Boulder Legal Issues Blog

“No one should underestimate how much even the most minor of misdemeanor convictions — including marijuana or trespassing or any kind of conviction — can affect someone’s ability to get a job, to get housing and to function fully in society.” This is a direct quote from Jenny Roberts, an American University law professor....

The imprisonment of a loved one can send your life into total disarray. On top of your own responsibilities, you may have taken on their responsibilities, too. While they are away, someone must collect their mail, contact their creditors, pay their bills, etc.  In addition to handling their affairs outside of prison, you also...

“When the government tracks the location of a cell phone,” writes Chief Justice John Roberts, “it achieves near perfect surveillance, as if it had attached an ankle monitor to the phone’s user.” The observation comes in Carpenter v. U.S., a case the U.S. Supreme Court recently decided on a 5-4 vote. The decision acknowledges...

We’ve all been there. You’re driving down the road and you see the car in front of you swerving in and out of their lane. Are they drunk? Looking down at a phone? Trying to grab something out of the back seat? Whatever it is – the immediate thought of, “I need to get...

Colorado takes a strict stance when it comes to repeat impaired or intoxicated driving offenses. While it used to be that drivers with three or more drunk driving convictions would get a misdemeanor charge for a fourth, all of this changed a few years ago. Now, repeat impaired or intoxicated drivers face much harsher...

Going out with friends last night, you thought you did the right thing. You had too much alcohol to drink, or used too much of some other substance, and decided to play it safe and spend the night.  No need to risk a drunk driving or intoxicated/impaired driving arrest. In the morning – maybe...

You may have heard about an initiative to decriminalize “magic mushrooms.” Do not take this to mean that psychedelic mushrooms are legal or that – if passed – this would apply to Boulder. Possession of these mushrooms is still very much illegal and people caught with them still face very serious criminal charges. Right...

It’s not all fun and games in the states that have legalized marijuana for recreational purposes. As you might expect, a good deal of responsibility is required when using legal weed — especially when you will be driving. Unfortunately, it appears that legalizing cannabis may have caused the car crash rate to increase by...

Alexandria S. is not what you think of as a drug dealer. A suburban mother of three, she became addicted to her prescription Percocet while being treated for back pain. When she couldn’t get off Percocet, she turned to heroin, which is chemically similar. Across the street, her neighbor was also suffering from an...

It is the dreaded question on a job application: Have you ever been arrested for a crime? This one question alone can quickly turn a promising opportunity into a moot point, as the employer suddenly glosses over the rest of your resume and credentials. But did you know there is a way to answer...