Texas Case Law & Offense Code Search

The controlling doctrines and exceptions of street-level constitutional law, each anchored to its leading case. State law can be more protective than these federal floors — in Texas, Art. 38.23 often is. Doctrine summaries should be verified against the anchor opinions before publication.

Two locks on every warrantless arrest in Texas. An arrest must be authorized by a specific statutory exception (CCP Chapter 14 or another statute) and supported by Fourth Amendment probable cause. Texas law is more restrictive than the federal floor — and under Art. 38.23, evidence from an arrest that violates the statute can be suppressed even when the Constitution was satisfied.

Not affiliated. This guide is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or compensated by any provider listed on this tab. Providers are listed for officer convenience only — a listing is not a recommendation or a vouch for course quality.

Training providers offering TCOLE-credit-eligible courses that officers can pursue on their own. Access models differ: some sell individual seats or subscriptions with no agency account, one is a membership benefit (CLEAT), and some run primarily in-person. Course catalogs, pricing, access rules, and availability change constantly. Verify current TCOLE eligibility and the reporting arrangement on each provider's own site — and with your training coordinator — before relying on any course for credit.

Verbatim text. The amendment text on this tab is transcribed from the National Archives' enrolled original. The 1789 spelling is preserved — “offence”, “defence” and the capitalisation are the original’s, not errors. Summaries and street points are editorial and are not part of the constitutional text.

These amendments restrain state and local officers through the Fourteenth Amendment’s due process clause. The Third, Seventh, Ninth and Tenth are carried so the Bill of Rights is complete rather than selectively quoted; each says plainly that it has no field application.