Firm News

Gideon’s Law states that under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, every state has an obligation to provide counsel in criminal cases to represent those defendants who can’t afford to hire a private attorney. However, many people have a misunderstanding of the public defense system and do not realize that choosing a public defender over a private attorney can be very hurtful to the outcome of their case resulting in a higher chance of being convicted as well as

The arrest of ASU English professor Ersula Ore caught the nation’s attention last year, and now she’s fighting back with a $2 million claim against the university. On May 20, 2014, Ore was arrested on charges of aggravated assault on a police officer, criminal damage, refusal to provide truthful name and obstructing a public thoroughfare. She later pleaded guilty to one count resisting arrest, and the other charges were dropped. Ore was sentenced to nine months probation. The notice of

Nearly 27,000 DUI arrests have been made in Arizona in 2014, according to Phoenix DUI lawyers Corso Law Group, who closely monitor DUI statistics in the state. But while that number may be down from 2013 statistics also issued by Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, the DUI lawyers at Corso Law Group that New Year’s Eve can still prove deadly for Arizona drivers. “Late November marks the beginning of the most dangerous time to be on the roads in

The Arizona Court of Appeals has ruled that medical marijuana users are not protected from DUI charges if there is any trace of marijuana or its compound in the body while driving. Marijuana metabolites can stay in the body for weeks, but may not be significant enough to cause impairment. While these compounds may be inactive, this law still prohibits driving with any trace of marijuana in the body. Approximately 50,000 people in Arizona use medical marijuana since the inception

Arizona issued its first Silver Alert last month to aid in the recovery of a missing 79-year-old Surprise woman. Similar to an Amber Alert or a Blue Alert, as of July 2014, Arizona now issues Silver Alerts on Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) emergency-alert message boards around the state to report information on missing persons 65 or older. Read more on Blue Alerts here. Arizona issued its first Silver Alert Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2014, for Ethel Crescenzo who went missing

Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sherry Stephens tried to close courtroom doors during part of the retrial of Jodi Arias to accommodate a secret witness testimony, but the testimony has been delayed, and the court remains open to the public, court officials said. The trial is in the penalty phase with a new jury impaneled last month due to a deadlock in May 2013. The original jury determined that Arias was eligible for the death penalty, but no conclusion was

Thanksgiving weekend outranks New Year’s Eve and Halloween as the most deadly weekend of the year for holiday travelers across the country according to The National Safety Council and DUI arrest data. For many, Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season and a joyous carefree time with family and friends. However, the annual tradition often involves long commutes to visit relatives, celebratory drinking, and extended time off work. What at first glance appears to be a harmless holiday tradition

A DUI or DWI charge may indicate a high risk of possible accidents, enabling insurance companies to inflate auto-insurance rates tremendously for approximately three years for anyone facing intoxicated or drunk driving charges. High-risk driving is associated with DUI charges, as driving while impaired is an extremely dangerous situation to the driver and everyone else in the vicinity. People driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.09 percent are 11 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than

Texas and Arizona are two of nine states currently implementing “No-Refusal” initiatives for DUI stops. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) sponsors special DUI efforts called “No-Refusal” DUI Weekend Initiatives that enforce blood alcohol content testing for those who are arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated. Currently, nine states including Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Texas and Utah conduct. The “No-Refusal” program is an enforcement strategy that allows police to more easily obtain search warrants for

Corso Law Group is giving away free turkeys in November on its Facebook page to give thanks to its fans and remind everyone to drive responsibly this holiday season. “We consider ourselves a part of the community and enjoy opportunities to give back,” said Christopher P. Corso of Corso Law Group. “And besides, who couldn’t use a free turkey?” From Nov. 1 through Nov. 22, the Scottsdale law firm will give away a turkey per day to Arizona residents who