GRL Raw Podcast Network

There was so much to cover with Carl Olsen that we split this episode into two parts! And now that there is an approved secular use for marijuana in Iowa under the medical cannabidiol act, Iowa Code chapter 124, can the State still deny his right to consume THC for religious purposes? I expect the newly enacted Iowa Religious Freedom Restoration Act will factor into this argument significantly moving forward.   For more on Carl&apo...

We are not going to ruin the surprise effect of this episode of Dos and Don’ts by putting any of it in the description.  We will just say, Meggan Guns was warmed up in her last episode, so we decided to turn up the heat.  She wants to be the next Dallas County Attorney.  Can she answer the tough questions?  Here is a hint about this episode.  It involves a convicted sex offender, a vehicle, a tricycle and the police.

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Is there a First Amendment defense to importing 20 tons of marijuana for religious use?  Join a fascinating discussion with Carl Olsen as he takes viewers on a nearly 50-year, pioneering journey of defending his constitutional right to consume sacramental cannabis as a member of the Ethiopian Zion Coptic Church.  I consider him the foremost expert on this topic in the country.  His legal challenges underscore the complexities in ba...

In this episode of GRL’s Victory Vault, we delve into a remarkable case where justice prevailed in the face of gross negligence by an employer.  We speak with GRL partner Cory Gourley about a harrowing mining accident that resulted in the tragic death of the client's son. The son's employer's egregious negligent conduct was so pronounced that the jury awarded punitive damages, a rare and difficult standard to achieve...

We have been saying it for over a year now. Eat your damn crust!  After the Iowa Supreme Court case at the center of this episode we can now add to that advice.  If you don’t want Big Brother getting your DNA clearing your table and straw from the Iowa famous Pizza Ranch restaurant.  The ultimate question we dive into on this episode of Law Splaining is, do you have an expectation of privacy in your DNA that remains on items that y...

We finally tricked a prosecutor into appearing on GRL Raw!  Current Assistant Polk County Attorney and candidate for Dallas County Attorney, Meggan Guns faces the firing squad on another riveting episode of Dos and Don’ts.  Do prosecutors have to consider the financial costs associated with a prosecution?  Do they strike deals because it might be too expensive to take a case to trial?  We warm Meggan up to Does and Don’ts with a qu...

In this episode of GRL’s Victory Vault, we shed light on a case where justice was not only served for a young client but also held a school district accountable for its own failures. We speak with GRL partner Bobby Rehkemper about a case that started with a tragic incident: the sexual assault of a special education student by another student within the school premises. Bobby's diligent investigation uncovered alarming lapses i...

Jill Zwagerman was warmed up with the softball in our last episode, so we crank up the difficulty level on this Dos and Don’ts.  This one involves disabilities, a Furry, a pupachino and a naughty customer.  What is an employer required to do to protect its people from unruly customers?  Are Furry’s a “protected class?”  What is a “protected class”?  Jill helps us wade through this doozie of a Does and Don’ts that will be very diffi...

You comment on your Mayor’s Facebook page about how he is doing a terrible job.   Your comment gets deleted.  You comment again.  It gets deleted.  You go to comment again.  You are blocked!  The First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees citizens the right to speak their mind, dissent against the government and express their opinions.  Is the First Amendment violated when a government official censors comments an...

GRL Raw takes Dos and Don’ts to an entirely new level this season with guest appearances from local lawyers who have a special set of skills on the topics of discussion.  We kick it off with Jill Zwagerman of who specializes in Employment Discrimination cases; think Sexual Harassment.  We sit Jill down, throw a few drinks down her throat and hit her with the most bizarre publicly asked legal questions related to her line of work.  ...

On this episode of the Straight Dope, Colin’s guest, Andrew Mertens, Executive Director of the Iowa Association for Justice, discusses the latest developments in the gambling controversy that rocked the University of Iowa and Iowa State athletic departments last fall.  What technology did the state’s Division of Criminal Investigation use to target these athletes?  And why should Iowans be concerned about the larger privacy interes...

In this episode, we crack open GRL’s Victory Vault to shine some light on a case where not only did GRL Law get a great result for a client but were also able to dole out some justice to a prosecutor.  We sit down with GRL partner Matt Lindholm to explain how a rather routine Operating While Intoxicated charge took an unexpected turn when Matt’s thorough investigation of the case uncovered that the arresting police officer failed t...

Lawsplaining is where GRL Raw breaks down fancified legal mumbojumbo over beers and explains it so that all may understand.  On this very first episode we tackle the hot-off-the-press United States Supreme Court decision involving the Trump Ballot Ballyhoo.  Can a State keep a presidential candidate off of their ballot?  What was their theory that lead them to believe they could?  What does the Constitution say?  We break this down...

Welcome to the Straight Dope where Colin Murphy dishes the plain truth on all things vice in Iowa.  In this episode, Colin chats with Bobby Rehkemper about consumable hemp products.  Want to know how to tell what is legal to possess and consume?  And what will get you arrested?  Gummies, vapes and mushroom products are covered.  Colin also reviews Iowa House File 2605, new legislation aimed at restricting the amount of hemp derived...

GRL finally reveals their secrets of drunk driving defense in Iowa. The most experienced, aggressive, and successful Iowa law firm for drunk driving defense pulls back the curtain on operating while intoxicated investigations.
 
GRL Raw is closing out 2023 with a bang. In the final episode of 2023, Bobby and Donut discuss the top ways that otherwise law-abiding citizens find themselves on the wrong end of an operating while...

Some call it nonconsensual pornography others call it revenge porn. Regardless of the label, nonconsensual sharing or dissemination of intimate sexual photographs and videos causes immediate and long-term harm to the person whose trust and confidence is betrayed. Offenders may look at it as simply getting even for a broken heart, but the trail of destruction it leaves behind is not temporary nor fleeting. 
 
Bobby and Donut...

Eat your damn crust!  How did the suspected Long Island serial killer Rex Huerman’s disregard of this advice likely forever alter his living arrangements?  We could not have asked for a better current event to discuss the Three T’s – Trash, Trespass, and Telephones.  

Bobby and Donut use the Long Island serial killer investigation as a springboard for the Dope Yoda’s deep dive into burner phones and electronic privacy.  Wh...

We interrupt our normally scheduled podcast to highlight the women at the core of GRL. They are our backbone. They are what makes GRL such a special place to serve those whom we are privileged to represent and call clients. Without them, we would be floundering and ineffective. Their loyalty, buy-in, and self-sacrifice for the betterment of our Team and client’s causes is not lost on us. They are the All-Stars of GRL. We appreciate...

Slumlords are often thought to prey on the socioeconomically disadvantaged residents of the inner cities. While this is undoubtedly true, college kids are similarly vulnerable to being victimized by the profiteering of irresponsible landlords. Bobby and Donut kick this episode off by diving into the rubble of the Disaster in Davenport, where a landlord’s utter disregard for the safety of his tenants had catastrophic and tragic resu...