HOUSTON TEXAS CRIMINAL LAW FIRM | HARRIS COUNTY DEFENSE ATTORNEYS

ARTICLE 1. BILL OF RIGHTS

Sec. 1. FREEDOM AND SOVEREIGNTY OF STATE. Texas is a free and
independent State, subject only to the Constitution of the United
States, and the maintenance of our free institutions and the
perpetuity of the Union depend upon the preservation of the right of
local self-government, unimpaired to all the States.
Sec. 2. INHERENT POLITICAL POWER; REPUBLICAN FORM OF
GOVERNMENT. All political power is inherent in the people, and all free
governments are founded on their authority, and instituted for their
benefit. The faith of the people of Texas stands pledged to the
preservation of a republican form of government, and, subject to this
limitation only, they have at all times the inalienable right to alter,
reform or abolish their government in such manner as they may think
expedient.
Sec. 3. EQUAL RIGHTS. All free men, when they form a social compact,
have equal rights, and no man, or set of men, is entitled to exclusive
separate public emoluments, or privileges, but in consideration of
public services.
Sec. 3a. EQUALITY UNDER THE LAW. Equality under the law shall not
be denied or abridged because of sex, race, color, creed, or national
origin. This amendment is self-operative.

(Added Nov. 7, 1972.)

Sec. 4. RELIGIOUS TESTS. No religious test shall ever be required as a
qualification to any office, or public trust, in this State; nor shall any
one be excluded from holding office on account of his religious
sentiments, provided he acknowledge the existence of a Supreme
Being.
Sec. 5. WITNESSES NOT DISQUALIFIED BY RELIGIOUS BELIEFS;
OATHS AND AFFIRMATIONS. No person shall be disqualified to give
evidence in any of the Courts of this State on account of his religious
opinions, or for the want of any religious belief, but all oaths or
affirmations shall be administered in the mode most binding upon the
conscience, and shall be taken subject to the pains and penalties of
perjury.
Sec. 6. FREEDOM OF WORSHIP. All men have a natural and
indefeasible right to worship Almighty God according to the dictates of
their own consciences. No man shall be compelled to attend, erect or
support any place of worship, or to maintain any ministry against his
consent. No human authority ought, in any case whatever, to control
or interfere with the rights of conscience in matters of religion, and no
preference shall ever be given by law to any religious society or mode
of worship. But it shall be the duty of the Legislature to pass such
laws as may be necessary to protect equally every religious
denomination in the peaceable enjoyment of its own mode of public
worship.
Sec. 7. APPROPRIATIONS FOR SECTARIAN PURPOSES. No money shall
be appropriated, or drawn from the Treasury for the benefit of any
sect, or religious society, theological or religious seminary; nor shall
property belonging to the State be appropriated for any such
purposes.
Sec. 8. FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND PRESS; LIBEL. Every person shall
be at liberty to speak, write or publish his opinions on any subject,
being responsible for the abuse of that privilege; and no law shall
ever be passed curtailing the liberty of speech or of the press. In
prosecutions for the publication of papers, investigating the conduct
of officers, or men in public capacity, or when the matter published is
proper for public information, the truth thereof may be given in
evidence. And in all indictments for libels, the jury shall have the right
to determine the law and the facts, under the direction of the court,
as in other cases.
Sec. 9. SEARCHES AND SEIZURES. The people shall be secure in their
persons, houses, papers and possessions, from all unreasonable
seizures or searches, and no warrant to search any place, or to seize
any person or thing, shall issue without describing them as near as
may be, nor without probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation.
Sec. 10. RIGHTS OF ACCUSED IN CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS. In all
criminal prosecutions the accused shall have a speedy public trial by
an impartial jury. He shall have the right to demand the nature and
cause of the accusation against him, and to have a copy thereof. He
shall not be compelled to give evidence against himself, and shall
have the right of being heard by himself or counsel, or both, shall be
confronted by the witnesses against him and shall have compulsory
process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, except that when the
witness resides out of the State and the offense charged is a violation
of any of the anti-trust laws of this State, the defendant and the
State shall have the right to produce and have the evidence admitted
by deposition, under such rules and laws as the Legislature may
hereafter provide; and no person shall be held to answer for a
criminal offense, unless on an indictment of a grand jury, except in
cases in which the punishment is by fine or imprisonment, otherwise
than in the penitentiary, in cases of impeachment, and in cases arising
in the army or navy, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of
war or public danger.

(Amended Nov. 5, 1918.)

Sec. 11. BAIL. All prisoners shall be bailable by sufficient sureties,
unless for capital offenses, when the proof is evident; but this
provision shall not be so construed as to prevent bail after indictment
found upon examination of the evidence, in such manner as may be
prescribed by law.

Attorney Andy Nolen represents people who have been accused of a state crime or Houston law, including in communities such as League City,
Angleton, Pearland, Alvin, Clear Lake, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, Baytown, Pasadena, Memorial, Spring Branch, River Oaks, West University, and
Bellaire. Counties that the Law Office of Andy Nolen serves include: Galveston County • Fort Bend County • Montgomery County • Brazoria County •
Harris County. Cases handled include: Probation Violations, Theft, Shoplifting, Drunk Driving, Evading Arrest, and all other Felonies and Misdemeanors.

Law Office of Criminal Attorney Andy Nolen
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