Articles Posted in Criminal Defense

The announcement by the Federal Government that they intend to take cannabis off its schedule 1 classification seems logical. Considering that cannabis legalization has found its way to the desk of many governors, it was only a matter of time until marijuana, that has long shared the same classification as heroin and LSD, be classified as…

Field sobriety tests (FSTs) are a significant tool in law enforcements arsenal when they are investigating an individual for driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs in Vermont. The one leg stand, walk and turn and, in some cases the Modified Romberg test can, in certain cases, bolster the prosecutor’s case in proving that…

The Vermont DMV has strict timelines on the filing of a uniform accident report by a motorist who is involved in a car accident where damage has been sustained. However, if there is an ongoing investigation into an accident, or if a motorist has been cited for a criminal offense, such as DUI or Negligent…

Mediation is the attempt to reach an agreement between two or more parties in a legal dispute. A mediator acts as a neutral non-interested attorney to find common ground for the parties to agree upon. When a civil complaint is filed in Vermont Superior Court, Rule 16.3 of the Vermont rules of civil procedure states…

According to the Vermont legislature – “In no event may a final hearing occur more than 42 days after the date of the alleged offense without the consent of the defendant or for good cause shown.” In essence, this means that the state cannot push the final hearing on a civil trial back further than…

All states except for 5 (Massachusetts, Michigan, Wisconsin, Tennessee, and Georgia) are part of the Driver’s License Compact. The idea behind this is that there is one license, one record, for all of these states. Unfortunately, it is not always that simple. The idea for these states is to treat violations from out of the…

A Brief on Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus in Vermont DUI Investigations What is Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN)? The definition of nystagmus is a “rapid involuntary movement of the eyes.” This could be side to side, up and down, or circular movements of the eyes. This is due to brain disease or inner ear balance. Brain disease…

History In 1960, Theodore H. Maiman announced the build of a red coherent light pushed from a ruby crystal, which was the first laser. Nearly 30 years later in 1989, the first law enforcement speed measurement laser device was patented.  Lidar & Laser Lidar is an acronym. It stands for “light detection and ranging.” Laser…

A Look Into Violations That Can Cause Loss of Your CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) Many actions taken by those who have their CDL, or trucking license, whether it be behind the wheel of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) or personal vehicle, can result in the suspension or loss of licensure. This can lead to loss…

Vermont criminal defense attorneys and Defendants are well aware of the Calendar Call day. Simply put, it is a gathering of a large number of prosecutors, defense attorneys and defendants for one block of time, normally a morning or afternoon. What is not as simple is the argument that these calendar calls can be an…