Protecting Your Rights Throughout Eastern Iowa Since 1981
Despite current legal changes and uncertainties on both a state and federal level surrounding marijuana regulations and policies, drug charges are no small matter, regardless of any extenuating circumstances. Even for a drug charge involving a small amount of...
Criminal charges of any sort are never a trivial matter, but federal charges are especially serious. In Iowa, five men were arrested over the fall and were recently charged in federal court. The individuals now find themselves facing a number of criminal charges,...
Is a non-citizen removable for a violation of a no contact order? Section 237(a)(2)(E)(ii) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) states that "Any alien who at any time after entry is enjoined under a protection order issued by a court and whom the court...
Being charged with a felony is serious business. In Iowa, a conviction could result in a state prison sentence of two years or more, even up to life imprisonment for some violent crimes. Nevertheless, anyone accused of felony is fully protected by the presumption of...
Initial Appearance The initial appearance is the first formal contact that a defendant in a criminal case has with the court system. What happens when I am arrested? In Iowa, a person must be brought before a judge without unnecessary delay after they are arrested....
When can the record of a criminal charge be expunged from a person's record? We receive a lot of inquiries about expungement of criminal charges from a person's record. Iowa law generally does not provide a method for expungement of criminal charges except in a few...
Miranda Warnings One of the most frequent things I am told by new clients is that they were not read their Miranda rights when they were arrested. Implicit in this statement is a question, "does the fact that I was not read the Miranda warnings mean anything for my...
On Monday the Supreme Court issued orders (here and here) permitting the government to enforce the September 24, 2017 travel ban (the text can be found here). Until yesterday, the government was not permitted to fully enforce the travel ban due to preliminary...
When it comes to drug crimes in Iowa, possession charges may be charged as felonies or misdemeanors. Misdemeanor possession is considered less serious and typically carries lower penalties upon conviction. Felony possession, on the other hand, usually results in...
Being convicted of a crime at any age can carry serious, lifelong repercussions. For younger individuals, though, being found guilty of crimes such as a felony or drug charges can be especially ruinous, creating a criminal record where none existed before and...
