When pharmaceutical researchers first developed fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is both stronger and cheaper to produce than traditional opiate drugs, they probably thought they were making a positive contribution to the world of medicine. However, as a more...
Des Moines Iowa Law Blog
3 signs it’s time to ask for a custody modification
Your custody order determines how much time you get to spend with your children and what other obligations you have to them. Whether you negotiated arrangements directly with your spouse or had a judge create the order in a litigated divorce, both of you have an...
What are the penalties for an OWI if you’re a commercial driver?
Here in Iowa, drunk and/or drugged driving is often referred to as operating while intoxicated (OWI). Iowa's legal limit is 0.08% for adults age 21 and over. It's 0.04% for motorists with commercial driver's licenses as per Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration...
How can I help our kids handle our divorce?
Divorce is never easy, but it can take a particularly hard toll on children. Thankfully, those who find themselves going through a divorce with children from the marriage are not the only parents to go through this. We now have decades of experience and countless...
Young? Male? Your odds of being arrested for drunk driving are higher
Your age and gender aren’t under your control, but they certainly have an impact on your likelihood of facing an arrest (and a possible conviction) for drunk driving. Generally speaking, men enjoy a little bit of extra protection against a drunk driving charge simply...
How temporary licensing works after an Iowa OWI conviction
Operating while intoxicated (OWI) is a common criminal offense in Iowa and one that people tend to repeat. Those accused of impaired driving could eventually get arrested for the same thing again in the future. About a quarter of the drivers charged with OWI offenses...
Can I get my co-parent’s rights terminated in Des Moines?
The first thing you should know is that only a judge can terminate the rights of a parent. Even then, there needs to exist a valid reason before a judge takes such drastic measures. For example, you cannot ask to terminate your co-parent’s rights based solely on your...
In what instances can police search your home looking for drugs?
Not all searches and seizures are legal. Numerous rules and procedures have been implemented to minimize the risk of illegal searches and seizures happening. The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution dictates that illegal searches and seizures are...
Iowa hasn’t relaxed the rules on marijuana: Here’s what you should know
Unlike several other states, Iowa takes a harsh stance against cannabis. Unless you have a qualifying medical condition, it is against the law to possess any form of cannabis. Even having marijuana paraphernalia in your possession can lead to a misdemeanor conviction...
Is opioid drug abuse really a national epidemic?
Most people who work in health, government or even law enforcement will acknowledge that making drugs illegal has not stemmed the abuse of some of them. If anything, forcing people to purchase their drugs in an unregulated market creates even more risk for those...