Reviewing Discovery With Your Client Without Handing It Over
Every Texas defense lawyer knows the bind: your client is entitled to understand the evidence against them, and article 39.14 says they can look but can't keep. The meeting where you bridge that gap is some of the most important work in the case.
The rule, briefly
Under article 39.14(f), counsel may allow a defendant to view discovery but may not give them copies, and identifying information has to be redacted before even that viewing. Violating it isn't a discovery squabble; it carries real consequences for the lawyer. So the client meeting happens with you present, screens turned toward them, nothing leaving the room.
What actually works in the meeting
Playing four hours of bodycam across a conference table is an ordeal for everyone in the room. What works is preparation: know the moments that matter, cue the video to them, and let the client react to the specific minute instead of the whole afternoon. A timestamped transcript makes that possible; you find the moment on paper in seconds and jump the video straight to it.
Clients also process better when they can follow along in writing while the recording plays. Reading and hearing the same exchange at once lands harder than either alone.
Where a written summary fits
A draft case summary can help counsel prepare a client meeting and find the underlying sources. A summary can still disclose protected discovery or identifying information. Calling it analysis does not create an exception to a disclosure restriction. Counsel must assess the content, required redactions, and any court order before showing or sharing it.