Mind Master’s Incorporated educates you on legal issues that affect your everyday life. The LAW presumes the general public to know the rules that govern conduct. Nothing could be further from the truth. Dan Shipp’s legal education began in 1969 at the University of Mississippi. Through a progression of choices, life led to Colorado. Along the way representing small people against large corporations and individuals charged with criminal offenses, it became obvious that those individuals who knew the LAW were the ones that faired best in legal encounters.
Dan has been recognized by his peers at the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association with election to its Board of Directors; he has been selected to Who’s Who in American Law for the last 16 years starting first in 1990; he has been certified as a “Master Trial Advocate” by the National Institute of Trial Advocacy at Notre Dame Law School; he is a member of the National College of DUI Defense; he received one of the largest personal injury verdicts in the State of Colorado in 1991 in the Crested Butte Bank Explosion case; he has successfully tried numerous jury trials to conclusion and he has 30 plus years experience practicing law.
Starting in 2001 at age 55, Dan started primarily representing people charged with driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs. He bought books from all recognized authorities and started expanding his knowledge about the subject; he attended seminars on DUI laws and their enforcement. He studied the science of breath and blood testing to determine alcohol/drug concentrations in the blood. He began to take cases and meet the people who were confronted by law enforcement officers. A common thread ran through the people. Most people attempted to be openly honest with the officers, often times to their own detriment. By not knowing what to expect, by not knowing what their rights were, by not knowing what the laws were, they placed themselves in jeopardy when not necessary.
Then in May 2004, a presentation on CBS Channel Four News at 10:00 PM (KCNC-TV) caught his attention. A news story about a police officer pulling over a presumably drunk driver was aired. The officer’s written report was compared to a “long lost video tape.” (Apparently the officer had sworn under oath that the video camera in his car was broken on the night of the arrest.) The written report contained misrepresentation about the arrest which the video tape clearly showed were not true. THE OFFICER WAS APPARENTLY LYING ABOUT THE IMPAIRMENT OF THE DRIVER. This had been a recurring story that Dan had heard from numerous clients about certain police officers. Dan began to wonder why officers would lie. Then he started to research the money connection and how that could affect the officers. What he found out was that every time someone is convicted of a DUI, they pay $90.00 to the LEAF (Law Enforcement Assistance Fund) fund in Colorado in addition to the fines and court costs imposed. Apparently the fund is used to supplement the moneys needed to pay officers overtime to come in on days off or after hours to testify in DUI arrests cases. Now the money connection appeared. The more people arrested, the more overtime was earned at time and one half wages.
Dan was offended by the thought of people sworn to uphold the law (police officer, sheriff’s deputies, and state patrol officers) going out and traveling at 55 mph one –two cars lengths behind an innocent driver with their bright lights illuminated in hopes that he/she would weave while looking in his/her rear view mirror. If he/she did, then the officer would pull the car over, typically after 10:00 pm at night, just to see if they could smell alcohol. If he did, then he had the chance at making a DUI arrest and some overtime pay.
Dan has outlined all incidents of questionable officer conduct. He has contacted other DUI attorneys to get their experiences and he has read reports of conduct of numerous officers. He then put all his research into booklet form to help the driving public understand their obligation to the officers, what the law is, and how to deal with officers who are pushing the envelope in aggressive DUI enforcement. The DUI Information Kit contains the years of research and experience he has gained.
You can see Dan's legal credentials on his site at:
http://www.danshipplaw.com/
