Fighting for
Second Chances,
One Case at a Time

Parole is the discretionary and conditional release of an eligible prisoner so that he may serve the remainder of his sentence under supervision in the community rather than in prison. In Texas, parole is a privilege, not a right, and the Board of Pardons and Paroles is not required to release anyone on parole.

In a panel case, a three person panel votes on whether to release the prisoner. Each Board office has one Board Member and two Parole Commissioners. A majority vote is required to grant parole.

The Board considers a wide range of factors, including the nature and severity of the offense, the prisoner's criminal history, his institutional adjustment and disciplinary record, his participation in educational and vocational programs, his reentry plan including living arrangements and employment, the availability of family and community support, and any victim or law enforcement opposition in the file. The Board may also consider allegations, arrests without charges, and charges that did not result in convictions.

No. Because parole is a privilege and not a constitutional right, a prisoner has no due process rights in the parole process. There is no right to a meeting with Board voters, no right to know what information is being considered, and no right to view the parole file. The file is confidential and closed to the prisoner and his representatives.

However, the Board does have a policy of meeting with prisoners who have served 20 consecutive years in TDCJ, and for certain offenses, 30 consecutive years in TDCJ.

The parole process begins six months before the initial review date and four months before subsequent reviews. The Board can vote a case two months before the official review date.

This is why it is important to retain counsel well in advance, ideally nine to twelve months before the review date for serious cases.

When a prisoner becomes eligible for parole review, he is interviewed by the Unit's Institutional Parole Officer (IPO). The IPO gathers information about the prisoner's living plan, disciplinary status, criminal history, the holding offense or offenses, and his institutional adjustment. The IPO prepares a summary of this information that becomes part of the parole file for the Board's review. While the IPO does not vote on parole, his summary is seen by the Board panel. It is important for the prisoner to be polite and cooperative with the IPO.

Yes, a meeting can always be requested. However, whether a meeting is granted, and the format (phone, Zoom, or in person), is entirely at the lead voter's discretion. We will not know if a meeting will be allowed until the file is assigned to a lead voter and that voter makes a decision. When meetings are granted, the Board typically gives only a few days' notice.

Effective September 1, 2025, Board policy limits all meetings to 20 minutes.

Discretionary mandatory supervision (DMS) is a form of early release separate from parole. When an eligible prisoner's actual calendar time served plus accrued good conduct time equals the length of his sentence, he may be released to community supervision. This release date is also called the "projected release date" or the "shortway date."

Not all prisoners are eligible for DMS. Many offense categories are excluded by law. For prisoners who are eligible, DMS provides a second opportunity for early release if parole is not granted.

No. Although a prisoner eligible for DMS has a vested statutory interest in release, the Board reviews and votes on the case before release occurs, just as it does in parole reviews. The Board may deny release if it determines that the prisoner's accrued good conduct time is not an accurate reflection of his rehabilitation potential and that his release would endanger the public.

If release is denied, the case is reviewed and voted annually until release is granted or the sentence discharges.

Both. While DMS eligibility provides a second opportunity for early release, the Board will often deny parole and set the case off to the projected release date rather than grant parole outright.

Yes. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has ruled that a prisoner is entitled to notice of the specific month and year in which he will be reviewed for DMS release, and that he must be given at least 30 days advance notice so that he has a sufficient opportunity to submit materials on his behalf. If a prisoner is not provided with at least 30 days notice, the Board loses the authority to deny release but retains the authority to impose conditions of release.

Certain cases require a heightened voting standard called an "Extraordinary Vote." Under Texas Government Code §508.046, all seven members of the Board must vote, and at least five of the seven (a super majority) must vote in favor of release for parole to be granted. Parole Commissioners do not vote in Extraordinary Vote cases.

Extraordinary vote cases involve prisoners convicted of: Indecency with a Child by Contact (§21.11(a)(1)); Aggravated Sexual Assault (§22.021); Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Young Child (§21.02); Continuous Trafficking of Persons (§20A.03); certain capital felonies; or prisoners required to serve 35 calendar years before becoming eligible for parole under Texas Government Code §508.145(c).

Five of the seven Board members must vote in favor of release. If three or more members vote to deny, a super majority becomes mathematically impossible and the denial is recorded without requiring the remaining members to vote.

In extraordinary vote cases involving sex offenses, when the Board votes to grant parole, it typically orders the prisoner to complete a pre-release treatment or education program before release. The available options are a 4-month sex offender education program (FI-4R), a 9-month sex offender treatment program (FI-9R), or an 18-month sex offender treatment program (FI-18R). A straight release without a required program (FI-1) is rarely granted in these cases.

The Board sets the case off for a future review. For some extraordinary vote offense categories, the set-off options are 3 or 5 years. For other extraordinary vote offenses, the set-off options are 3, 5, 7, or 10 years.

The Board may also vote a "serve-all" when the prisoner is within a certain number of years of his discharge date, meaning he will remain incarcerated through his maximum sentence date.

The fee depends on the type of case. The four case types are: a panel case, a panel case with discretionary mandatory supervision eligibility, a discretionary mandatory supervision case, and an extraordinary vote case. Please contact the office for a fee quote.

Payment is accepted by cash, check, money order, or credit card. Payment plans are available. In all cases, payment in full is due six months before the scheduled review date.

Once retained, I notify the Client and send the necessary release forms to request records from TDCJ and prior attorneys. I also send a Client Intake Summary for the Client to complete. I then gather and review records from the Client, TDCJ, counties of conviction, and former counsel to fully understand the Client's history, the offense, and his prison adjustment, including disciplinary record, housing history, work history, and reentry plan.

After reviewing all materials, I schedule a legal call or visit with the Client. All written materials and arguments are tailored specifically to each Client's circumstances. No two cases are the same.

I generally begin working on parole cases nine to twelve months before the review date, depending on the seriousness of the offense and the Client's background. The parole process begins six months before the initial review date and four months before subsequent reviews, so it is important to retain counsel well in advance to allow sufficient time for investigation and preparation.

The Client's cooperation and responsiveness are essential. The Client must provide all requested information completely and on time. The quality of the representation depends in part on the information and documentation the Client is able to provide.

No. No Attorney can guarantee a parole outcome or promise release by a specific date. The final decision rests solely with the Board voters. I will use my best professional efforts to present the strongest possible case, but I cannot guarantee how the Board will vote.

When retained for parole or discretionary mandatory supervision (DMS), representation is strictly limited to that matter before the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. That engagement does not include representation in any other matter.

Other matters — such as parole revocation defense, prison disciplinary cases, security threat group matters, commutation of sentence, MRIS/medical parole, housing assignments, time credits, job assignments, visitation issues, or medical matters — may be handled, but each requires a separate engagement and separate fee agreement. Hiring me for parole or DMS representation does not cover any of these additional matters.