Hey, Senator Dawson and Representative Holt! It’s your boy, Murph. Didn’t I tell you in March that this wouldn’t turn out well? I’m talking about your unconstitutional efforts to restore the illegal practice of warrantless garbage searches in Iowa. You know, the police tactic that we struck down last year in State v. Wright? The […]
Here’s a pro tip from the drug defense attorneys at GRL Law: If you are placed in the patrol cruiser while the officer searches your vehicle, then don’t say a word to anyone, including yourself, about anything. Why? Because the police car is wired for video and audio. Every word you say outside the presence […]
On February 17, 2021 the Iowa Court of Appeals in State v. Tucker dismissed felony drug charges against an informant who upheld her end of a task force proffer. Although both the factual and procedural histories are long and winding, the issue on appeal was fairly straightforward. Should the court enforce a plea agreement against […]
The drug defense attorneys at GRL have blogged before on the pitfalls of being stopped by police with marijuana in your personal vehicle. Fortunately, Iowa no longer suspends your driving privileges for drug convictions. Does this mean you can keep personal use quantities in the sleeper area of a semi truck? In a word, no. […]
If a person approves and agrees to the commission of a drug crime, then he will be treated the same as the person who is accused of actually committing the crime. This is referred to as “aiding and abetting.” How does a person aid and abet a drug crime? It’s simple. Either he actively participates […]
The drug defense attorneys at GRL Law have seen it all when it comes to traffic stops involving cannabis. This is especially true when police charge a driver with possession for weed located under a passenger’s seat. Is there a defense for the driver? Absolutely! Because this marijuana is not actually found on the […]
Thin layer chromatography (TLC) is a well-known qualitative laboratory technique to separate, detect and identify plant material extracts that have been processed so they longer possess botanical characteristics that can be observed through macro and microscopic analysis. This includes cannabis products like gummies, truffles, bars and other edibles, but also substances like tar, ground plant […]
Colin Murphy was once again named to the Great Plains Super Lawyers list in 2020, an honor reserved for those lawyers who exhibit excellence in practice. Only 5 percent of attorneys in the region receive this distinction.
The Story County District Court recently sentenced our client to credit for time served and minimum fines for simple possession of a controlled substance. Originally, the state charged him with four felonies: possession with intent to deliver LSD, marijuana and tax stamp violations. The Class B felony alone was punishable by a mandatory term of […]
Polk County, Iowa- Grant Gangestad’s client was charged with numerous drug charges, including possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and failure to possess a tax stamp. After pretrial motions were filed on behalf of the client, the prosecutor amended the charge to a single misdemeanor count and the client received a deferred judgment. Felony […]
