U.S. Capitol building

Things Slow Down

Jamison KoehlerDrug Offenses, Trial Advocacy

I always have the best intentions after attending a good CLE.  Returning to my office with a binder full of great information, I have every intention of reading through all the materials that were just referenced during the training.  The binder lies on my desk for a couple of days.  After a week of so, I move it onto a …

Jefferson Memorial

James Shellow: Cross-Examining the Analyst in a Drug Prosecution

Jamison KoehlerDrug Offenses, Trial Advocacy

There are certain reference materials that are essential to a law practice.  In the case of a criminal defense practice in D.C., for example, you could not get by without the D.C. crimes code, jury instructions, rules of evidence, sentencing guidelines, the two volumes of the Criminal Practice Institute’s manual, and some type of legal research service. In addition to …

American flag

Alternative Treatment for First-Time Drug Offenders in D.C.

Jamison KoehlerDrug Offenses

With first-time offender treatment in D.C. generally restricted to marijuana possession, prosecutors frequently offer consideration under Section 48-904.01(e) of the D.C. Code as an alternative to taking a case to trial. Depending on the case, treatment under the Section can in fact be the preferred option for people charged with first-time possession of cocaine and other illegal drugs. However, unlike …

Disorderly Conduct: D.C. Court Narrows The Scope

Jamison KoehlerDrug Offenses, Firearms/Weapons, Opinions/Cases, Other Criminal Offenses

  Disorderly conduct is a really annoying charge. The first problem is that the offense is usually so broad and poorly defined that it is too easy for police to charge and too easy for the government to prove at trial.  For example, since intent to cause a “public inconvenience” is a major element of the offense in Pennsylvania, the …