For those who have recently been arrested in Minnesota for drunk driving, one of the questions most likely to be on your mind is, “What is the worst thing that could happen?” Many people understandably fear the unknown, and given that first time DWI arrestees are likely unfamiliar with the state’s criminal justice system it can be helpful to hear about the worst possible outcome in a Minnesota DWI case. Read More...

The U.S. Supreme Court issued several important criminal law opinions this past week, one of which was bad news for criminal suspects eager to keep police out of their homes. In a 6-3 ruling, the Court found that in certain circumstances police are allowed to enter homes shared by multiple residents over the objections of one party. Read More...

According to a recent news article, law enforcement authorities in Missouri say potentially thousands of breathalyzer tests might be thrown out due to a dispute over the word “and.” The news comes as several defendants have had the results of the breath tests tossed by judges and many criminal defense experts believe the trend will likely continue for those with creative attorneys. Read More...

Government officials at all levels are currently under fire after drivers from across the country have complained about coercive and even illegal efforts to force them into submitting to drug and alcohol tests. The tests are part of the National Roadside Survey of Alcohol and Drugged Driving, which is being conducted in more than 60 cities across the country. Read More...

In a recent case, the Minnesota Court of Appeals yet again tackled the issue of warrantless tests to determine intoxication, ultimately upholding the conviction of Stephanie Ann Taylor, a woman who was forced to provide a urine sample to police without a valid search warrant. Read More...

I found this story interesting as there are some similarities with Minnesota DWI law.  In Minnesota, if you area arrested for DUI and have certain “aggravating factors” present from the facts of your arrest, then you may be subject to having to submit to on going breath testing to measure your blood alcohol concentration as a condition of release even before there is a criminal conviction. Read More...

A recent study out of Columbia University has raised some serious doubts about the safety of marijuana use while driving. Though everyone has long understood the dangers of drinking and driving, researchers say that in the recent push to legalize the possession of marijuana there has been little discussion of how that legalization might impact traffic fatality rates. Read More...

The following case began back in October of 2012, when John Roy Drum was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving. Earlier that evening, an officer noticed that Drum’s car had a broken taillight and pulled Drum over. It didn’t take long for the officer to suspect that Drum had been drinking, saying that he noticed the smell of alcohol and Drum’s slurred speech. Drum himself admitted to drinking a couple of beers and was ordered out of the car. Read More...

Since Justin Bieber’s arrest last week for DUI and drag racing in Florida, the Internet has exploded with rumors that the pop star might be deported for his crimes. Many may not realize that the teen singer is actually Canadian and has been living and working in the U.S. for years on a visa. Read More...

As previously discussed, Minnesota drivers who have been convicted of driving while impaired might, in some cases, be required to install an ignition interlock device on their vehicles. Ignition interlock devices work by reading the blood alcohol level of the driver before the car can be started and reporting the results back to the organization responsible for the IID installation. Read More...