Boulder Legal Issues Blog

Although President Trump is better known for his “tough on crime” rhetoric, he recently advocated for better services for prisoners once they’re released. On a Jan. 11 roundtable with lawmakers and policy wonks, Trump said he wants to “break this vicious cycle” of recidivism that, for many, involves trouble reentering society once their sentences...

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has signaled that federal prosecutors may be about to crack down on marijuana use in states and jurisdictions where it has been legalized. Possession and distribution of cannabis remains illegal under federal law, but the previous administration had adopted a hands-off approach when dealing with the drug in Colorado...

Reporting crime rates is important because it gives the public a sense of how dangerous their world is. Crime rates can also affect public policy, whether it is by pressuring Congress to pass new laws or by encouraging attorneys general to engage in crackdowns. Therefore, it’s important for crime rates to be reported fairly...

In Colorado, the legal driving limit for Driving Under the Influence is 0.08. This means that if your blood alcohol content is .08 percent or higher — and you are pulled over by police — you will most likely end up being arrested and ticketed for driving under the influence. If you are stopped...

Dogs are wonderful. They can be affectionate and playful and can quickly become a member of the family. However, it is important to remember that dogs are still very much animals and can react to stimuli in unpredictable ways. When scared or in protection-mode, for example, a normally friendly dog can bite. According to...

Parties can quickly get out of hand. As more and more people show up, the crowd starts to swell. As more people talk, the music gets louder. As more drinks are poured, competing to be heard, voices grow louder and louder. Suddenly, the police are there, asking for the person in charge. If you...

Under federal law, sentencing for drug offenses and many other crimes is determined by formulas listed in the federal sentencing guidelines. Those guidelines are promulgated by the U.S. Sentencing Commission in cooperation with Congress. Sometimes, Congress and the Commission determine that the sentences for certain offenses have a tendency to be unduly harsh or...

Marijuana is now legal for medical purposes in 29 states and Washington, D.C. It is legal for recreational use in eight states and D.C. Nevertheless, it remains illegal under federal law. So far, the federal government has played along, but for how long? U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has suggested that federal authorities may...

According to a civil rights lawsuit brought by the ACLU of Colorado, El Paso County spends around $250,000 on needless pretrial detention for people who judges have found no need to detain. Low-income defendants are being held because they can’t afford a $55 service fee. Pretrial detention is meant for people who are flight...

Every year in Colorado, thousands of people are pulled over and arrested for driving under the influence or driving while ability impaired. During the holiday season, police are going to be out in full force, looking for signs of drivers who may have had a few drinks with friends or family. Since so many...