Criminal Defense

Rodney Class is a bit of a celebrity among 2nd Amendment advocates and constitutional strict constructionists. A military veteran with a concealed-carry permit from North Carolina, Class considers himself a defender of the constitution — a “private attorney general” who seeks to hold judges accountable for failing to uphold the founding document. He travels...

Receiving a minor in possession ticket can be scary, especially if this is your first time getting into trouble with the law. You most likely know a friend — or even several friends — who have been in a seemingly similar boat. However, do not assume their situation is the same as yours. While...

Thanks to new partnerships with social workers and mental health professionals, a number of Colorado law enforcement agencies have been changing their strategy to focus more on treatment. In some cases, mental health professionals are riding along with officers. In others, case managers stationed in higher crime areas help officers divert low-level offenders away...

The international nongovernmental organization Human Rights Watch released a blockbuster report this week. It alleges that, in many cases federal law enforcement is tipping off state and local forces about information it may have learned by using constitutionally questionable practices. Such tips might not be admissible as evidence if brought before a court. Therefore,...

The U.S. Supreme Court has just heard arguments in a case where a criminal defense attorney overruled his client’s decision to insist on his innocence at trial. In a Louisiana death penalty case, the attorney gauged that there was overwhelming evidence of the defendant’s guilt. He thought the only way to convince the jury...

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...

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...

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...

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...