Scott Wonder

05/05/2023

Sometimes, even after all the hard work, the great lawyering, an understanding prosecutor, a troubled client with a learning disability on the spectrum who worked diligently, a supportive family, and a wise judge, a good result can turn into an even better result than hope would allow. Without going into details, I received an order vacating a young person's conviction today. This was an eight year plus journey that started with a single Class B felony charge, discovery showing many more uncharged Class B felonies, resolution as a single misdemeanor, and now a vacated conviction with this young person's opportunities restored. Patience and perseverence won out in the end.

01/29/2014

Flight search demand for Denver has been 6.3% above the national average.

04/26/2013

The face of an effort in the Legislature to stiffen DUI laws spent the first part of his political career pushing to legalize ma*****na. The two crusades are complementary, not contradictory, he says.

04/18/2013

Justices say police should generally try to get a warrant before forcing a suspect to submit to testing.

04/15/2013

Stiffer Penalties Mulled in Olympia for DUI’s

By RACHEL LA CORTE Associated Press Published: Apr 9, 2013 at 11:50 AM

03/19/2013

Montana Considers Pot limits for Drivers

(Helena, MT – YPR) – Montana lawmakers are considering whether to join a dozen other states in setting a legal limit for the psychoactive ingredient in ma*****na in its DUI laws.

“This bill is not an anti- or pro-ma*****na bill,” says House Bill 168’s sponsor David “Doc” Moore, R-Missoula. “It’s about impaired driving.”

The bill seeks to set the legal limit at 5 ng/ml of delta-9 tetrahyrocannabinol. It’s the same limit set in Montana’s medical ma*****na laws.

He says now that Montana’s neighbors — Washington and Colorado — have legalized the recreational use of ma*****na, he’s concerned impaired drivers may be traveling through the state.

Montana Highway Patrol Sargent Curt Sager trains law enforcement officials in drug recognition. He says while DUI cases involving alcohol are on the decline in the state, ma*****na continues to escalate.

He told the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2010 that 372 of the DUI cases involved ma*****na; in 2011 that rose to 476; and last year it grew again to 486 cases.

Sager adds the numbers are growing for DUI fatalities involving ma*****na. He says they now account to ¼ of the cases.

“So obviously this is a very dangerous, deadly problem that we’re encountering on our roadways,” he says.

He says setting a legal limit for Delta-9 THC for ma*****na is based on the .08 blood alcohol content (BAC) in the DUI laws.

Retired chiropractor Pat Pardis is a member of the Montana Cannabis Information Association. He’s against the bill, saying science is inconclusive as to whether the 5 ng/ml limit is accurate to designate an impaired driver.

“We do not believe that per se laws really improve safety on the highway,” he says. “It may make it easier to put somebody in jail or into a treatment program.”

HB 168 passed through the Montana House on a 80-18 vote. The Senate Judiciary Committee did not immediately act on the bill.
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06/06/2012

What this doesn’t mention is that drivers can be CHARGED with a DUI, if they test UNDER .08 at the officer’s discretion.
Happens all the time...

Driving under the influence (DUI) refers to operating a vehicle while affected by alcohol, drugs, or both. This applies to both legal and illegal drugs, including prescription medication and over-the-counter drugs.

06/06/2012

Always have a plan: make it well in advance.

02/11/2012

DUI, not only in cases of alcohol but recreational and prescription drugs and all combinations there of.

People who use ma*****na before driving are nearly twice as likely to cause a car crash as those not under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to a Canadian analysis of previous studies.

02/10/2012

...learn by setting good examples.

02/10/2012

Does anyone else think this might have been predestined?

DENVER — Denver prosecutors say Broncos running back Knowshon Moreno has been charged with drunken driving and careless driving after getting pulled over in south Denver. Denver District Attorney spokeswoman Lynn Kimbrough said Tuesday Moreno is also charged with failure to have proof of insurance