How to Defend Your Rights Against Higher Authority.

This is very helpful for dealing with police officers, resolving a situation in a court room, or resolving an investigation.

Step 1: Know Your Individual Rights

As a citizen, it is very important that you know your rights. Supporting your rights can really turn the situation. For example, police are allowed to frisk you without permission but they can't look through your car without a supervisor. You also have the right to videotape an police investigation for proof.

(b) Record of Offer and Ruling. The offering party shall, as soon as practicable, but before the court's charge is read to the jury, be allowed to make, in the absence of the jury, its offer of proof. The court may add any other or further statement which shows the character of the evidence, the form in which it was offered, the objection made, and the ruling thereon. The court may, or at the request of a party shall, direct the making of an offer in question and answer form.
(c) Hearing of Jury. In jury cases, proceedings shall be conducted, to the extent practicable, so as to prevent inadmissible evidence from being suggested to the jury by any means, such as making statements or offers of proof or asking questions in the hearing of the jury.

Source: http://www.courts.state.tx.us/rules/tre/tre-all-010107.htm#rule103

Step 2: Know Your State's Judicial Laws

Knowing your individual rights is important but you also have to consider that certain laws and judicial laws vary from state to state. A good idea is researching your state's judicial laws.

One branch of Texas's Judicial Laws are the Texas Criminal Laws. This section covers a wide variety of Texas criminal laws, including statutes prohibiting child abuse, kidnapping, extortion, sexual abuse, gambling, and illicit drugs.

Source : http://statelaws.findlaw.com/texas-law/texas-criminal-laws.html

Step 3: Hire an Attorney to Represent You

Don't depend on court personnel to protect your rights. Get an attorney to orient you and inform you about your rights. This will really help when you're in a court case.

RULE 7. MAY APPEAR BY ATTORNEY
Any party to a suit may appear and prosecute or defend his rights therein, either in person or by an attorney of the court.

http://www.supreme.courts.state.tx.us/rules/TRCP/TRCPALL.pdf