Should criticizing the police get you charged with criminal harassment? Not if you didn't make any threats, according to the ACLU and an Adams County man. Nevertheless, the man was charged with harassment in the third degree when he criticized the behavior of an Adams...
Month: May 2019
Could your CBD get you an OWI?
CBD, a non-psychoactive derivative of the cannabis plant, is widely available online and even in some retail stores. Nevertheless, it may not be fully legal and you should take care when using it. In Iowa, we only allow people with state-qualifying conditions to use...
Sports betting still needs regulation before bets can be placed
As you may know, Governor Kim Reynolds signed a law last week that allows certain types of sports betting in Iowa by gamblers 21 and older. Although the law technically went into effect upon Reynolds' signature, the State Racing and Gambling Commission still has to...
Is it legal hemp or illegal weed? Police often can’t tell
It's an interesting time in America. The majority of states (although not Iowa) have legalized marijuana for medical use. Most states, including Iowa, have legalized low-THC CBD, a cannabis derivative, for medical purposes. And, last year, the federal government...
Research: It’s easier than you think for cops to get your consent
Would you let a stranger in a lab coat search through your phone? What about a police officer? How about if you had a good reason to refuse, such as evidence of a crime?Questions like these come up all the time in criminal defense. That's because both the U.S. and...
Official misconduct, bad forensic evidence cause false convictions
The National Registry of Exonerations recently issued its 2018 annual report. One hundred fifty-one people were exonerated in the U.S. last year after having been wrongfully convicted of various crimes ranging from traffic offenses to homicide. Together, the exonerees...
The words you speak in public could incite a legal response
There are many things you can do for fun during the summertime in Iowa. Now that the snow has melted, it is a great time to get outdoors and socialize with your friends. But did you know that in some circumstances, you could face arrest for doing so? Although you...
