The Kansas statute prohibiting driving under the influence (“DUI”), K.S.A. 8-1567, categorizes the severity level of the crime based on how many prior DUI convictions the offender has. For example, DUI is a class B misdemeanor for someone who has no prior DUI convictions. But DUI is a felony for someone with three or more […]
Chris Joseph and his colleagues on the defense bar noticed a dramatic uptick in grand jury indictments in Shawnee County—often on the eve of a preliminary hearing where a probable cause determination would have been made in open court, rather than in a closed grand jury proceeding. The practice of securing indictments using a grand […]
In United States v. Rodriguez, 135 S.Ct. 1609 (2015), the United States Supreme Court was asked whether police officers could routinely extend the length of a traffic stop to allow a trained drug detection dog to sniff the stopped car. The Court held that they may not. Specifically, the Court held that, absent reasonable suspicion […]
B. Keith Edwards – formerly an Assistant District Defender in Topeka’s Third Judicial District Public Defender’s Office – has joined the Criminal Division of Joseph, Hollander & Craft LLC. Based in the firm’s Wichita office, Edwards represents individuals charged with criminal offenses in municipal and state courts. “The attorneys in the firm are well respected […]
Law enforcement officials call it a tool, but critics call it highway robbery. Its real name is civil asset forfeiture – it’s how a traffic stop could end with someone losing their life’s savings. Attorney Chris Joseph is on the other side of the issue. He’s working to reform that law. Unlike criminal asset forfeiture, […]
A defendant is entitled to present alternate theories of defense at trial. And the jury must receive each instruction supported by the evidence—regardless of which party presents that evidence. In State v. Lindemuth, Christopher Joseph and Carrie Parker’s application of this law resulted in a reversed conviction for their client. The case began in 2015, […]