TNTL
Client's Choice Awards 2017
Colorado Criminal Defense Bar
Expertise
Avvo Rating badge
Denver Bar Association
Client's Choice 2014
The American Trial Lawyers Association
American Bar Association
Colorado Bar Association

Where Our Criminal Procedures Come From

How federal and state constitutions, legislatures and courts protect the rights of criminal defendants.

The word "criminal" reflects our society's belief that certain acts are unacceptable and that people committing these acts should be punished. Because we place a high value on freedom, however, our state and federal constitutions make it very difficult for the government to take that freedom away from us. As a result -- and perhaps as a price -- the court system often appears to protect the criminal rather than the victim, and to unduly favor defendants who are blessed with clever attorneys. On the other hand, if the system doesn't place a heavy burden on government prosecutors, we risk sending innocent people to jail and we make it easier for our government to slide into totalitarian practices. One thing is sure, no matter what type of system we have for separating the bad citizens from the good, it will always be a matter of great controversy.

Though legislators have relatively unfettered power to decide whether a certain behavior should be a crime, many rules limit the ways in which the state or federal government can prosecute someone for a crime. These restrictions start with the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights, which provides basic protections for people suspected of and charged with crimes. These include the right to confront witnesses, the right to not testify, the right to an attorney, the right to a jury trial and the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, among others. State constitutions may increase (but not take away from) the federal protections. Federal and state legislatures can pass statutes governing how criminal procedures work in their jurisdictions, but these laws cannot reduce the protections offered by the federal and state constitutions.

The courts regulate the interplay between constitutional provisions and legislative enactments. Courts decide whether or not a particular legislative rule, court practice or police action is permissible under federal and state constitutional law. What may seem like a slight variation in the facts from one case to another can be, in the eyes of a court, the determining factor that leads to a vastly different result.

Example: Using binoculars to look through a window, a police officer sees something illegal going on in a private home. If the officer is not trespassing at the time she views the activity, she may legally enter the home without a search warrant to arrest the suspects and possibly seize evidence. The legal reasoning behind this result is that people inside a home have no reasonable expectation of privacy if their activities can be viewed through the window. However, if the officer uses a high-powered telescope, or a surveillance satellite picks up the illegal conduct through an open skylight, the results may be different., because we reasonably expect that our private activities will not be subject to such invasive surveillance techniques.

Copyright 2004 Nolo

Client Reviews
★★★★★
"An excellent lawyer choice for my son who was charged with driving while his license was revoked. DMV had mistakenly sent (3) letters of revocation to the incorrect address, so I hired Monty to prove that my son never knew his license was revoked. Monty kept me informed at all times as to what was happening and what he doing to prove my son's innocence in this matter. We were to appear in court on 29 March 2012 and Monte informed us on 27 March 2012, that the case had been dismissed!!! Monte charged a fair, flat rate for what he did in this matter and should the need arise to hire a lawyer or to recommend a lawyer, I would not hesitate to give Monte's name.” Linda
★★★★★
"I consulted three other attorneys on my traffic offense in Colorado and none of them thought I could beat it. Then I consulted with Monte Robbins. He not only relieved my warrant without my presence in Colorado, but he got my habitual driving offense reduced to an infraction. I was up against the wall on this case but thanks to Monte miracles are possible. I have hired my share of attorneys and Monte Robbins has produced the best results for me yet. After being without my driving privileges for ten years I paid a small fine and am legal with a clean record. I Highly recommend this attorney." Steve
★★★★★
"I hired Monte J. Robbins to represent me. He gave 110% to my case never rushed me off the phone, quick to gather all information regarding my case. Monte is very knowledgeable and helped me out a lot. He kept me informed every step of the way through my case. I was always able to get a hold of him for any questions i had. The outcome of my case was way better then i had expected. Monte did a excellent job on my case and I would highly recommend him to anyone. Monte won my case and I am confident that he can do the same for anyone else." Jeremy