Traffic stops on I-80 in Nebraska are happening more and more. Since the legalization and decriminalization of marijuana by Nebraska’s neighboring states, an unusually high number of out-of-state drivers have been subjected to traffic stops on I-80. All along the interstate are drug checkpoints and drug traffic stops; however, they are most common in Cheyenne, Lincoln, Lancaster and Douglas County—the so-called “drug pipeline,” as police refer to it. Statistical studies prove that police are now targeting drivers based on their license plates. The correlation in stops is most apparent in those bearing the Colorado’s “green badge of courage.” Often, the tactics employed by police in these traffic stops are totally illegal and grounds for dismissal.
Traffic stops on I-80 in Nebraska can be triggered by any number of things. The police can legally stop a vehicle for missing a taillight, speeding, or running a stop light, but not because they merely suspect a driver to be carrying illegal drugs. When an officer does a non-drug related traffic stop on I-80, that officer has the right to question the driver about suspected drug activity. If the driver replies “no,” usually the police will proceed in asking to search the vehicle. He or she needs to have your informed consent, but if you say “no” another officer carrying a drug dog may “just happen” to pass by, and before you know it they are both rummaging through your car in a full-blown drug bust.
Traffic Stops on I-80 in Nebraska Defense
Traffic stops on I-80 in Nebraska can be difficult to defend. In reality, your rights dictate that if you are pulled over in a traffic stop on I-80, the police need probable cause or a warrant to search your vehicle. If the police had no right to make the traffic stop, or to search your vehicle, an attorney may be able to get the evidence suppressed or the charges dismissed altogether. The circumstances and methods surrounding the search and seizure may have not even been legal, and if they weren’t, any evidence obtained during the search is not permissible in court.
Traffic Stops on I-80 in Nebraska Lawyer
If the evidence against you as a result of traffic stops on I-80 in Nebraska is overwhelming and the length of your prison sentence extremely high, in some situations your attorney can explore opportunities to negotiate with the prosecutor for a reduction in the charges. Attorneys at Stockmann Law, however, understand that this is ultimately your case and your life. You make the decision as to whether to accept a plea deal or proceed to trial. Fighting the case will mean meticulously scrutinizing investigation on Stockmann Law’s part, but unlike other lawyers who say they prepare for trial, they actually do and are successful because of it.