As a Gresham Criminal Defense Lawyer, it is important to understand the structure of the court system in Multnomah County. The Multnomah County Circuit Court has two courthouses dedicated to handling adult criminal cases. The primary courthouse is in Downtown Portland on Fourth Avenue. This building was completed in 1914 and renovated many times over the…
The 2013 legislature made two changes to Oregon’s Diversion Program. The changes were sponsored by the Oregon Criminal Defense Lawyer’s Association and the Oregon District Attorney’s Association. As a Portland DUII Attorney I support these changes. Diversion is a deferred sentencing program in which a person enters a plea of guilty or no contest to DUII, but…
In my last blog I discussed the hypothetical client named “John.” John was prescribed Oxycontin after an on the job injury. Like many clients, he became addicted to this dangerous drug. Here is the story of how that happened. John’s Portland, Oregon doctor handed out Oxycontin like candy, raising his dosage over time to the maximum of 80…
As a Portland Criminal Defense Lawyer, I see many people who come by their legal problems as a result of the drug addiction driven criminal behavior. I see many cases where a client has become addicted to opiates as a result of taking prescribed medication in the course of legitimate medical treatment. Many criminal cases unfold…
In Oregon, certain criminal convictions can be expunged (set aside and sealed) after a period of time. The rule is that a person must be free from criminal convictions for ten years preceding the filing of the motion, not counting the offense one is trying to remove from a criminal record. This is an important…
In my experience as a Portland Criminal Defense Lawyer, I see people selling supposedly legal substitutes for illegal drugs. Today, many “head shops” and internet companies market items marked as “bath salts” or “plant fertilizer” or “stain remover” as legal substitutes for cocaine and MDMA. These crystalline powders have nothing to do with bathing, plants or…