Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird. Jack McCoy in Law & Order. Even Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. In the annals of popular fiction, the maverick lawyer is a favorite trope. But real-life legal eagles like Sarah Schielke can be even more inspirational as they fight for truth, justice, and the American way.
Schielke isn’t your typical civil rights attorney. With a reputation for taking on challenging cases and a knack for leveraging media attention, Schielke has become a formidable advocate for some of society’s most vulnerable individuals. Her work goes beyond simply winning cases; it’s about changing the system and giving voice to those who often go unheard.
Sarah Schielke Goes to Bat for Karen Garner
The Karen Garner case thrust Schielke into the national spotlight, highlighting her commitment to protecting the older population. In 2020, Garner, a 73-year-old woman with dementia, was violently arrested by Loveland, Colorado, police officers for allegedly shoplifting $14 worth of items. Schielke’s release of body camera footage showing the incident sparked widespread outrage.
“What they saw these officers doing to Karen, and they saw what was happening with her, they saw their own loved ones, their own parents and grandparents in Karen’s eyes, and they were disgusted — as they should be,” Sarah Schielke explains. Her advocacy resulted in a $3 million settlement for Garner and criminal charges against the officers involved. More importantly, it led to changes in police training and raised awareness about the treatment of senior individuals by law enforcement.
Schielke also successfully represented Preston Sowl. Sowl, who had witnessed a motorcycle accident, was tackled by police when he refused to answer questions, resulting in a dislocated arm requiring surgery. Schielke’s handling of the case secured justice for Sowl while also highlighting the need for better police training in dealing with individuals in mental distress.
“That was my first foray into my current approach to civil rights cases,” Schielke recalls. “This is where I realized how powerful public pressure is in obtaining more complete justice for my clients; real change – and swift change – comes from exposing police misconduct through release of the body cams.”
The Continuing Fight for Fairness
In recent years, Sarah Schielke has taken on multiple cases against Colorado’s Fort Collins Police Services, uncovering a pattern of wrongful DUI arrests of innocent individuals. “Right now, I have five wrongful DUI arrest lawsuits pending against Fort Collins Police Services, all for wrongful DUI arrests made of innocents by just one single officer,” Schielke shares. These cases disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including those with disabilities or medical conditions that may be misinterpreted as intoxication.
Schielke’s approach to representing vulnerable clients is multifaceted. She focuses on building trust with clients who may struggle to communicate or understand legal processes. Her innovative use of technology and media amplifies her clients’ stories, bringing public attention to systemic issues that might otherwise go unnoticed.
“The sadness and the loss of security that my clients feel after having their trust betrayed by police, it’s heavy. They will never get back the who they were, the person that trusted, before it happened. You can start to feel very jaded very quickly,” she admits. Yet, she remains committed to her cause, finding motivation in the potential that her civil rights work and her innovative public approach has for creating lasting and meaningful change.
Far-Reaching Implications
The impact of Schielke’s work extends beyond individual cases. Her efforts have influenced police department policies and training, raised public awareness about vulnerabilities in the justice system, and set new precedents for civil rights settlements. In response to her DUI lawsuits, Fort Collins Police Services has reportedly changed its policies to require automatic review of cases where blood tests come back negative for drugs or alcohol.
However, Schielke’s work has its challenges. She faces resistance from law enforcement agencies and unions, and must constantly balance client privacy with the need for public advocacy. There’s also the persistent hurdle of addressing skepticism about her clients’ credibility, particularly when representing individuals with mental health issues or cognitive impairments.
But that’s not even coming close to slowing her down. Schielke aims to expand her services to reach more vulnerable populations. She’s advocating for legislative changes to better protect susceptible individuals.
“I think if you’re a police officer, arresting an innocent person should be the most terrifying prospect and the most catastrophic outcome you could ever be responsible for,” Schielke states, encapsulating her mission to create a more just and accountable system.
As Sarah Schielke continues her fight for the voiceless, her work serves as a powerful reminder that maverick attorneys just don’t exist on the silver screen. By standing up for society’s most vulnerable members, Schielke is winning cases, changing lives, and challenging the status quo, one client at a time.
