Blog - GRL Law

Drug Charges Thrown Out After GRL Challenges Search of Commercial Motor Vehicle

March 7, 2023

In what may be the first ruling of its kind in Buchanan County, a GRL client is a free man today after the district court there suppressed the search of his semi truck and dismissed all charges. At issue was the Level II inspection criteria that many counties with weight stations impermissibly use to justify searches for "alcohol and drugs." GRL previously covered this topic here. CDL drivers are usually at the mercy of DOT officers and state troopers who believe all closed containers in the truck cabin are subject to search. To be sure, commercial trucking is certainly a regulated...

January 24, 2023

The drug crime attorneys at GRL have seen our fair share of searches involving commercial motor vehicles. Whether its a random stop on the highway or the weight station, DOT officers will seize the opportunity to search closed containers in the truck cab under the authority for inspecting closely regulating industries. They will tell the driver the search is for receipts and permits and the like. But you should know it is for alcohol and drugs instead. The DOT claims it has the authority to search your mini-fridge, Igloo coolers, personal belongings, etc., based on the reference to "alcohol and drugs"...

2022 Year in Review

December 29, 2022

What. A. Year! 2022 was a whirlwind at GRL. The year seemed like it was in non-stop fast-forward from the very beginning. Cases backlogged by COVID were finally able to proceed. Insurance companies that had been sitting on their reserves throughout COVID finally found themselves staring down the reality of a jury trial on civil cases and saw the writing on the wall. When trials are available, things begin to move. Move they certainly did. The Civil Division secured over 5 MILLION dollars in verdicts and settlements making a positive impact for GRL's clients and the community. Founding Partner Cory...