Tag: NFG not guilty

GRL Law Secures Dismissal of Felony CBD Charges in Polk County

The Polk County Attorney’s Office and GRL Law announce the resolution of criminal charges against Lacie Navin arising from the retail sale of hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) in December 2019. At the time of her arrest, Iowa’s Hemp Act, S.F. 599, which would provide for the production and retail sale of hemp products in Iowa, had not been fully implemented. Until the approval of the State Hemp Plan by the United States Department of Agriculture, it was unlawful to distribute CBD products under Iowa Code chapter 124. In late November 2019, Mid-Iowa Narcotics Enforcement (MINE) Task Force officers informed Ms. Navin […]

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GRL Law Wins Landmark Search and Seizure Case Before Iowa Supreme Court

In State v. Wright, the Iowa Supreme Court recently banned warrantless searches of curbside trash.  This landmark ruling puts an end to an investigative technique used by police for decades.   The issues before the Iowa Supreme Court were matters of first impression.  The drug defense attorneys at GRL Law are the first to ever raise the issue of trespass onto a constitutionally-protected “effect” in Iowa. We are also the first to persuade an Iowa appellate court to find an expectation of privacy in uncollected garbage. Prior to Wright, police wantonly searched household garbage set out for collection.  This was often […]

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NFG – What Does It Mean?

NFG.  It is a phenomenon amongst the criminal defense community started by the GRL team. It has been on cakes, cookies, and even cupcakes.  You may see the GRL Law, NFG t-shirts out and about.  There is a story behind every single one.  It started with a simple hashtag on social media posts but has morphed into something much greater.  It has become a cultural expression of sorts for those who are battling cases out in the arena.  Gladiators, daring greatly, fighting with everything on the line for their client’s freedom. NFG is an expression of the emotion that overcomes […]

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NOT GUILTY VERDICT IN UNLAWFUL PASSING TRIAL

Washington, Polk County, Iowa.  On February 26, 2021 a magistrate judge found our client not guilty following a bench trial for unsafe passing of a snow plow on a two-lane highway. We established that the snow plow does not yield at a stop sign, but rather slowly pulls out onto the highway at 10 mph.  Our client is 100 feet from the intersection traveling 45 mph.  There is no choice but to pass the snow plow on the left to avoid a rear-end collision.  The pass is nearly complete when the snow plow attempts a left-hand turn 200 feet ahead.  […]

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Theft Charge Dismissed on Eve of Trial WIN

Fort Dodge, Webster County, Iowa.  The Webster County Attorney’s Office dismissed a single count of theft at the state’s expense against our client on the eve of jury selection.  The criminal trial attorneys at GRL showed once again how thoroughly developing a theory of defense through the aggressive pursuit of pretrial discovery, including interviewing and subpoenaing witnesses not listed by the state, often makes a significant impact on the state’s decision to move forward.  In this case, we raised enough reasonable doubt as to the issues of ownership and intent such that a NFG verdict seemed the only likely outcome.  […]

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