The Stage Is Set Across the U.S., change in the law is underway concerning the right of people convicted of felonies to vote in government elections. Because each state deliberates this issue independently, the results vary between states, and sometimes even within states over time, as newly-elected governors modify or rescind outright the orders of […]
On any given day in a criminal defense firm, any variety of innumerable hapless victims of the criminal justice system walk could through the door. My use of the word “victim” to describe criminal defendants will likely send prosecutors everywhere through the proverbial roof. In criminal justice parlance, “Victim” is generally capitalized and has its […]
The Pandemic Strikes The worldwide spread of COVID -19 in recent weeks has now made its mark on the criminal justice system here in Colorado and around the country: most if not all local courts are closed as of this writing, and many hearings have been postponed. This in turn has brought up a legal […]
Breaking News In the last few days, a news story broke about an Aurora Police officer who was found passed out drunk behind the wheel of his unmarked patrol car while on duty in the spring of 2019. The officer was not charged with any crime, nor was he fired. This is a clear case […]
It was only a short time ago when you were lucky to have any video evidence in most criminal cases. Sometimes there would be some video from inside the jail, other times you might have a dash-camera from a patrol car that caught some of the interaction, but by and large there was no video […]
Change Is Coming Polls now indicate that the majority of Americans approve of legalizing marijuana, whereas in the past that was not so. Decades in coming about, this shift has accelerated lately on the information obtained from states where not only medical but also recreational cannabis use is allowed. As of this writing, 12 states […]
Wow. Look at you. Look at you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more decent, good-hearted, salt-of-the-earth-y human being in all my life. You are clearly a source of comfort and pride to your family, your friends, and your community, and I for one would be surprised if there aren’t people all over town who wake […]
New Legislation A new law is hitting the books in Colorado in January, and a lot of people are talking about it. The “Deputy Zackari Parrish III Violence Prevention Act,” one of the various “red flag” laws emerging across the country, will allow a concerned family member, spouse, roommate, or law enforcement agency to file […]
The End to Private Prisons? Prisons have been around for as long as our republic, but prior to the 1980s, those prisons belonged in the exclusive domain of the government. Prisons were funded, run, and overseen by the government with no role for private enterprise. It wasn’t until the early 1980s that a company called […]
Defense Lawyers, Amirite? Over the year or so that I’ve worked for Colin and Russ, the subject has come up, most often with people outside the legal field but also once or twice with Colin and Russ themselves, whether I have a moral objection to the work of criminal defense. “What’s it like,” the non-lawyers […]