Colorado Springs Criminal Defense Blog
New Rule Could Push People Out of Colorado Springs After Repeated Arrests
Arrested on suspicion of solicitation, vagrancy, or trespassing in Colorado Springs? You might be prevented from returning to downtown for any reason under a new rule under consideration by the city, according to a recent article in the Colorado Springs Gazette.
Under the rule that may soon be enforced by Colorado Springs police, a person could be banned from the downtown area if they are arrested five times within eighteen months. The ban would be part of a deferred probation or suspended sentence if the arrested person is convicted.
How Might a Juvenile Be Sentenced to Jail in Colorado?
For many parents, their introduction to Colorado’s juvenile justice system begins when they hear that their child is in “detention” – often, for no more than a youthful prank gone awry. As they seek out the help of an experienced Colorado Springs juvenile defense attorney, many parents wonder: How will it end? Will the court find that my child has broken the law? And what will happen then?
Colorado Criminal Defense Attorneys Say: Don’t Restrain Children in Court
Colorado residents who watch crime dramas or news clips about criminal cases know that many adult defendants come into the courtroom wearing restraints – handcuffs or ankle shackles. But what they don’t know is that in many juvenile court cases, children as young as age 10 may appear before the judge in restraints as well. Public defenders and experienced Colorado juvenile defense attorneys throughout the state want that to change.
Criminal Defense Attorney Timothy Bussey Made Faculty Member of the National College of DUI Defense Foundation, Inc.
As an accomplished criminal defense attorney, a nationally published author, and a highly requested speaker in DUI defense law, Timothy Bussey of the Bussey Law Firm is proud to have become a faculty member of the National College of DUI Defense (NCDD).
Since 2006, Mr. Bussey has been an active member and Colorado State Delegate in the NCDD, which is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that strives to ensure that anyone accused of driving under the influence in the U.S. receives the effective legal assistance s/he needs, while also providing a valuable resource for practicing attorneys and public defenders. The NCDD is the only organization in the United States to be recognized by the American Bar Association and accredited to certify attorneys in the DUI Defense Law specialty area.
Top Five Terms You’ll Hear in a Colorado Juvenile Justice Proceeding
The juvenile justice system in Colorado works differently than the standard criminal justice system. It serves a different population – children – and it has different goals than the criminal justice system that adults face. As a result, it has its own set of words and phrases to describe the process.
Here are five terms you’ll likely hear in juvenile court and what they mean:
Crime Reports in Colorado Rose Slightly in 2013
News reports about the state of crime in Colorado since the passage of Colorado’s marijuana legalization measures have portrayed a state in which crime is down and tax revenues are up. In 2013, however, crime reports throughout the state rose slightly, according to a report from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
According to the CBI report, crime reports rose 1.8 percent for all crimes over the 2012 total. The report includes the annual Crime Index, which tracks seven different criminal offenses. Because the same seven offenses are used from year to year, the index is often used to track fluctuations in their rate over time. Simple possession of marijuana is not one of the seven offenses included in the Crime Index.
What is the SR-22 Insurance Requirement after a Colorado DUI?
If your Colorado driver’s license has been suspended or revoked as a result of a driving under the influence (DUI) conviction or for another reason, the Motor Vehicle Division may require you to obtain an SR-22 insurance form in order to have your driving privileges restored to you.
The SR-22 is available from your auto insurance company. It is a rider that attaches to your insurance policy. It ensures that your insurance company will keep your car insurance in effect for a certain period of time.
Preparing For Your First Meeting with Your Colorado Criminal Defense Attorney
When you first meet with your Colorado Springs criminal defense attorney, you may feel frustrated, confused, or overwhelmed. You may not know which questions to ask, or you may have so many questions you don’t know where to start.
All these feelings are normal. To prepare for your first meeting with your criminal defense lawyer, consider the following tips:
Think of the meeting as the start of your defense. Throughout the process, you and your attorney will work together to protect your legal rights to the fullest extent possible, and to fight for the best possible outcome in your case. Think of this partnership’s “start date” as the day of your meeting with your attorney. To represent you in the best possible way, your attorney will need plenty of information about you and about what happened when you were arrested.
Four Tips for Choosing a Colorado Criminal Defense Attorney
Facing a criminal charge is tough. You may feel confused, frustrated, or overwhelmed. A criminal charge does not necessarily equate to guilt, yet it can negatively affect many areas of your life.
Choosing a criminal defense attorney with whom you feel comfortable and confident can help you tackle the challenge of a criminal charge head-on. If you’ve been accused of a crime in Colorado and you need to find a lawyer who can stand with you, keep the following tips in mind:
Colorado Considers a Bill to Increase Penalties for Certain Sex-Offense Convictions
Legislators in the Colorado House will soon be taking up consideration of a bill that would increase penalties for those who are convicted of certain sex-related offenses, according to a recent article in the Aurora Sentinel.
The bill, House Bill 14-1260, demands harsher penalties for people convicted of “a felony sex offense involving intrusion against a child who is under twelve years of age” when the convicted person is at least ten years older than the child, according to the language of the bill. The Aurora Sentinel describes it as a version of “Jessica’s Law,” a 2005 Florida statute that sought to track people convicted of certain sex offenses closely and to increase the penalties that came with these convictions.