NEWS

July 15, 2006

STYLE="font-size: 10pt">CBS 11 News in Dallas broke a story about an ex-convict pretending to be an attorney with a "parole consulting firm" called Parole and Probation Services . In the story filed March 14, 2006, CBS indicated he was charging $5,000.00 to desperate mothers and wives of inmates who wanted their loved ones home again. He promised he could get inmates out because he "worked with the Parole Board," but no attorney named Bob Johnson had ever registered with the state prison system as representing an inmate as required by law. CBS News indicated he had taken over $450,000 from Texas inmates' relatives and loved ones. It is illegal in Texas for any non-attorney to represent inmates in parole matters for compensation, and any lawyer doing so must register the relationship with the state. Again, desperate people will pay disreputable people money just for the hope generated by false promises. Why inmates go to such individuals when there are attorneys who have been representing inmates before the Board for many years and have maintained a very high success rate is difficult to understand. Most of the fees he charged would be what most good attorneys would charge. A good attorney should do an investigation, prepare the parole package and appear before the Parole Board, plus an attorney is obligated by law to perform the legal services he has been paid to perform.

August 20, 2006

Houston Chronicle on Sunday August 20,2006 reported Texas needs three more prisons to keep up the a growing inmate population, the top prison official have told lawmakers. A steady growth in the prison population will require more than 11,000 new beds. The agency presented the 5.6 billion dollar two-year budget including 520 million dollar prison expansion to the legislature.

Sep. 27, 2006

CBS 11 News in Dallas broke a story about an ex-convict pretending to be an attorney with a "parole consulting firm" called Parole and Probation Services. The non-attorney, Mr. Johnson, has been returned to TDCJ and the Attorney General's office as well as the State Bar of Texas are continuing to investigate any attorney associated with Mr. Johnson. The Office of the Inspector General is investigating Parole and Probation Services Inc. Parole and Probation Consulting, Parole Legal Services and National Parole Services Inc.