Monthly Archives: March 2024
What State Allows Drug Possession?
Oregon’s bipartisan Joint Committee on Addiction and Community Safety Response met on the last Tuesday in February to vote on a bill simply known as House Bill 4002. The committee voted 10-2 in favor of the bill, with all of the committee members broadly aligned on the problem HB4002 sought to fix, if not the… Continue Reading »
Pretext Stops lead to 1.4 Million Settlement
Earlier this month it was reported that the Washington State Patrol agreed to pay $1.4 million to settle a federal lawsuit accusing one of its troopers of targeting people of color and immigrants by unlawfully stopping them via pre-text stops. The plaintiffs were all arrested and booked into jail on suspicion of impaired driving. All… Continue Reading »
What is Prosecutorial Discretion?
In criminal law, prosecutors hold a crucial power known as “prosecutorial discretion.” It allows them the authority to make important decisions at different stages of a case, such as: 1) Determining whether to press charges, 2) Negotiating plea bargains, 3) Accepting guilty pleas. Prosecutorial discretion refers to a prosecutor’s authority in a criminal case. This authority includes: 1)… Continue Reading »
Can speed alone amount to Reckless Driving?
Ever wonder if you can get charged with a crime for simply speeding? Well, the answer is under certain circumstances, yes. Case in point, a youngster was caught going a whopping 161 mph on Interstate 82 this past Monday. The man was spotted and tracked by a WSP aerial patrol unit near Locust Grove Road. … Continue Reading »
Have My Rights Been Violated?
Every defendant charged with a crime has Constitutional rights. The government cannot infringe on these rights. Federal law requires the government to uphold a suspect’s Constitutional rights throughout a criminal case, including misdemeanor and felony cases. Some of the rights a defendant may have include: 1) Search and seizure rights, 2) Miranda rights (i.e right… Continue Reading »
Election Worker Protection?
Recently our Washington Senators voted to make harassment of election workers a felony. This happened three months after four county election officers received envelopes containing s suspicious powdery substance and right before the big presidential election between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, which is sure to cause a great deal of consternation around the state.… Continue Reading »
Can I Spank My Kid?
Hitting your children and corporal punishment more generally have been a contentious topic for some time, and norms vary based on culture. The morality and effectiveness of the practice is a sensitive topic for many parents in the United States. But the question that is often times asked is, if it is legal? As with… Continue Reading »
Hotline for Hate Crimes?
Hate Crime is a very hot topic these days. In line with that, Washington State plans to establish a non-police hotline to assist people who claim to have been targeted by hate crimes and bias incidents. Senate Bill 5427 assures that this is to take place, something that had failed to be passed during last… Continue Reading »
What Are My Rights When The Police Pulls Me Over?
Most people try not to interact with law enforcement. For most, it is a new experience and it is common to feel nervous. When you interact with police, you must understand your constitutional rights. Law enforcement officers may pull you over if they reasonably suspect you engaged in criminal activity. For example: 1) an officer sees… Continue Reading »
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