Before President Nixon was impeached, he declared that the United States would be fighting a war on drugs. Much of the public supported this and hoped that it would be successful. It has now been more than four decades, so there's quite a lot of data. Did the war on...
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3 times the police can search your home without your consent
When the police knock at your door, they will usually ask you to come inside. Once they have your permission, they will start casually looking around to see if they can find something that will provide them with a reason to keep searching. Knowing that you don't have...
3 school-related consequences for college students facing charges
When your teenager moves out and starts college, you want to start treating them like an adult. However, the truth is that their brain won't be done developing for many years still. They can still make the same kind of mistakes that a teenager would without realizing...
Illegal possession of a firearm in South Dakota
South Dakota has some of the most relaxed gun laws in the nation, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a “free for all” situation. You can still get into trouble for possessing a firearm in violation of the law. For example, it’s illegal to possess a firearm if you have a...
Can police in South Dakota take your cash during a traffic stop?
Any encounter with police officers can have unfortunate outcomes. If they discover that your insurance has lapsed or claim that you drove faster than you should, you could face expensive tickets. A traffic stop can also throw off your schedule and make you late for...
Are you allowed to carry a handgun while you travel in your vehicle?
If you want to travel and take your weapon with you, then it’s a good idea to know the laws that will apply to you while you do. Depending on where you plan to go, you may be able to take your gun without violating any state or federal laws. In some states, though,...
What should I say at a traffic stop?
If the police pull you over, you may feel like there is nothing you can do to change the traffic stop outcome. You may be surprised to learn that your actions during a traffic stop can help shape the outcome in your favor. When something like DUI charges is on the...
A criminal conviction could permanently limit your right to own a gun
If you've been charged with a crime, you may be eager to take what seems like a golden opportunity: A plea deal with probation instead of jail. Unfortunately, a plea deal's long-term consequences may be somewhat unexpected because most people don't realize that a plea...
Do I have to consent to a search?
If you have an encounter with the police, they may want to conduct a search. They could ask to search your car after a traffic stop, for example, or to search your home after knocking on the front door. Do you have to consent to this search or not? Your rights You do...
Study shows significant racial disparity in misdemeanor arrests
Regular readers of our Sioux Falls Criminal Defense Blog might recall a post we published in late July about a study that found “extreme racial disparities in marijuana possession arrests.” The ACLU report stated that “Black people are 3.64 times more likely than...