Those who take valuable property without the owner’s consent can result in criminal charges. Prosecutors will likely choose between burglary, robbery or theft charges. They all involve stealing property, but they are distinct criminal offenses with different levels of punishment if there is a conviction. Determining the charge or charges
Many do not realize that about 95% of criminal cases do not go to trial, even if they are felonies. The prosecution will likely approach the defense attorney to negotiate a plea bargain, whether before the trial gets underway or sometime later in the adjudication process. Regardless of how the
Law enforcement has broad leeway during a traffic stop to determine probable cause or secure a piece of evidence. Generally speaking, the officer can seize anything in plain view, whether the interview takes place in a vehicle, a home or even a place of employment. The prosecution may then use
Coloradans are gearing up to vote on the NMHA ballot initiative. While magic mushrooms have in some circumstances been decriminalized for adults over 21 in Denver since 2019, the change would mean that it would no longer be illegal for people over 21 to grow, possess or give away psilocybin
Going away to college is a massive adjustment for students, but your student starts college classes with 12-plus years in school as experience. While new courses may be more demanding, they more or less know how to take notes, study, write papers, and take tests. Living on their own without
We often hear characters in police shows or courtroom dramas discussing pleading the 5th. It is generally understood as protection where an individual under oath chooses to invoke their Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination rather than say something that could be used against them in court. And for the record,
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota draws hundreds of thousands of riders from around the world. Bikers often make the pilgrimage by riding hundreds of miles to attend, and some will pass through Colorado. This fact prompts the Colorado Department of Transportation (CODOT), Colorado State Patrol (CSP) and local
Field sobriety tests (FST) are groups of three tests employed by law enforcement to determine if the driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If the driver fails one of the three tests, the officer then asks the driver to take a breathalyzer or a chemical test to
People in the United States are innocent until proven guilty, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is stressful getting pulled over by an officer. The Fourth Amendment is an important protection, stating that law enforcement must have an articulable suspicion for stopping someone in public or pulling them
It has been a tense couple of years as Coloradans deal with unprecedented challenges. One notable impact has been the increasing number of reckless drivers on the road, which led to a much higher rate of injuries and deaths. This is due to drivers speeding, doing unsafe lane changes and
