St. Louis Criminal Defense Legal Blog

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Thursday, February 14, 2019. Most people in Missouri and across the country likely feel safely insulated against inaccuracies in criminal law-linked test results that are simply ridiculous in their conclusions. Here’s an example: You would hardly expect a cop to pull you over, grab a box of baking soda from a shopping bag in your trunk and adjudge it heroin, right? And you would be astonished if a prosecutor subsequently slapped you with a major drug felony charge. Stuff like that simply doesn’t happen. Or does it? One Florida resident who recently …

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Wednesday, January 30, 2019. Are you being watched? Are Facebook images of you also being perused by security officials via top-secret databases used for domestic spying? Are comments you posted innocuously online concerning your views on topics ranging from marijuana use and sexting to political activism and other topics being scrutinized by officials from the FBI or NSA? You obviously hope not, given that the very idea is chilling. Can it possibly be that the nation’s citizenry is the mass target of clandestine domestic surveillance efforts? The American Civil Liberties Union thinks the …

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Wednesday, January 9, 2019. Mary Ann McGivern says that her reasoned view regarding a material budget fix to Missouri’s governmental money woes might not fly with a number of residents, especially public officials. Rather than endorsing her ideas and promoting their implementation, she fears that state decision makers are more apt to simply deem her “a lunatic.” Concededly, some might, but it’s just as likely that legions of Missourians would be most willing to give McGivern a close listen and thoughtfully reflect on what she has to say. In fact, it is …

On behalf of Rosenblum Schwartz & Fry posted in Drug Crimes on Thursday, December 14, 2017. In the state of Missouri, there are numerous laws that deal with driving under the influence of alcohol. Many other states have laws that are similar, and though they may change from place to place, these laws do serve an important function. Today, we want to talk about what is in effect here in Missouri so that people are more aware of their rights and the consequential implications of driving under the influence of alcohol. To begin, Missouri adheres to the regular blood alcohol limit that all other …

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? …