can be altered to portray you in an unflattering light.
• In situations where an argument escalates, NEVER interrupt your partner's 911 emergency call. Doing so pins you with a criminal charge, regardless of the nature of the argument or fight.  It also makes you look controlling and like you have something to hide.
• Tell family and friends about a partner's erratic and troublesome behaviors and your concerns of what might happen.
• Protect your electronic devices (computers, tablets, and cellphones) by changing passwords. Disturbed partners can send fake text messages and emails from your devices to support false claims of child sexual assault, domestic violence, or cheating
• Protect your online accounts (email, social media, shopping sites, and credit card/bank) by changing passwords or adding two-step authentication.
• Protect your valuables, as well as your driver's license, birth certificate, car titles, and money.
• Document where you can.
  • Keep a private journal that includes dates and times of incidents—especially arguments and escalations.  I call these "CYA" journals, and there is no question that you will remember more details near the time of the incident than you will hours, days or weeks later.
  • In some cases, those accused of physical and emotional abuse have even been victims at the hand of an unstable partner.
• Gather as much evidence as you can without putting yourself in danger. If you feel that you are in any danger or are a victim of abuse now, contact your local abuse services to get immediate help.  Both men and women can be the victims of controlling or abusive partners, and an abusive or controlling spouse who tells their story to the police first can sometimes convince them that the other partner is the abuser.
• Save communications; record them if necessary. This applies to phone conversations and on-site conversations as well as text messages and emails. Texas law allows for recording of conversations when only one party is aware that the tape is rolling.  In this case, that would be you.
• Suggest couples' counseling. If that fails, get support for yourself. Sometimes family or finances prevent you from ending a relationship with a disturbed partner. Even if your partner refuses joint help through a professional, you're better prepared with support by your side.

IF NECESSARY, TALK TO POLICE OR AN ATTORNEY.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF IF THE POLICE ARE CALLED AND YOU ARE ACCUSED?

• Know that your every move is being recorded.  All police officers wear body-microphones that transmit audio back to their patrol cars.  Many officers also wear body cameras that record audio and video of their encounters with witnesses and suspects.
• Remember that you are being accused of violence.
• Don't react aggressively or violently toward the police.
• Be calm, respectful and polite to officers.
• If you are innocent of violence, you can simply say that you didn't engage in any violent acts.
• Beyond that, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT.  USE IT!

• Ensure that you're well-rested, and allow extra time to arrive at your destination.  Central Texas holiday highways are forever crowded with unseasoned drivers and traffic choke points--even on mega-highway IH-35.
• Verify that your license and insurance are current, since police can check their status without pulling you over.  A mere charge of "driving with invalid license" or "driving with no insurance" can lead to costly tickets or an unanticipated  trip to jail.
• Don't drink, text, or smoke marijuana while driving.  This especially applies to late-evening or morning hours when patrol-persons are out in full force and on the hunt for intoxicated drivers.  Remember: even one false move may prompt them to pull you over and put you through the ringer.
• Watch out for other drivers.  You might be sober as a judge, but the guy in the next car might have forfeited his best faculties to drink, stress, electronic devices, or an excess indulgence in Easter candy.
• Stay relaxed, cool, and calm, especially if you're driving away from extended-family drama. If you're angry or upset when you place that key in the ignition, you're more likely to lose your focus and best judgment behind the wheel.

IF YOU'RE PULLED OVER

• • Remember that your every move is likely being recorded by the officer's in-car video camera.
  • Move safely--but quickly--to the side of the road. Doing so isn't an admission of guilt.  It IS, however, a sign of alertness and cooperation the officer will notice as he decides whether to investigate you further.
  • Scrupulously follow all traffic laws.  Use appropriate turn signals. and don't make any sudden driving moves.
  • Put the officer at ease by resting your hands on the steering wheel where he/she can see them.
  • Don't start rummaging for your license and registration unless you are told to do so.  Your innocent attempt to anticipate the officer's request for these documents may be regarded as a "furtive movement"--giving officers an excuse to search your car or even assume you're reaching for a weapon.
  • Stay in the car until and unless the officer directs you to get out.

• • Let the officer do the talking, and only respond when appropriate.
  • Don't offer more information than necessary—your voluntary admissions can come back to haunt you.
  • Remember that until you are in custody, the officer doesn't have to read you your rights.

REMEMBER YOUR RIGHTS WHILE YOU'RE ON THE ROAD

• You have an absolute right to remain silent.  Use it!
• Don't share any more information than you have to.  Being pulled over makes most people nervous, and nervous people tend to talk too much.  Your loose lips may lead you to say something you shouldn't.
• You don't have to consent to a search of yourself or your car. If you're not under arrest, beware an officer's seemingly-innocent request to “take a look inside the car."  If an officer DOES ask to search, he's hoping to find something illegal, and won't stop looking until he does.
• You don't have to wait forever for a drug-sniffing dog to come to the scene.  Very often, officers bluff people into consenting to a search of their vehicle because they're told that if they don't, a drug dog will be called to the scene.  Since every municipality only employs a few drug dogs, there is a good chance that the dog handler won't arrive for some time.  If you have to wait beyond a few minutes, officers must let you go.   When in doubt, remember this: if you admit possession of something you shouldn't have you will be arrested and go to jail, but if the drug dog doesn't make it to the scene within a few minutes you will most likely be released.
• If you are arrested, you have the right to retain an attorney, and you should request one immediately. As soon as you request legal representation, police must cease to question you. They also can't return for further questioning at a later time.
• Once the officer has completed the reason for the traffic stop, you have the right to ask if you can freely leave the scene.  Unless you are to be arrested or formally detained, officers should allow you to proceed on your way.  Our laws don't allow them to force questions on you while they fish around to uncover some other reason to detain you.

THE NEWS REPORTS:

• Two residents are dead. and others severely injured, from bomb-laden packages delivered to the doorsteps of three Austin homes.
• The unfortunate first victim, 39-year old Anthony Stephan House, died on March 2nd after a package detonated on his porch in the 1100 block of Haverford Drive in Northeast Austin.
• A bit over a week later, at 6:45 a.m. this past Monday, another Austin resident—a 17-year-old—died from an exploding package that also injured a 40-year-old woman at the home.
• Mere hours later that same day, a 75-year-old woman was victim to yet another deadly parcel sitting on the front porch of her home in the 6700 block of Galindo Street. She's in critical but stable condition, thank goodness.
• None of the packages were mailed through the U.S. Postal service, nor did they bear markings of typical vendors or services like Amazon, UPS, or FedEx. These were hand-deliveries, likely during late-night or morning hours.
• The boxes themselves weren't unusual in appearance or size, so victims had no reason to be on guard.
• We don't know if the victims were individually targeted or chosen at random.
• According to the Washington Post, a connection between two of the victims has surfaced. It seems that grandfathers of the two dead male victims knew each other.  House was a stepson of former historic Austin church pastor Freddie Dixon; the 17-year-old's grandfather was a friend of Dixon's.
• Authorities are uncertain as to whether this connection is mere coincidence.
• Because the recipients of packages were either African-American or Latino, some have speculated that ill will against minority groups could be a motivating factor.

STATUS OF THE INVESTIGATION

COMMUNITIES PAY A HIGH PRICE FOR MURDERS

WHO IS THE BOMBER?

TIP ONE

• Be aware on the road.

1. In the days leading up to, during and after the festival, law enforcement will be out--en force--in areas surrounding the various SXSW festivals and directions north and south of downtown, up and down the Interstate 35 corridor.
2. During SXSW, law enforcement monitors a huge slice of the metropolis surrounding downtown Austin.  Even the suburban police in locales like Round Rock and San Marcos will be on high alert.
3. A number of years ago, in Round Rock, I had a homeowner's disaster the week before SXSW, and had to find alternate lodging.  Even a week before the shows started, my family and I struggled to find a hotel room farther south than Georgetown.
4. To sum up, SXSW means that police from Wells Branch, Pflugerville, Round Rock and Georgetown to the north and Kyle, Buda and San Marcos to the south will all be more vigilant.

TIP TWO

• Do NOT drink and drive.  I repeat...Do NOT drink and drive.

1. Austin is a large city with already-significant traffic issues.  Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), an organization quite active in Texas and especially in our capital city, pushes the police to treat SXSW as "open season" for prophylactic DWI arrests.
2. The Austin Police Department (APD) has a well-trained army of DWI specialists who run around town during DWI/DUI-prone periods (evening and early morning), gleefully performing a slew of sobriety tests on suspected drivers.
3. APD's unofficial slogan, as many Austinites have come to know, is: Never, EVER, give a suspected intoxicated driver the benefit of the doubt.
4. If an officer has to choose between protecting the community and cutting a loopy driver some slack, they'll go with the "protecting part" every time.
5. If there's any suspiction at all that you're intoxicated, no level of young, cute, wealthy, or even nice will dissuade Austin cops from an arrest.

TIP THREE

• Do NOT smoke marijuana and drive. No matter what you've heard, your "relaxation" after a blunt DOES NOT make you a better driver.

1. For starters, you're not in Denver. Marijuana posession is not legal in Texas. That said, Austin is a pretty progressive town as far as Texas is concerned, and has largely decriminalized marijuana possession for personal use.
2. Nonetheless, partaking of the reefer right before or while driving can cause a boatload of problems for you and your passengers.
3. That distinct aroma of marijuana passing through your rolled-down window gives cops probable cause to detain an auto's driver (in this scenario, YOU) and test for signs of intoxication.
4. The very same odor gives the cops enough probable cause to search your car.
5. Even if you're not textbook "intoxicated" enough to be arrested, you can receive a ticket--or even shiny new bracelets--if you're holding a substantial amount of marijuana
6. If the police find anything else illegal--no matter how unrelated to their intial reason for the search--it's bonus points for them, and lockup time for you.

TIP FOUR

• Don't even let your passengers smoke marijuana or do any other drugs in your car.

1. If you're driving the car, the police will consider you to be in care, custody, and control of the drugs because you are in control of the car.
2. Even if you don't partake of the drugs, you'll have a posession charge on your hands.
3. If it's your car, the police will lawfully assume that it's your dope.
4. Even if it's not your dope, if none of your passengers claim responsibility, your whole carload might just go to jail.
5. In reference to #1 of Tip Three above, even if cops only notice a passenger misbehaving, it makes your vehicle fair game for a full search and troubling consequences.

TIP FIVE

• Obey traffic laws.

1. Especially after midnight, well-caffeinated officers tune in like they're spotting quail.  Your rolling through a stop sign slaps the big red bullseye on your back.
2. Don't speed.  Even if you're not intoxicated, other drivers may be.
3. Some partiers learn too late that downtown Austin is configured on a grid.  Newsflash: many downtown streets are one-way. The Heinekens always lie.
4. Just turning onto a one-way street can cause an accident or catch the eye of late-night law enforcers.
5. Driving tip for tourists:  In Texas, you can turn right on a red light after a complete stop. Your stop should not extend into a crosswalk.
6. Another driving tip: In Texas, you can turn left on a red light after you stop...but only if you are turning from a one-way street onto a one-way street.
7. Failing to do either of the above is regarded as "blocking the box"...an activity that will invite a cop stop and potential arrest.

TIP SIX

• (We hope this is a given, but..) if you get stopped by the police, be polite and respectful.

1. On the other hand, even if police ask nicely, you DO NOT have to consent to a vehicle search.
2. Even if you're squeaky-clean, you may have had passengers who dropped an illegal parting gift on the floorboard.
3. If you refuse a search, police may puff up and threaten to call drug dogs to sniff the car.  Don't fall for this tactic unless the dog gets there within a very short period of time, the police have to let you go.
4. If you're asked whether you have any illegal items in the car, don't say a word.  Admitting to any contraband will simply call off the dogs and send you straight to jail.
5. Despite assurances that they'll cut you some slack, confessing to illegal activity will just give the police what they've been waiting for--justification to arrest you and lock you up.
6. Once again, again, Tip Three.  If there is anything completely unrelated but nevertheless illegal in your car, the police will arrest you for it.

TIP SEVEN

• Always be aware of your surroundings.

1. Potential danger can lie in the friendliest seeming watering holes--if you focus all of your attention on having a blast, you might easily lose track of your friends, your drink, your purse, your wallet or your location. Keep your eyes and ears open.  Panicked screaming usually means something's wrong, whether it is coming from inside a building or in the street.  Make your way to a safer place.
2. If you lose sight of your drink, pour it out and get another one.  Even beyond those horrifying date-rape scenarios, an unwittingly-drugged drinker can still land a DWI charge.
3. Even if you know the lay of the land, downtown Austin's one-way streets can confuse others on the road. Watch out for wrong-way drivers.
4. Listen to your gut.  If you feel that you're in an uncomfortable situation, turn around and get out of there.

TIP EIGHT

• Leave your handgun at home or in the hotel.

1. When you carry a gun into Texas bars, clubs, or liquor stores, you're committing a felony.
2. If you are arrested for DWI, and you're carrying a gun in your car, police will add an additional charge of unlawfully carrying a weapon and probably lose the gun to boot.
3. Granted, Texas supports your right to carry a gun while traveling...but driving to and from a bar is not what we're talking about.
4. See our page HERE for more information regarding Texas laws regarding the unlawful carrying of handguns.

TIP NINE

• Carry a current and valid driver's license, auto insurance card, and car registration.

1. Police can even check your license, insurance and registration while you're parked.
2. Simply driving without valid insurance invites a ticket.  Don't let this simple thing slip, since a citation is a big, unnecessary pain.
3. Police in Austin have equipment that can automatically scan multiple license plates and check their status by computer.  Check to be sure that you don't have any unpaid tickets --otherwise, you might get a free insider's tour of the Austin jail.

TIP TEN

• Before you go out, plan for the trip home.

1. Do a pre-party huddle with your group to hash out an evening exit plan, with fall-back options in case one of you becomes dangerously intoxicated or is separated from the group.
2. "Keep Austin Weird" may well describe our Austin area public transit system; on the off-chance you're stranded downtown in the wee hours, have taxi, bus, and train information handy.
3. SXSW has an excellent page with links to various transit options HERE. These include:

• • Taxis
  • Lyft (No Uber in Austin!)
  • Car-2-Go
  • Pedicabs
  • City bikes
  • Electric cabs

TIP ELEVEN

• If you ARE arrested, heed the advice of your fourth-grade teacher and zip your lips.  Ask to speak to your lawyer before telling police anything.  Always exercise your right to remain silent until you consult with an attorney.

THE TAKEAWAY...AT SXSW, THE TERMS "FUN" AND "SAFE" DON'T HAVE TO BE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE.

BY THE WAY, WE HOPE YOU WON'T NEED US.  BUT IF YOU DO, RUSS HUNT, JR. COMPASSIONATELY AND EFFECTIVELY DEFENDS SXSW ATTENDEES CHARGED WITH CRIMES IN WILLIAMSON AND TRAVIS COUNTIES.

HERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT WILL HELP TO KEEP YOU SAFE AT SXSW AND OTHER MUSIC FESTIVALS IN AUSTIN AND AROUND THE WORLD: