Attorney Colin Christopher Murphy's Legal Cases

Criminal defense

State v. J.K., Iowa District Court for Poweshiek County Nos. NTA0060444 / 45

Jun 11, 2026

OUTCOME: Enhanced Penalties Denied

On June 11, 2026 the district court sentenced our client to the scheduled fine for crossing the center line in a case where he was facing a lengthy license suspension and enhance monetary penalties bec ... ause the case involved an accident where another individual died. The fighting issue in the case was whether the State could prove the death resulted from the accident beyond a reasonable doubt. We raised Confrontation Clause challenges to the Iowa State Patrol testifying as to the contents of the State Medical Examiner's Report on the autopsy instead of the ME testifying himself.

DUI and DWI

State v. T.B. , Iowa District Court for Polk County No. SMAC424872

May 18, 2026

OUTCOME: Contempt Charges Dismissed

On May 18, 2026 the district court granted the State's motion to dismiss the charge of contempt for refusing to submit to a search warrant for breath, blood and/or urine. Facts developed at the hearin ... g demonstrated significant issues casting doubt on the probable cause for the warrant. And Defendant established the contempt charge was brought under the wrong statute. The State voluntarily dismissed before the court could rule on our motion to dismiss at the close of the State's case.

DUI and DWI

C.C. v Iowa Dept. of Transp., No. 26DOTOT0255

Dec 16, 2025

OUTCOME: Driver's License Revocation Rescinded

On December 16, 2025 the administrative law judge reversed the previous entry of a license revocation based on notice of an out-of-state revocation for implied consent. Our investigation revealed that ... no revocation was warranted because there was no final administrative decision or DUI conviction upon which a revocation could be based.

Drug Crime

State v. J.G., Iowa District Court for Muscatine County No. FECR071994

Dec 05, 2025

OUTCOME: Felony Drug Charges Dismissed

On December 8, 2025 the district court granted the State's motion to dismiss following a favorable suppression ruling challenging probable cause to issue a search warrant to search our client's propert ... y. This matter had previously been handled by another attorney who failed to recognize the critical issue. We successfully moved the court to allow the late filing of a suppression motion more than 7 months after the deadline passed, and then prevailed on the setting aside the search warrant. There were 7 felony charges each with a habitual offender enhancement, which meant our client was facing 105 years in prison.

DUI and DWI

State v. S.M., Iowa District Court for Sioux County No. OWCR019532

Dec 03, 2025

OUTCOME: OWI Charge Dismissed

On December 3, 2025, the district court accepted a plea to the amended charge of public intoxication and reckless driving (for minimum fines and no jail) following the filing of a motion to suppress ch ... allenging the authority to request a breath specimen in this case. This follows a successful DOT ruling where we prevented the driver's commercial driver's license from being disqualified. With a plea to a non-OWI charge, the DOT now has no authority to sanction the driver's privileges for circumstances arising from this traffic stop. Huge win!

DUI and DWI

S.M. v. Iowa Dept. of Transp., No. 26DOTOT0452

Nov 21, 2025

OUTCOME: Driver's License Revocation Rescinded

On November 21, 2025 the Administrative Law Judge rescinded the revocation of my client's driver's license following the hearing for a breath test that exceeded 0.08 after we demonstrated the deputy la ... cked a statutory ground to request a breath test through implied consent. This ruling will preserve his commercial driving privileges.

Drug Crime

In the Matter of Property Seized from J.R., Iowa District Court for Johnson County No. SPCV502141

Oct 29, 2025

OUTCOME: Seized Property Returned

On October 29, 2025, the district court essentially granted our Application for the return of $22,000 and two cell phones seized from a driver following a traffic stop for speeding. We were in positio ... n to establish that the money was the proceeds of gambling winnings rather than drug proceeds as law enforcement initially suspected. In a strange twist, law enforcement initially returned the money and other property at the end of the traffic stop, only to flag down the driver a second time as he was slowly driving along the shoulder of the road attempting to merge onto highway traffic. This second stop certainly wasn't supported by independent probable cause.

Drug Crime

State v. K.V., Iowa District Court for Clay County No. FECR022085

Oct 23, 2025

OUTCOME: Felony Drug Charges Dismissed

On October 23, 2025, the district court granted the State's application to dismiss felony charges of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, tax stamp and misdemeanor paraphernalia ... possession after we successfully challenged the search warrant that led to the search of my client's residence. The officer who applied for the warrant indicated that officers on the scene detected the odor of marijuana coming from the residence. However, there training and experience to recognize the odor was not adequately described in the warrant application. The State attempted to justify a warrantless entry into the home at hearing, but that effort was rebutted by showing there was no emergency confronting the officers at the time. Obviously, they took their time applying for the warrant, which negates any exigency under the circumstances.

Drug Crime

State v. A.L., Iowa District Court for Mitchell County No. SMCR027346

Oct 17, 2025

OUTCOME: Drug Charges Dismissed

On October 17, 2025 the magistrate court granted the State's motion to dismiss after we filed a motion to suppress challenging the deputy's apparent authority to search a passenger's personal belonging ... s based on the male driver's consent to search the vehicle. It was clear from the deputy's body camera that a reasonable peace officer in his position would have inquired whether the purse and shoulder bag on the passenger side floorboard belonged to the female prior to searching it. Because actual authority was absent and apparent authority questionable under the circumstances, the State did the right thing by dismissing.

Drug Crime

State v. D.M., Iowa District Court for Cerro Gordo County No. SRCR033783

Jun 29, 2025

OUTCOME: Drug Charges Dismissed

On June 29, 2025 the State dismissed the charge of marijuana possession right before the hearing on our motion to suppress was scheduled. A DNR officer entered a fishing shack without a warrant at whi ... ch time he detected the odor of cannabis. He believed he had the consent of a party who was standing outside of the shack on frozen Clear Lake. However, the individual was only a guest and lacked actual or apparent authority to permit law enforcement to enter. A tip of the hat to the prosecutor who recognized the futility of moving forward in the face of a well researched suppression motion.

Colin Christopher Murphy's Legal Cases (183)

State v. J.K., Iowa District Court for Poweshiek County Nos. NTA0060444 / 45

State v. T.B. , Iowa District Court for Polk County No. SMAC424872

C.C. v Iowa Dept. of Transp., No. 26DOTOT0255

State v. J.G., Iowa District Court for Muscatine County No. FECR071994

State v. S.M., Iowa District Court for Sioux County No. OWCR019532

S.M. v. Iowa Dept. of Transp., No. 26DOTOT0452

In the Matter of Property Seized from J.R., Iowa District Court for Johnson County No. SPCV502141

State v. K.V., Iowa District Court for Clay County No. FECR022085

State v. A.L., Iowa District Court for Mitchell County No. SMCR027346

State v. D.M., Iowa District Court for Cerro Gordo County No. SRCR033783