Colorado Law Blog

Limits Placed on DA Immunity

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:44:12 -0700

A federal appeals court has ruled that qualified immunity does not apply to protect a former deputy district attorney from being personally sued. The claim against the deputy district attorney arises from her approval of a search warrant of a student journalist's home due to a professor's unhappiness over a parody in a University of Northern Colorado community newspaper, the Howling Pig.

Taking Cuts? Then Take a Ticket

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:05:02 -0700

Denver police are cracking down on drivers who make illegal lane changes and cut in line on the interstate. Beginning the initiative, police focused on Interstate 225 at the DTC Boulevard exit, giving 56 tickets on Tuesday morning. Most of the tickets were issued to drivers making illegal lane changes that cut off backed-up traffic. Some tickets were also given to drivers passing on the right shoulder.

What if Marijuana Became Legal

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:27:06 -0700

This November, California voters will decide whether to legalize marijuana. Polls indicate it will pass.

The FBI reports that more than 850,000 people were arrested on pot charges last year, 90 percent of them for possession. In the US, we spend between $10 billion and $15 billion enforcing these laws.

Docs Do Not Blow Whistle on Colleagues

Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:46:35 -0700

Even if your doctor is drunk, addicted to drugs or outright incompetent, don't expect the local medical community to blow the whistle. A new survey finds that many American physicians fail to report troubled colleagues to authorities, believing that someone else will take care of it, that nothing will happen if they act or that they could be targeted for retribution, according to a new study headed by the Harvard Medical School.

Pool Accident Reminder of Safety Awareness

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:22:31 -0700

Earlier this month, an 8-year-old boy was rushed to a hospital after he nearly drowned in an apartment pool. The boy was playing in an apartment pool in Lakewood, with others when bystanders noticed he was unresponsive. The bystanders pulled him from the pool and administered CPR. He had a pulse when he arrived at the hospital, after West Metro firefighters responded to the scene.

Truckers Inadvertently Cause Deaths

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:45:05 -0700

A truck driver from Illinois will face negligent homicide and other charges after parking on the shoulder around a curve and forcing a traffic situation that caused a fatality on Interstate 70 in Mesa County last Tuesday. The driver placed put reflective emergency triangles on the interstate two miles east of Debeque at about 2 p.m. after his truck broke down. That forced a car driver to swerve her vehicle into another lane, where it was struck.

Bicyclists Hit Colorado State Capitol

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 10:26:26 -0700

Dozens of bicyclists rode to the state Capitol Tuesday at a rally hosted by Bicycle Colorado to protest Black Hawk's ban on bicycling through most of the town's roads, the only such ban in the state. The roads in Black Hawk's historic mining district are narrow and shoulderless. According to Black Hawk city officials, during summer months 30,000 motorists use its roads each day.

Keeping Track Made Simple

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:18:41 -0700

Now for all you techies that enjoy a libation or two, no worries about having one too many! Last Call is a free, easy way to estimate your blood-alcohol level and determine if it's safe for you to drive after drinking. If not, use it to call a cab. Last Call also provides a list of top local DUI lawyers, provided by Avvo, to call for help if you need it.

Heed Falling Rock Warnings

Thu, 24 Jun 2010 09:48:10 -0700

A 17-year-old Michigan girl died last week in Estes Park when she was hit by a falling rock. The fatality happened at about 4 p.m. in downtown Estes Park near town hall. The incident happened in a town "green space" in a grassy area with a creek running through it. A cliff, also part of the public parcel, rises above the open space. The top of the park, where the rock outcropping peaks, is an area known as Willow Knolls. The safety of the area is being assessed by the town's civil engineer.

Fireworks Pose Real Danger

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 09:25:03 -0700

The porch of a southwest Denver home went up in flames early yesterday morning and witnesses told investigators the fire was sparked by a Roman candle. Denver firefighters put out the fire, which was contained to an enclosed porch, in about ten minutes, and no one was injured. But the incident is an early reminder of how dangerous fireworks are.

Bicyclists Banned in Black Hawk

Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:20:08 -0700

Black Hawk is the only town in Colorado which bans bicycling through town. And this past weekend it issued the first tickets to bicyclists violating the ban. Black Hawk's new rule was actually enacted in January and prohibits bike riding on nearly every street in town, including the only paved thoroughfare in Black Hawk.

Pay per Signature for Petitioners OK

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:18:50 -0700

U.S. District Court Judge Phillip Brimmer has ruled in favor of a conservative think-tank, saying that the Colorado statute which barred citizen sponsored ballot-proposal sponsors from paying petition signature gatherers per signature was an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment.

Colorado Hospital Employees Under Tighter Oversight

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:57:18 -0700

Earlier this week, Gov. Bill Ritter signed into law two measures in response to recent cases of Colorado hospital employees abusing drugs. The laws require employers to report health care workers under suspicion to the state Department of Health within two weeks and to make information about a case available to the public, including future employers.

Reasons to Avoid Stand-Alone Surgical Clinics

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 11:54:06 -0700

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concludes that infection mistakes are common at U.S. outpatient surgical centers, where procedures such as colonoscopies take place. The research suggests that millions of patients may be at risk of contagion.

Colorado Governor Signs New Pot Laws

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 14:08:04 -0700

Colorado's medical marijuana industry will now have to follow new statewide regulations. Gov. Bill Ritter today signed two bills passed by state lawmakers this session to rein in the growing number of marijuana dispensaries and growers. Both laws take effect immediately.