"Criminal Strict Liability" – Explained Simply

What is “Criminal Strict Liability”? Although we might not know it by its name, every one of us is already familiar with criminal strict liability. We see it all around us every day. Examples include the criminal laws against -- Having sex with a minor (statutory rape). Drunk driving. Selling spoiled food. Selling alcohol to a minor. Violating workplace safety standards. These are all strict liability crimes. They focus on just one thing: the illegal act itself. Do that thin… [Read full blog post]

2022 Dog Bite Fatality: Woman, 88, Dies of Injuries, Child Severely Injured, After Pair of Family Pit Bulls Attack

Golden Dog Owners Convicted of Felony Charge After Deadly Dog Attack Golden Police Department press conference after a pair of pit bulls attacked two family members. Dog Owners Plead Guilty UPDATE 04/09/23: In early March, Kayla Mooney, 33, pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful ownership of a dangerous dog, a felony and a misdemeanor, in connection to the death of 88-year old Mary Gehring. Mooney's two pit bulls viciously attacked Gehring in September. Mooney received… [Read full blog post]

Third Pit Bull Adopted Since Aurora Repealed its Pit Bull Ban Inflicts Level 5 Bite to Child's Face

Dog Passed SAFER Test - "No Small Dogs in Home!" Level 5 bite injuries to a 5-year old boy inflicted by a recently adopted pit bull. Council Member Reacts Aurora, CO - On February 13, a stray pit bull was transferred to the Aurora Animal Shelter from Alameda East Veterinary Hospital. "He had dog bite wounds to his whole body" and "deep bite wounds to the chest." Cotto (AKA Malone) was listed as a neutered American Staffordshire terrier. On February 18, the dog underwent a SAFER eva… [Read full blog post]

On Election Day, Denver Voters Repealed the Pit Bull Ban and Replaced it with a Provisional Breed-Restricted License

Will the City's Reversal Have Legal Ramifications? The new provisional breed-restricted license takes effect on January 1, 2020. Pre-Vote Commentary Denver, CO - On November 1, Kory Nelson, a senior assistant city attorney for the City and County of Denver, penned a post on his personal Facebook page. The post outlined the legal history of the Denver pit bull ban, his own role in successfully defending Denver's Home Rule Authority against a state preemption law, and how th… [Read full blog post]