Boulder Legal Issues Blog

Study: Nearly 30% of drivers flagged for risky driving behavior

On behalf of Dolan + Zimmerman LLP posted in personal injury on Monday, June 17, 2019.

How many people are killed each year in U.S. traffic crashes involving cellphone distraction? It's difficult to say. The federal database that tracks fatal traffic accidents relies on local police to recognize distraction as the cause of a given accident -- but most police reports don't have a box to check when that is the case. In fact, the nonprofit National Safety Council recently estimated that less than half of distraction-related fatalities were coded as such in that federal database.

There may be a new way to track cellphone distraction, however. A startup company called Zendrive tracks both cellphone use and driving behavior for ride-sharing companies and insurers. After monitoring some 2.3 million drivers over the course of 5.6 billion miles driven, it can provide a great deal of insight into cellphone distraction and other problematic driving issues.

Study: Tackle football before 12 speeds onset of brain disease

On behalf of Dolan + Zimmerman LLP posted in personal injury on Tuesday, June 11, 2019.

After doctors determined that a series of seemingly minor concussions could cause the degenerative brain disease called chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), the families of 246 deceased football players donated their loved ones' brains for study. That research is taking place at Boston University and the VA Boston Healthcare System.

Those researchers have just released new findings. It appears that when players who play tackle football before age 12 develop CTE, they tend to develop the disease an average of 13 years earlier than those who started playing later. The earlier the player began receiving blows to the head, the earlier that player would develop the brain disease.

"Prenup" is no longer a dirty word

On behalf of Dolan + Zimmerman LLP on Wednesday, June 5, 2019.

What makes for the perfect proposal? For starters, it’s the person you’re with. Love, kindness and trust, as well as shared goals, values and interests. A romantic setting is probably high up there, too. Maybe a trip to the ocean or a mountain hike. A ring is likely. But a prenup?

Prenuptial agreements may not yet have any place in the modern proposal, but they’re an increasing part of engagements, especially among millennials. It’s true they’re not romantic, but neither is marriage. You can have romance in your relationship, but marriage comes with all kinds of legal consequences. In many ways, marriage is a contract. And once you recognize that, you might understand why surveys have shown a surge in prenuptial agreements, driven mostly by millennials.

Feds increasingly cracking down on illegal possession of firearms

On behalf of Dolan + Zimmerman LLP posted in criminal defense on Monday, June 3, 2019.

A year ago, a man stood outside of an Alabama church begging police to kill him. His wife said he had been suicidal and had held a gun to his head earlier so she had hidden the gun in the church. The police arrested the unarmed man and retrieved the gun.

He hadn't been a danger to anyone but himself, and his lawyer says what he needed was counseling and treatment. Instead he was federally prosecuted. You see, he had been convicted of robbery at age 15 and was permanently prohibited from possessing a gun. He was convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm and is now serving three years in federal prison.

What to do when the police come knocking

On behalf of Dolan + Zimmerman LLP on Thursday, May 16, 2019.

It’s a Friday night. You’re sitting at home, watching TV. Suddenly, there’s a knock at the door. You look out the peep hole. It’s a police officer. What in the world does he want? Why is he even at your home?

Police in Colorado are known for doing the “knock and talk.” This is when an officer just goes to a person’s house, knocks on the door and tries to start an informal conversation, just to see what type of information they can get. Many times, the person opening the door doesn’t even realize they are a suspect, or what their legal rights are.

Summer break: It's here

On behalf of Dolan + Zimmerman LLP on Wednesday, May 8, 2019.

Summer break is here for Boulder students. When that happens, students may naturally feel like letting off some steam, but before you go out or decide to throw a party, you should keep in mind the consequences of going too far.

This is a sensitive time, and when you have your freedom from class and you are on your own, it can feel intoxicating. Know that your freedom has limits and some lines crossed may put the future your working towards in school out of your reach. It's important to keep in mind Boulder's various party ordinances when you are making your plans. These include:

Will Colorado forgive previous marijuana convictions?

On behalf of Dolan + Zimmerman LLP on Friday, May 3, 2019.

Colorado was among the first states to legalize recreational marijuana in the U.S. As a result, some actions that may have led to a person's arrest in the past are no longer considered criminal offenses.

With the shifting rules and culture in mind, the Boulder County District Attorney's Office intends to "vacate and seal" certain marijuana convictions of the past. Cases of simple marijuana possession - without any other criminal charges - may soon be eligible for dismissal.

Mandatory arrest laws can lead to unfair domestic violence arrests

On behalf of Dolan + Zimmerman LLP on Friday, May 3, 2019.

It happens more frequently than you may think: The police respond to a call about a possible domestic situation and end up making an arrest, even though no physical violence - or threat of physical violence -- ever occurred. Now, something that was a heated argument with a spouse or partner has turned into a criminal case.

All too often, what happens is that the police officer or officers who responded to the call misinterpret the mandatory arrest laws in Colorado and think that just because they arrived at a domestic violence call that they have to arrest someone.

Unsafe road conditions? Take precautions

On behalf of Dolan + Zimmerman LLP posted in personal injury on Thursday, May 2, 2019.

While it's true people in Colorado understand snow driving better than anyone in the rest of the country, that doesn't mean it would hurt to brush up on exactly what you should do when the snow gets bad. And even though it's now spring time, it certainly doesn't hurt to keep the following pieces of information in mind for next year:

What parents should know about our state's drug laws

On behalf of Dolan + Zimmerman LLP on Thursday, May 2, 2019.

You may know that our state was one of the first states to legalize recreational marijuana in 2012. Most parents also realize that the legalization of recreational marijuana does not by any means indicate that the state is lax regarding other drug usage.

Statistics indicate that as many as one in four college students use prescription drugs improperly. Knowing this, it is important for parents of children attending school in Colorado to understand the recent legislative changes regarding drug offenses, especially those involving prescription drugs.