On October 17th, 2020 in Ellisville and Manchester, Missouri, the first of many medical marijuana dispensaries opened for business to the public. These dispensaries were made possible thanks to a 65% in-favor vote on Amendment 2 to legalize the use of cannabis for...
Dee Wampler’s Blog
Springfield Criminal Law Blog
Gun-Free Zones Leave Us Unprotected
On July 20, 2012, excited patrons gathered at the Century 16 Movie Theater to see the much-anticipated conclusion of a popular movie trilogy. Within only a few minutes of the opening credits, tear gas filled the auditorium. As the audience attempted to flee, deafening...
Illegal Evidence: Police and Prolonged Traffic Stops
In February 2015, the Massachusetts State Police observed a vehicle with broken tail and brake lights. The vehicle had illegally tinted windows but was otherwise properly titled and registered. The driver did not immediately stop and was continuously followed for five...
The Doctrine of Qualified Immunity
Recent unrest sparked by perceived police abuse has called for reform, police defunding, and demand for accountability. A Law Enforcement Officer, (LEO), should be aware of the doctrine of “qualified immunity” which protects government officials from liability for...
CYBER STALKING AND CYBER HARASSMENT LAWS
The right to be left alone, the right to silence, and to be free from harassment are rights often cited as essential to the First Amendment, but are being put to the test in the communications age due to the abusive potential of modern electronic communication. Free...
Cyber Harassment and Internet Defamation
Missouri law prohibits knowingly communicating a threat to another person if it frightens, intimidates, or causes emotional distress. You cannot use coarse language, offensive to one’s “average sensibility” that puts another person in reasonable apprehension of...
School Crimes
On January 1, 2017, there were substantial revisions to current Missouri criminal federal laws which have a significant effect on school districts. Student misconduct must be reported under the Safe Schools Act. Felony harassment covers a person who “without good...
Bullying
25 years ago a bully was a kid shoving another kid or beating him up on the playground. Today, a bully doesn’t have to use fists but could be a faceless, hidden person hiding behind a text message, a Facebook post, or a Snapchat. Schools today are working for zero...
Exercise Your Right To Self-Defense
The Second Amendment in the United States Constitution protects and guarantees the right of individuals to keep and bear arms. It affirms our rights and was designed to prohibit the government from infringing upon that right. It is our constitutional right to own a...
Safety Tips for Women
In today’s ever increasingly dangerous world, it is important to not only know how to protect yourself as a woman, but ways to ensure that even when you are out and about alone, you are taking the best safety precautions that get you to and from your destination...