On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Wednesday, November 14, 2018. There is a discernible clamor of excitement on Capitol Hill this week, which is manifestly surprising owing to its sense of bipartisan hopefulness. What is bringing a customarily divided American Congress together in a notable way is the ongoing momentum of an authored Senate bill termed The First Step Act. That legislation has a strong spotlight on it presently and a clear tailwind behind it as it moves seemingly ever closer to President Trump’s desk for his endorsement and passage into law. We have …

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Wednesday, November 7, 2018. Missouri opponents of marijuana cultivation, possession or use to any degree needn’t fear that a seminal legal change occurring yesterday will transform the state into a virtual Woodstock. Here’s what happened: State voters passed so-called Amendment 2, ushering in a new legitimacy for pot growing and personal use. Pot’s seal of approval in Missouri comes with a caveat, though, which ensures without question that the state will not follow the pro-pot lead of liberal marijuana states like Colorado, Washington or California. Indeed, Missouri’s new grant is notably – …

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Tuesday, October 30, 2018. The Macarthur Foundation has noted the willingness of St. Louis County officials to implement criminal law reforms aimed at reducing prison costs and providing behind-bars alternatives to more offenders. That deep-pocketed private organization spearheaded a program called Safety and Justice Challenge back in 2015. Since then, it has awarded select cities and counties nationally with approximately $150 million to “change the way America thinks about and uses jails.” St. Louis County was an original grant recipient of the initiative. The efforts made by the county since the program’s …

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. It passed through the Missouri Senate recently with unanimous agreement. State legislators now want to see Gov. Mike Parson affix his signature to a new would-be law that seeks to expand Missouri’s already successful drug courts program. A media article spotlighting the seminal legislation states that the state’s chief executive “is expected to sign the bill any day now.” Legions of criminal law reformers across the state will roundly endorse that development, given drug court proponents’ already enthusiastic embrace of a proven prison-alternative sentencing outcome for individuals with …

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Monday, October 1, 2018. Many people across Missouri can likely hold their breath for 48 seconds. That is also about the time it takes for a stellar athlete to turn in a competitive 400-meter time. Notably, it is also a barometer for something a bit less obvious, yet nonetheless relevant. Reportedly, and as noted in a recent article citing FBI data, “There is now an average of one marijuana bust roughly every 48 seconds” somewhere in the United States. An arrest-and-conviction number linked with that adds up in a hurry, doesn’t it? …

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Thursday, September 27, 2018. Just imagine the sinking feeling and even sheer anxiety you would experience as a Missouri parent upon seeing your child tick the “yes” box indicating a criminal history on a college application form. You would hope for the best, but fear for the worst, wouldn’t you? Clearly, many hopeful applicants are routinely turned down by school officials who are negatively influenced by some past transgression. That can be flatly tragic for an active and hopeful young person buoyed by an exciting next-step chance in life. And it can …

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Tuesday, September 18, 2018. A prosecutorial team might be wishing in hindsight that it never followed through with a criminal case that is now being held up to some ridicule in the national press. Although that matter relates to an Ohio traffic stop and drug arrest, we spotlight its main details here for Missouri readers to underscore instructive points it makes concerning the important criminal law principle of probable cause. Here is its bottom line: They stopped the car because it was allegedly dirty. More specifically, an Ohio police team focusing on traffic …