DUI News
The following information
is posted by Kansas DUI lawyer Jay
Norton. Please return to our
Monday, December 28, 2009
The Problem with Law Enforcement Labs
Earlier in 2009, the National Academies of Science released a report which conclusively found serious deficienies in the way that forensic criminology labs are run in America. the problems include a lack of standard certification programs for labs, a lack of credentials for lab technicians, and a lack of peer-reviewed bases and methods for testing evidence. The report also points to the common problem that the "scientific labs" are almost always directly connected to a law enforcement agency and, therefore, have a built-in bias and are not truly independent, scientific agencies. more
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Drive, Walk or Take a Cab?
Let's face it, people are going to go out and drink alcohol. If one does, at least in this area of the country, your transportation choices primarily are limited to driving, walking or maybe taking a cab. There is nothing illegal, whatsoever, about drinking and then driving. It is only illegal to drive if you have been rendered incapable of safely doing so by alcohol, or your breath alcohol content is over .08. However, recent news stories have reinforced the notion that some people have that it is better to "chance it" and drive when you are actually drunk, than to opt for walking or calling for a cab. more
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
2009 DUI Case Results
2008 DUI Case Results
2007 DUI Case Results
I have decided to post some of the results our law firm has gotten in Kansas DUI or Missouri DWI cases over the past three years. Frankly, until recently, we haven't kept very good records. When we won a case, we closed the file and moved on to the next one. But, I have been able to track down some examples of results in Kansas DUI cases and a handful of Missouri cases, so I thought I would share them. I have the files to back up every one of these claims either in our office or in storage.
Wednesday, November 9, 2009
The Power of Video
I have found that in every Kansas DUI case, as well as just about every other kind of case, there are at least two sides to every story. Often, the way that the arresting officer and the person who got arrested remember the facts is quite different. For the last decade or so, though, there has increasing been a neutral witness to these cases. Video cameras that capture video and audio recordings of interaction between a police officer and a citizen can make a huge difference in DUI cases. more
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new information regarding DUI & DWI laws in Kansas and
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Monday, October 12, 2009
Drunk With Power
A police officer brought a DUI suspect to a Chicago-area hospital and requested that the hospital draw his blood to be tested for the presence of alcohol. The head nurse at the hospital said that the suspect would have to be admitted pursuant to hospital policy before the blood could be drawn. more
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
DUI Conviction Will Prevent Entry to Canada
Here is a story about the hassles involved with trying to get into Canada if you have a DUI conviction on your record. Under Kansas DUI laws, and the DUI laws of most other states in America, a first and second time DUI is considered a misdemeanor. However, in Canada, any DUI is considered a felony and Canada does not allow individuals into its country if they have been convicted of a crime which would be a felony under Canadian law. more
Thursday, September 8, 2009
Out of Control (Again)
I have blogged before about just how far out of hand things have gotten in the zeal to pursue DUI cases. However, this story from Indiana might take the cake. A 53 year old man was stopped and arrested for suspicion of DUI. He submitted to a breath test but was under the legal limit. Yes, his breath was tested at under the legal limit but, as the story says, "the officer doubted the results". more
Thursday, August 21, 2009
"The Kilogram" - Doing Some Math
I heard an interesting story on NPR this morning while driving to the office from court that demonstrates why there should always be reasonable doubt about breath test results from the Intoxilyzer 8000, which is used in all Kansas DUI breath tests, and many in Missouri: Over one hundred years ago scientist forged a kilogram in London, meticulously weighed it, and sent it to Paris where it was placed in a box and stored. It is the standard against which all other weights in the world are measured. It has only been taken out and looked at by scientists 3 times in the last one hundred years. Unfortunately, “The Kilogram”, as it is known, has lost some weight inexplicably and it is a big problem for science. It has only lost about 50 billionths of a kilogram, but for science, which is concerned with precise measurements, that is a big problem. So, there is an effort underway to replace “The Kilogram” so that measurements can be precise. more
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Not One, But Three Failed Check Lanes In One Night
The KCMO Police Department ran three (3) separate DUI checklanes in one single night last week on July 2, 2009, at three separate locations. These three checklanes yielded a whopping total of three (3) DUI arrests. more
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