2019
A short FAQ on Colorado’s restraining orders
All too often, divorce leads to heated conflicts. People can get angry and desperate, and they may show their worst. A spouse may become violent or menacing. Other people may stay clear of violence but may still threaten their spouses by stalking them or hiding things like keys to limit their movement. Because these...
Continue Reading Four tips for safe college drinking
As a college student, you face a lot of stress. Between heavy class loads, homework and a job to help pay the bills, you probably need to blow off some steam every now and again. You may be like many college students who choose to go out and drink to destress. If you make...
Continue Reading Is a plea agreement the end of the matter?
When the defense and the prosecution negotiate a plea bargain, the final step is going before a judge for approval of the plea bargain. There is no absolute guarantee that a court will accept any plea bargain agreed upon by the parties. Court are independent bodies, and part of the job of judges is...
Continue Reading Are Parole and Probation Rules Setting People Up for Failure?
People who have committed parole or probation violations make up a surprisingly large proportion of the prison population in the U.S. Some 280,000 parole or probation violators are incarcerated at any given time. In 13 states, they account for a third of all prisoners. In four states, they make up half the prison population....
Continue Reading Bus and train passengers warned of police tactics
An online investigative news outlet recently published a report that may be of interest, or perhaps useful or alarming, to anyone traveling to or from Colorado by bus or train. The publication describes itself as “dedicated to holding the powerful accountable.” According to the article, federal law enforcement agencies commonly patrol Amtrak and Greyhound...
Continue Reading How do Standard Field Sobriety Tests work (and don’t work)?
Just about everyone has heard of field sobriety tests that police administer to people they suspect of impairment during a traffic stop. You may be among those here in Colorado and elsewhere who think these tests are simply to determine whether or not a person is safe to drive. During field sobriety tests, a...
Continue Reading Don’t believe the gray divorce stereotypes
So-called “gray divorce,” or divorce over 50, is growing increasingly common in today’s society. Although it’s still more common for younger people to divorce than those in their middle years and later, the rate of gray divorce in the U.S. has doubled since 1990. At least some of this is explained by the aging...
Continue Reading What is overdose immunity?
When someone experiences an overdose, they and the people near them may feel that they have to make a hard choice between looking for help and avoiding authorities. In Colorado, that is a misconception. In Colorado, the law provides immunity for those seeking treatment for an overdose. The Colorado Court of Appeals discussed the...
Continue Reading What happens when the police conduct a warrentless search?
In most cases, the police need to have a search warrant issued by a judge before they can enter a private residence, search the residence, or seize items from the residence. If they do not have a warrant, they are not permitted to search a residence or seize items that they find in it...
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