Self-driving cars are now a reality, if only for a select few. However, Volvo has put a twist on the concept since it announced that it will use an in-vehicle cameras to monitor the behavior of the driver starting in 2020 models. If the driver appears to be distracted...
What to do if you’re pulled over for suspicion of DUI
Police officers are always on the lookout for drivers showing signs of intoxication. If you are pulled over for suspicion of DUI, it's natural to be nervous. It's also likely that you'll make a mistake, especially if you've never been in this position before. There...
Is marijuana legalization coming to Indiana?
Advocates for the legalization medical and recreational marijuana have made inroads across the United States. There are currently 33 states and Washington, DC that allow medical marijuana and 11 (including DC) that legalized cannabis for recreational use. As many...
Should drug dealers be charged with homicide?
The opioid epidemic is all around us with 47,000 deaths in 2017 tied to opioid-related deaths. Whether it is hardscrabble areas that are economically depressed, affluent suburbs with ritzy country clubs or college campuses like IU, drug addiction has wrecked the lives...
Effectiveness of DUI roadblocks questioned
North Dakota recently made news when its House Representatives passed legislation that gets rid of DUI roadblocks. The vote was 79 to 14, and the measure now goes to the state Senate Judiciary Committee. "The cold hard fact is that sobriety checkpoints are terrible at...
Jurors can bring personal beliefs into the courtroom
Judges typically have a list of factors it considers before dismissing a juror, but at the top of the list is that person’s ability to remain impartial when hearing evidence. Massachusetts Justice Kimberly Budd wrote as much, saying in her decision: “Asking a...
Supreme Court rules that states cannot impose excessive fees
The United States Supreme Court rarely rules unanimously these days. Nevertheless, it did so recently when it passed down a decision that makes it clear that the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of excessive fines, fees and forfeitures applies to states. In her return...
An illegal traffic stop could help you defend against charges
Law enforcement officers often have to walk a fine line between respecting an individual's civil rights and protecting society as a whole. While there are certainly situations in which law enforcement officers must follow their own best judgment, in most scenarios,...
IU gets a new police chief
After 23 years of working at the Plainfield Police Department, Jill Lees will become the new IU Police Chief. She is set to begin in March. Despite the fact that she has been in Plainfield for over two decades, Lees should not have too many problems finding her way...
Many roadside drug tests are inaccurate
A Florida sheriff’s deputy recently made national news for a string of arrests based on inaccurate drug tests. The now-dismissed man made 81 arrests in his first 11 months on the job, and now he faces criminal charges for false arrest. While it is still unclear...