Category: Drug Crimes

It’s imperative that every citizen understand their rights. For example, if you are pulled over for a traffic stop and the police ask to search your vehicle, you have the right to tell them no.

Police in the United States can only search a person or their property if they have reason to believe that a crime has been committed – these are rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution.

But

Even in states like Colorado where some controlled substances have been legalized or decriminalized, you can still face serious charges for drug crimes if you’re found with large amounts of a controlled substance. In fact, large amounts of drugs in someone’s possession can even lead to charges of possession with the intent to distribute.

Being charged with possession with the intent to distribute means you have a quantity of drugs

Search and seizure laws arise often in the discussion of criminal charges. If you were searched by police and then charged with the crime, the question of whether or not they had the right to search you is an important one – and one on which a solid case often hinges for the prosecution.

You are protected from illegal search and seizure under the Fourth Amendment of the United States

In the 1980s, many states – including Colorado – created legislation that began to enhance sentencing for certain drug crimes based on where the crimes were committed. It is the birth of this type of legislation that gave us Drug-Free Zones.

The idea behind Drug-Free Zones is to discourage the commission of crimes in places where children are more likely to be present, such as schools. However, Colorado doesn’t simply

Colorado is a state that has made major strides regarding drug crimes. Many drug crimes have been decriminalized, and the state has worked hard to recognize that drug addiction and abuse aren’t issues that will be solved with prison time.

This is why you may find if you’re accused of a drug crime that the court sentences you not to time in jail but to drug rehabilitation. This court-ordered rehab