Portland Criminal Law Blog
Using self-defense against domestic violence allegations
Verbal disputes can quickly become heated. While most of these disagreements end up fizzling out with nothing more than some hurt feelings, others turn physically violent. When this happens, someone is probably going to end up facing criminal charges. If you’ve ended...
Mistaken ID is leading factor in wrongful convictions
Despite substantial proof that traditional eyewitness identifications are often mistaken, police departments continue to rely on them as primary evidence against suspects. The Innocence Project reports that nearly 70% of more than 375 wrongful convictions in the U.S....
Oregon’s aggravated vehicular homicide due to DUI
When a Portland area resident is out driving, they have no intention of causing an accident, especially one that causes the death of another person. But these accidents do occur and are heavily investigated and prosecuted by Oregon law enforcement. If a person is...
Supreme Court debates ‘racist’ jury laws
An anticipated U.S. Supreme Court ruling could invalidate hundreds of criminal convictions in Oregon and Louisiana over challenges to Jim Crow jury laws. In a Louisiana case, the high court ruled last April that allowing convictions by nonunanimous juries violates the...
Alleged drunk driver kills pedestrian on New Year’s Eve
New Year’s Eve may be the most dangerous evening of the year for persons who are driving. The most obvious danger is other drivers who may have consumed too much alcohol or other substances that interfere with the reflexes necessary to driving safely. Pedestrians face...
Is a failed appeal the end of the line?
A criminal conviction can feel earth-shattering. However, you have the right to appeal. But what happens if your appeal fails? Are you out of luck? Post-conviction relief may be an option A failed appeal does not necessarily leave you without any options. The law...
Alleged domestic violence incident leads to arrest
Families can be rough, even during the best of times. Though, during these especially trying times, when we are forced to spend even more time together, family squabbles can quickly escalate. After all, we may not have the option to just go to a friend’s house or...
Personal breath test devices provide little practical use
One of the reasons drunk driving charges are so common is that it can be difficult to discern whether you’re over the legal limit to drive. You might feel perfectly fine, but when the police see your vehicle swerving down the road, they may feel otherwise. Personal...
Can you suppress evidence as part of your criminal defense?
While witness testimony often serves as the backbone of a criminal prosecution, there are a lot of instances where physical evidence is just as damaging to a defense’s case. This evidence might seem overwhelming and insurmountable, but depending on the fact at hand,...
Drug crimes and consequences change with Oregon decriminalization
There has been a great deal of attention paid to Oregon’s pending changes to the state’s drug laws. The common term that is used is “decriminalization.” While that is a simple, one word description of the new laws – voted for as Measure 110 – it does not specifically...
