Experienced. Aggressive. Successful.

Assault & Violent Crimes

Prostitution & Solicitation

Juvenile Defense

Request Your Free Consultation

Home » Blog

Blog Posts and Articles | Page 13

Salt Lake City Drug Crimes Case Involves Former Judge

Posted on November 26, 2013 by Susanne Gustin One of the most fundamental problems facing the American criminal justice system is debate over the answer to the following question: Is addiction a disease? Alcohol abuse was defined as an addiction by the American Medical Association in the mid 1960s, and drug abuse followed less than a decade later. Unfortunately, addiction is still widely […] Read more

ACLU Report Highlights Destructive Power Of Mandatory Minimums

Posted on November 21, 2013 by Susanne Gustin Last week we wrote about a Utah man who has been in federal prison since 2004 and is currently serving a 55-year sentence. His crime involved selling a few hundred dollars’ worth of marijuana and being in possession of guns (even though they played no role in his drug dealing). How did a young man […] Read more

President Obama Asked To Commute Lengthy Drug Sentence For Utah Man

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Susanne Gustin Several of our posts have focused on the sometimes baffling nature of America’s drug laws; particularly mandatory minimum sentences. Every year, non-violent drug offenders are given lengthy sentences that in some cases rival those given for much more serious offenses such as murder. A good example is a Utah man who is currently serving a […] Read more

Courts Ruling Against Forced Decryption As 5th Amendment Violation

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Susanne Gustin Among other things, the Fifth Amendment protects each of us from self-incrimination. In other words, if an individual is charged with or suspected of a crime, he does not have to testify against himself or otherwise aid in his own prosecution. Of course, the Constitution was drafted centuries before the invention of the computer and […] Read more

Utah Law Enforcement Teams With Zombies To Send Anti-DUI Message

Posted on October 30, 2013 by Susanne Gustin With Halloween just a day away, it seems like everyone is getting into the spirit. This includes law enforcement agencies here in Salt Lake City and throughout Utah. It will probably come as no surprise that police plan to increase anti-drunk-driving efforts during Halloween (and perhaps in the weekend following it). But what is surprising […] Read more

The Rate Of Wrongful Incarceration In America Today

Posted on October 25, 2013 by Susanne Gustin The criminal justice system is complex. On one hand, it aims to hold those who have committed criminal acts accountable for their behavior. On the other hand, it aims to hold ill-behaved law enforcement agencies and prosecutors accountable for their behavior. By ensuring that the rights of accused persons are respected, the system strives to […] Read more

The Conundrum Of Prosecuting Children For Child Sex Crimes

Posted on October 16, 2013 by Susanne Gustin Last week, we wrote about some of the more surprising offenses that could cause individuals to be classified as sex offenders. Certain laws in Utah and around the country really challenge the traditional stereotypes about sex offenders and force us to question whether sex crimes legislation sometimes goes too far. Not all sex offenders are adults […] Read more

What Exactly Makes Someone A Sex Offender? You May Be Surprised

Posted on October 10, 2013 by Susanne Gustin There is a common image that comes to mind when most people hear the term “sex offender.” Most assume that all sex offenders are lecherous male pedophiles who prey on young children. Because of this stereotype and laws surrounding sex offender registries, individuals convicted of sex crimes may suffer non-criminal consequences for years after their […] Read more

U.S. Supreme Court To Take On Important Drug Crimes Case

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Susanne Gustin It’s a classic scenario that has landed countless drivers in hot water. A police officer pulls someone over for erratic driving or some other infraction, and the stop yields something much more substantial, such as a large quantity of drugs. Many drunk driving arrests and drug crimes charges start with a traffic infraction that may […] Read more

FBI Report Shows Marijuana Busts Are A Waste Of Legal Resources

Posted on September 26, 2013 by Susanne Gustin In our first post last month, we wrote that the U.S. Department of Justice will reportedly be changing its approach to prosecuting possession and use of marijuana. Federal prosecutors have essentially been instructed to relax prosecution of low-level drug crimes involving marijuana and instead focus on violent drug crimes and trafficking rings. This policy change seems […] Read more