Denver Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

In our previous post, we shared that there is at least one attempt to decriminalize marijuana that will likely wind up on the Colorado ballot this year. But we also mentioned that there would possibly be another legal option on the ballot. It looks like the legalization of marijuana in the state is on the minds of many; thus the multiple related proposals.

As we said in the past post, the first proposal basically calls for the system to treat marijuana like alcohol. Those 21 and over could buy and use the drug, as long as they have no more than on ounce on them at a time. That proposal, therefore, has regulations attached to it. The other proposal would put fewer limitations on the drug.

It's only January, but there are already at least two attempts within the state related to legalizing marijuana use in Colorado. In this post, we will discuss one legislative effort to give Coloradans more freedom to use marijuana without facing drug charges. An upcoming post will discuss a different bill with a similar goal but different details.

The first proposal that will likely be put up for vote on Colorado's November ballot is called the "Colorado Initiative to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol." Its title might not be extremely catchy, but it does capture the basic goal of the bill.

It isn't just Colorado that takes sex crime allegations extremely seriously; the U.S. as a country leaves little room for sex assault suspects to come out of a criminal case with any privacy or integrity intact. Sex crimes are so widely stigmatized across the country that it's not uncommon for an individual case to effect national change.

An out-of-state rape case, for example, has sparked a national upgrade to a database headed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, called INDENT. The database is meant to keep track of immigrants who have been deported out of the country. Now, officials will be putting effort and lots of money toward storing the fingerprints of the deported immigrants in the database.

The legal process can be complicated and daunting. That is why someone who is charged with a crime needs to have a straightforward, aggressive criminal defense attorney whom he knows has his best interests at heart. A defendant's best interests can be served through various routes, depending on a specific case and set of circumstances.

Sometimes, agreeing to a plea deal when faced with criminal charges can be the wisest, safest option. There are other times, however, when a defendant and his attorney want to fight to prove innocence in a trial, when they believe that the plea deal unnecessarily compromises the defendant's freedom and future. In a Colorado hit-and-run case, the defendant and his attorney decided that a plea deal was a good idea.

It's not surprising that a parent would become emotional if they believed that their child were a victim of sexual assault. However, there are laws for a reason. They are meant to protect people's safety and the overall good of the community. If everyone were treated by society as a convicted criminal simply after being accused of a crime, a lot of us would be in trouble.

One mother in Colorado reportedly made trouble for at least one man when she attacked an apartment complex with gunfire. She believed that she was seeking vengeance for abuse that her son allegedly has faced at the hands of the apartment's dweller. But what she did not only needlessly injured an innocent person; but it is against the law.

Marijuana is one of the first "controlled substance" drugs that children and others are warned about, and it is often glorified through various "party" movies. However, for many people marijuana isn't just for fun. It is used for medicinal purposes in many states and many swear by its ability to reduce pain.

Still, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (D.E.A.) classifies marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug along with such substances as heroin. Colorado legislators are asking to change this by giving medical marijuana a Schedule 2 designation. If this is agreed to, doctors will be able to prescribe marijuana to their patients and it will be able to be distributed by pharmacies.

There is no doubt that a drunk driving conviction can mean significant life consequences for a person. And that is true no matter who the supposed offender is, even if he is a police officer. It takes aggressive representation by a criminal defense attorney for a defendant to have a better shot at regaining his normal life back after a DUI arrest.

In June of 2010, a Denver police officer was reportedly driving by the airport when a fellow law enforcement officer found reason to chase and pull him over. The officer was allegedly speeding, and when the situation was investigated further, the other trooper found cause to arrest the driver for driving under the influence of alcohol.

With other big holidays behind us, there is still one big celebration left this year. New Year's Eve is on Saturday, and the night will be sure to bring out the party animal in many of us. The city is offering some helpful transportation options for those out there who want to avoid being pulled over for drunk driving. That sort of scenario would not be a fun way to ring in the New Year.

So bring on the party hats, sparkly outfits, champagne and midnight kisses, and save yourself from becoming one of what is reportedly already a high number of Colorado DUI suspects for this holiday season. Denver sources report that more than 1,300 people have been arrested for DUI in Colorado since law enforcement crackdowns began around Thanksgiving.