Ross v. Texas

by
In 2011, Appellant Rebekah Ross worked as an investigator for the Greenville office of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (hereinafter referred to as “the Department” or “CPS”). In 2015, she was convicted of official oppression. The charge was based on an allegedly unlawful search that Ross conducted pursuant to her duties as a CPS investigator. Ross’s conviction was affirmed by the Court of Appeals. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals granted Ross’s petition for discretionary review to determine whether the court of appeals correctly held that the evidence was sufficient to support Ross’s conviction. Based upon its review of the record, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the verdict, the Court held that the evidence was insufficient to support the trial court’s finding beyond a reasonable doubt that Ross knew her conduct was unlawful, which was an essential element of the offense of official oppression. The Court reversed the judgment of the court of appeals and rendered a judgment of acquittal. View "Ross v. Texas" on Justia Law