The holiday season is a time when people have a lot going on, from workplace events to neighborhood get-togethers and family parties. Alcohol is ubiquitous, and some people will indulge too much before driving.According to the U.S. Secretary of Transportation, 800...
The Responsive, Accomplished Legal Allies
You Want In Your Corner
Year: 2019
Is it illegal for campus police to search your dorm room?
Going off to college is often a time for young adults to step outside of their regular routine. This typically involves moving away from your parents and living on your own or with a roommate. Living by yourself for the first time can bring up a lot of questions. You...
Rethinking the Drug War around fentanyl and its analogues
In the 1980s and 1990s, both states and the federal government began to crack down on drug offenses at every level. Fighting drug crime was prioritized. Mandatory minimum sentence laws were passed. Prosecutors began stacking sentences to keep people in prison for...
It’s surprisingly easy to qualify as a fingerprint expert
When a criminal defendant's fingerprints are at issue, the stakes are high. The person has been accused of a crime, and those fingerprints could theoretically place them at the crime scene or otherwise indicate their involvement. People go to prison in cases where a...
Vaping leads to new offenses, more enforcement resources
Even as marijuana use gains popularity and acceptance across the country, law enforcement agencies continue to pour resources into pursuing marijuana-related crimes. This includes states like Iowa where marijuana remains illegal on the state level. However,...
Be aware of increased DUI, traffic enforcement Thanksgiving week
The holiday season is a time when people celebrate, often with alcohol. High spirits and lack of planning often mean more drunk drivers on the road. That's why officers across the state of Iowa will be engaging in extra enforcement of traffic and DUI laws. "From our...
Judge: FBI must say whether it monitors social media activity
Have you ever wondered if the government is monitoring your Facebook or Instagram? They are.According to the ACLU, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies have been increasingly monitoring the social media of both Americans and non-citizens. The group filed a...
At border and airports, agents need suspicion to search devices
If you have been annoyed at having your smartphone searched at the airport, you'll be interested to hear this. It turns out that agents need reasonable suspicion that you're involved in something illegal before they can perform such a search.Agents from ICE and the...
How arrest warrants work in Iowa
In almost every television crime drama you watch, arrest warrants are issued for suspects in criminal cases. Law enforcement goes before the judge to explain why they believe the court should issue an arrest warrant. It's a serious matter to have a judge issue a...
New York Times investigation finds breathalyzer tests unreliable
About a million people each year are arrested for drunk driving in the United States. When you're pulled over on suspicion of OWI, you will be asked to blow into a breathalyzer.These tests are used by virtually every police department in the nation, but there could be...
