On May 4, the Colorado House Committee on Appropriations voted to indefinitely postpone Senate Bill 09-296, which would have made seatbelt violations in the state a "primary offense". What is a primary offense? A primary offense as it applies to our everyday lives is...
Year: 2009
How many courts can one city have?!
So you just got a ticket and you are being told to appear in the municipal court and not the local county court. So what on earth is the difference and purpose between the courts? Article XX of the Colorado Constitution provides for the creation of municipal courts...
Recently the Colorado Legislature has passed HB 09-1094
This bill changed the law in Colorado for cell phone use while driving. Previously C.R.S. § 42-4-239 only prohibits drivers operating under a driver's permit from using cell phones while driving unless they are contacting a public safety entity, are parked, or during...
I, like many of you, frequently read the Denver Post
Lately, I have been seeing a lot of articles on Driving Under the Influence (DUI) charges. I'm sure you have noticed them as well. However, without being the criminal justice system day in and day out, like a criminal defense attorney, one may not understand the far...
Protection orders can have a profound effect on more than the restrained party
Criminal protection orders are issued automatically in criminal cases pursuant to C.R.S. § 18-1-1001. This protection order prevents a criminal defendant from harassing, molesting, intimidating, retaliating against, or tampering with any witness to or victim of the...
You were just pulled over and given a speeding ticket in Colorado
You were just pulled over and given a speeding ticket in Colorado. You are frustrated and want to know what your options are in trying to decide whether to fight the ticket. As in so many instances "the devil is in the details" and every case and courthouse is...
Ward Churchill v. The University of Colorado
Recently in the news there has been a lot of coverage on the case of Ward Churchill v. The University of Colorado. As an alumnus of the University of Boulder, I, like many, have been glued to the television, and internet to gain as much information about the case as...
What is a Sexually Violent Predator?
What is a Sexually Violent Predator? This is a special designation used in the state of Colorado for sex offenders that meet certain criteria. (1) It is an offender that is 18 years or older when the offense was committed or who is tried as an adult if a juvenile. (2)...
Sex Offenses are the Most Complicated Cases in the Colorado Legal System
Sex offenses are the most complicated cases in the Colorado legal system. Each sex offense will mandate a number of additional requirements beyond the sentence imposed. One of the most obvious collateral consequences is the requirement that anyone who is convicted of...
DUI & DV (Domestic Violence) Dismissal
Often times the first issue raised by our clients is the possibility, or lack thereof, of their case being dismissed. This is a particularly tough question to answer when one is charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or any number of Domestic Violence (DV)...