Voting Options
The Board of Pardons and Paroles has voting options other than approval or denial of release to supervision. The Board may grant parole at some designated time in the future or require that the inmate successfully complete a program of between three and eighteen months. When an attorney determines that the possibility of an immediate parole is unlikely he may serve his client well by urging the Board to consider these options and show why such a course of action is in the best interest of the offender and the State of Texas. Examples of a situation where these options may be viable alternatives would be an inmate that otherwise may be a good risk but has not really served enough time, a history of drug abuse or other problems. Should the client have problems that could be addressed in therapeutic surroundings, an attorney does both the inmate and society a service by urging the Board panel to place his client in such programs, even if it results in longer incarceration. Most attorneys have the client’s best interest as a prime concern. If a program gives the inmate what he needs to avoid returning to prison, the lawyer does both the client and society a worthy service.
There are cases in which the attorney provides a valuable service to his client by limiting a set-off to only one year. The attorney must be prepared to adjust his plan of action on-the-fly based upon his experience reading Board member’s reactions to the presentation. Every potential scenario should be explained to the offender and family and loved ones prior to the oral presentation so everyone understands what to expect. For some parole reviews, securing a one year set-off may ultimately be a win. In the end, members of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles are looking to identify inmates who they believe are ready to succeed and want to find the path that increases the chances of success
Best Parole Attorney in Texas
My grandson at age 16 accepted a plea bargain of 25 years after an attorney took his money and ran. A good attorney should not have had any trouble convincing a jury that it was self defense and not murder. After serving 12-1/2 years, he had his first review for parole this year. He was represented by Gary Cohen (from Austin Tx) and was granted parole in September.
Mr. Cohen has done a superb job of representing him. He visited my grandson several times and was open and personable to myself and other family members. He had done an enormous amount of research into the case, and had a phenomenal presentation at the hearing with a parole board member. My daughter and I were allowed to speak at the hearing also and we saw that Mr. Cohen was professional, yet very down to earth. I am delighted to highly recommend Gary Cohen for anyone in a similar circumstance. His fee is pricy, but remember the old saying, “You get what you pay for”.
RLT
When I needed a parole lawyer, my attorney said to me: “Gary Cohen is the best in Texas”. And he was right. Gary Cohen was instrumental in obtaining parole for our beloved brother. He has a very sharp understanding of the complexities of the Texas parole system and was able to leverage his wealth of experience and professional connections to deliver a positive result for our brother. In addition, Gary was highly supportive, courteous and understanding to us as he led us through the complicated and lengthy parole process. We would not hesitate to recommend Gary. Thank you again Gary!
Jorge R
Gary Cohen impressed me as an attorney by being professional and just caring. I found out early by research & reviews that he was considered one of the best parole attorneys in Texas & he didn’t disappoint! From day 1, I knew I was in capable hands! The parole packet he & his team prepared was incredible, written by caring & empathetic people. The detail, the photos, the way is was written was superb! There is no guarantee of outcome, of course, but I can assure you he & his team will do everything in their power to represent you or your loved one at this crucial time. They are easy to talk to & easy to reach. In our case, my loved one received an FI-1, and we couldn’t be happier with Gary & staff!
David P.