Ira D. Karmelin, Attorney & Counselor at Law

Happy gotcha day to you!
Happy gotcha day to you!
Happy gotcha day dear Jillybean!
Happy gotcha day to you!

Three years have gone by in a flash, but they've taken a toll on my girl. Gray is the color of the day. And, boy is it spreading. Like me, my girl is becoming a senior citizen. She's estimated to be between 63 and 84 in human years. In dog years, I'm dead.

Tips on the criminal side:

When you've been given the privilege of house arrest, rather than sitting in jail until trial, if the house arrest deputy calls you because of a tracking issue, don't call the deputy a bitch and hang up on her. Additionally, if the deputy calls you back after you hang up on her, answer the phone. House arrest deputies do not need court orders to take you to jail, which is where you'll find yourself, upon calling the deputy a bitch and hanging up on her.

Just a word to the wise.

Today is the 245th anniversary of our country's birth. It was many years until we adopted a constitution that still lives and breathes today. So many things we address as constitutional or unconstitutional would not be recognized by our forefathers, but that is how it should be. The Constitution is not just a piece of paper, but a living document to be interpreted and reinterpreted in each generation and amended as we ALL agree. As a criminal defense attorney, I am proud to defend the Constitution daily, as I defend my clients. Our country was founded on individual rights and protections from excessive government intrusions. Let's celebrate that today!!!! Happy July 4th!!!

120 years ago today, on May 21, 1901, Connecticut became the first state to pass a law regulating motor vehicles, limiting their speed to 12 mph in cities and 15 mph on country roads; the careers of traffic cops began.