With the passage of HB-17-1288, everyone convicted of felony DUI in Colorado will now have to go to jail. Governor John Hickenlooper signed the bill on June 6, 2017, and the law goes into effect on August 9, 2017. From that date forward, anyone who is convicted of a fourth or subsequent DUI will have to serve between 90 to 180 days in county jail with no time off for good behavior.
Why should I care about my right to remain silent?
Have you ever heard this phrase in the movies? "You have the right to remain silent and anything you say can and will be used against you." This sentence is something that the police need to tell you when they're taking you into custody. It's required by law. Failure to tell you this could interfere with a prosecutor's ability to pursue a successful criminal action against you.
Mouthwash and false drunk driving accusations
Police are not perfect, and it's not uncommon for Colorado Springs residents to get pulled over and be accused of drunk driving when they've never had a drink of alcohol. In some cases, police have even been known to accuse a driver of being intoxicated after he or she did something as innocuous as swishing mouthwash.
Colorado's crime rate rising faster than other states
According to the Brennan Center for Justice, the 30 largest cities in the U.S. saw an average increase in crime rates of .3 percent. However, for Colorado, the increase in the number of murders, rapes, robberies and auto thefts sent the state's crime rate up by 3.4 percent.
Is it ever legally appropriate to drive drunk?
It is never safe to drive while inebriated by alcohol. Our reaction times and judgment abilities are severely diminished. People can't drive in a straight line when they're drunk and they might drive into oncoming traffic, or they might not react in time to avoid hitting another car. That said, there might be some times when a court will decide that someone had a good reason to drive drunk.
Looking for a uniquely tailored drunk driving defense?
Drunk driving is a crime that comes with severe punishments for those convicted of the offense. In El Paso County, police, prosecutors and the criminal court system do not take a drunk driving charge lightly. All drivers accused of being drunk behind the wheel with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of more than 0.08 percent will be prosecuted aggressively and to the full extent of the law.
Gun crimes and the possible penalties in Colorado
In Colorado, the possible penalties for a gun crime can be severe. It's also fairly easy to violate gun and weapons laws here. However, there are many defenses that can be used to mitigate the penalties.
