Blog

A recent article in the NY Times recognizes the limitations of standard roadside maneuvers at detecting drivers impaired by the effect of marijuana.

Update — The Colorado Legislature has now passed a 5ng limit for active THC.  If you are suspect of driving under the influence of marijuana and your blood discloses 5ng or more of active THC a jury may permissibly infer that you are under the influence.

It looks like a .5 ng standard for a jury to infer guilt of Driving Under the Influence of Cannabis is soon to become a reality for Colorado drivers.

If you are a pilot and have received a DUI or DWAI you must act immediately to protect your pilot’s license.

Individuals convicted of crimes of domestic violence or individuals that have protection orders issued against them are already barred from possessing or purchasing firearms.

Previously only cases that were completely dismissed, resulted in an acquittal at trial or cases that were never filed were permitted under the law to be eligible for sealing. The Colorado Legislature has recently passed new laws that permit in some limited circumstances the sealing of records related to drug convictions.

Domestic Violence is not itself a criminal charge but is a label attached to any number of offenses committed against someone with whom the individual has had an intimate relationship. The penalties for domestic violence-related convictions can often be severe.

The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that police cannot put a GPS device on a suspect’s car to track his movements without a warrant, a test case that upholds basic privacy rights in the face of new surveillance technology.

On March 31, 2010, the United States Supreme Court greatly expanded the Sixth Amendment rights of the criminally accused. In Padilla v. Kentucky, 599 U.S., the Court held that an attorney failed to provide an effective or competent representation of a non-citizen when he failed to advise his client that his guilty plea would likely result in his deportation from the United States.

Frequently I receive calls from individuals seeking my services after they’ve tried to handle the initial proceedings representing themselves. Many times these individuals have already entered guilty pleas and as a consequence have forfeited nearly all of their rights to contest the charge.