In the criminal justice system, when it comes to punishment, there is typically what is known as the concept of proportionality. We all know that some crimes receive relatively light punishment. A drunk driving conviction may result in some jail time, substance abuse...
Protecting Your Rights Throughout Eastern Iowa Since 1981
Year: 2015
The criminal justice system is not interested in your innocence
The one mistake many criminal defendants make is one of believing the criminal justice system will protect an innocent defendant. If you happen to be truly innocent of the crime you have been charged with, the system will probably double down on you, because you may...
A parole officer’s thoughts
If you are convicted of a crime in Iowa or virtually any other American jurisdiction, with some exceptions of particularly violent crimes, it is very likely your sentence of jail time will include some period of parole. Parole is becoming increasingly popular with...
After a traffic ticket, how much delay is reasonable?
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week in a case involving the question of how long after a routine traffic stop can the police extend the stop in order to allow a drug sniffing dog to be brought onto the scene. In this case, a driver was stopped after...
Fear often trumps common sense with drug policies
The reality? Parents attempting to legally obtain cannabis oil extract for their children who suffer epileptic seizures. The image in the legislature? Drugged crazed teenagers running amuck as if from a lurid scene in "Reefer Madness." While the Iowa legislature made...