If you have been accused of committing a crime in the Denver-Metro area, you need a knowledgeable and reputable attorney on your side.
The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani is a full-service Denver criminal defense law firm, providing affordable legal representation to clients. We are devoted to building strong defenses and effective strategies to obtain winning results for our clients.
On behalf of The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani, LLC posted in Drug Crimes on Friday, May 18, 2012
A study released this week shows that marijuana use is on the rise and cocaine use is falling. Denver was a major part of the study showing that heroin and opiate use has tripled in Denver since the year 2000. This has also likely lead to more criminal charges in Denver, although the study didn't specifically address that. The study shows that drugs are a real problem for many people.
The director of national drug control policy for the Obama administration said that the study highlights the need for change in how people arrested for drug crimes are treated. The focus should not be on incarceration, but instead should help them seek treatment. This could drastically reduce the number of people who are re-arrested for similar crimes, according to some experts.
On behalf of The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani, LLC posted in Domestic Violence on Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Criminal charges can be detrimental to a person's professional life. Even an accusation can have a far reaching impact. A member of the popular band, OneRepublic, was arrested this week after an incident in Denver, which reports say was a domestic violence incident. The drummer of the band is accused of getting into a violent altercation with his girlfriend.
While it is important to respect the sensitive nature of these issues, it is also important to understand that domestic violence issues usually have long lasting repercussions for the person accused. These consequences could be job related, hurt a person's position in divorce proceedings and harm personal relationships with other people. Because these consequences are severe for a conviction related to domestic violence, it is important to formulate a rigorous criminal defense.
On behalf of The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani, LLC posted in Traffic Violations on Friday, May 11, 2012
This month, the Colorado Department of Transportation is recognizing police officers that make arrests and issue traffic violations. Last week, the manager of the impaired driving programs through the CDOT, issued a statement praising officers that make arrests of impaired drivers. This type of recognition, as well as programs that encourage the arrest of alleged impaired drivers, could lead to increased arrests and citations for traffic violations in Colorado. Sometimes people make a minor mistake while driving, and the situation can quickly escalate by a police officer that doesn't want to be wrong.
While police can be an integral part of keeping a community safe, it is important that Colorado police officers stay within their constitutional boundaries and don't violate the rights of accused people. Sometimes traffic citations are issued when a person isn't doing anything wrong, but police officers don't think the person will fight the offense.
On behalf of The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani, LLC posted in DUI on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Many people throughout the state of Colorado are permitted to use marijuana for medical purposes. This is often for people who have severe illnesses or injury, and use it to help relieve pain. They may soon be facing a legal hurdle if the Colorado legislature passes a measure that would make it a DUI offense for driving with more than a certain amount of THC in the blood stream.
THC is the active ingredient in marijuana, and it can be hard to accurately test for. The plan would make it illegal to have more than 5 nanograms of THC in a person's system while they are driving. Many people opposed to the law point out that THC can remain in a person's system for much longer than it actually influences a person's ability to drive.
On behalf of The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani, LLC posted in Expungements / Record Sealing on Friday, May 4, 2012
Convictions on drug charges in Colorado can cost a lot. The possible financial repercussions of conviction for even a misdemeanor can be significant. We'll get into that more in a minute. An additional repercussion that is often overlooked is the possible impact that having a criminal record can have one an individual's future. Jobs, education, housing, can all be affected negatively.
This is a particularly devastating possibility for juveniles. Individuals 18 years old or younger may lack the maturity to know the full ramifications of bad decisions they make. The result can be a criminal charge and conviction that haunts them for the rest of their lives. It may be possible to seek expungement of arrest and criminal records. Contacting an attorney is the best way to explore those options.
On behalf of The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani, LLC posted in Domestic Violence on Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Anyone who has ever been arrested in Colorado likely knows how the public record of an arrest can affect your life. Opportunities for jobs, various licenses and housing can all be adversely impacted by a background check.
That's because what the Colorado Bureau of Investigation provides for a background check is every charge that has been leveled at the time of a person's arrest, not what finally resulted as a matter of the legal process. A case might have started out listing several felony domestic violence charges but ended up with a defendant convicted of a single misdemeanor. But the full list of charges is what the public will see.
On behalf of The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani, LLC posted in Criminal Defense on Monday, April 30, 2012
Those who wear the law enforcement badge in Colorado hold a hallowed position in our communities. They bear a serious responsibility to protect our rights and to investigate alleged crimes.
Like nearly all workers, the quality of an officer is usually gauged by how well they meet specific metrics. And, just as there are individuals who look to pad their production numbers in other industries, there are police who look for short cuts to make their numbers look better. It's those kinds of tactics provide means a criminal defense attorney can use for building strong case defenses.
On behalf of The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani, LLC posted in DUI on Thursday, April 26, 2012
We suspect that most all of our readers know that in order to obtain a conviction, Colorado prosecutors must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This is true for cases of alleged driving under the influence (DUI) as well as for other serious charges. It takes reliable evidence, and the state's inability to provide that is cause for legal challenges.
Recent revelations by the state health officials suggest that there could be as many as 1,700 cases in which collected DUI evidence is now in question. Officials say that in addition to ordering all the blood samples from those cases retested, one employee at the state health department's Lab Services Division has been fired.
On behalf of The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani, LLC posted in Traffic Violations on Tuesday, April 24, 2012
There are a lot of aspects of our daily lives in which racking up the highest score wins the game. That is not the case when it comes to traffic offenses in Colorado. Drivers from out of state might not be aware that traffic violations in Colorado result in points being slapped on your license. The more you earn and the faster you do it, the harsher the penalty if convicted of charges. Contacting an attorney can help protect one's rights.
The array of allegations appears to be mounting in the case of a Henderson man. The Colorado State Patrol says the 21-year-old man led one trooper on a chase early Sunday on eastbound Interstate 70 through Glenwood Canyon. Officials allege that at one point the vehicles were racing along at 125 mph.
On behalf of The Law Offices of Steven J. Pisani, LLC posted in Drug Crimes on Friday, April 20, 2012
Back in December we posted about the unusual case of former Arapahoe County Sheriff Patrick Sullivan. Readers may remember that we expressed surprise, along with many others, about the developing case alleging drug crimes and other sex-related criminal charges. As a matter of update we let you know that Sullivan is now behind bars serving 30 days in county jail.
The sentence was issued earlier this month. It followed Sullivan's entering a plea of guilty to a Class 6 drug possession felony and a Class 3 soliciting prostitution misdemeanor charge during his arraignment. At the end of the court proceedings, two deputies escorted Sullivan out of the courtroom and to the jail that had been named for him. That honor had been given in recognition of 19 years of service and in acknowledgment of his having been named Sheriff of the Year.
