Category: Murder

The difference between first-degree and second-degree murder can determine whether a defendant faces a long prison sentence or the death penalty. Most people have heard these legal terms on the news or in courtroom dramas, but few understand how the degrees of murder are defined under the law. The distinction centers [...]

The difference between murder and homicide under Texas law is that homicide is a broad legal term, while murder is one specific type of homicide. News reports and TV shows use these words as though they mean the same thing. They do not. Under Texas law, "criminal homicide" is the umbrella category that covers all [...]