Ousama M. Rasheed

Ousama M. Rasheed received his Juris Doctorate in 1990 from the University of New Mexico School of Law and his bachelor's degree in Speech Communication at the University of New Mexico. Mr. Rasheed is a Past-President of the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and has served on its board of directors for over a decade. He was appointed by former Governor Bill Richardson and the New Mexico Senate to serve on the New Mexico Department of Transportation Senate Memorial Task Force on Ignition Interlocks. In 2005, Mr. Rasheed was honored by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) as a Cooperating Attorney of the Year for his work in challenging the City of Albuquerque's attempt to seize and forfeit the vehicles of first-time DWI offenders.

Early in his career, Mr. Rasheed served as an Assistant District Attorney for the State of New Mexico, handling up to 100 DWI/DUI and Domestic Violence cases weekly. He moved up to the felony crimes division, handling a broad spectrum of cases including property, narcotics, violent, and other serious crimes.

In 2009, Mr. Rasheed received the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association's coveted Driscoll Award for his efforts on behalf of the organization, its members and their clients.

Professional Memberships

National College of DUI Defense

- General member

New Mexico State Bar

- Past president, Criminal Section

New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association

- President-elect

New Mexico Trial Lawyers Foundation

National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Association of Trial Lawyers of America

American Civil Liberties Union

- Member, New Mexico Chapter

Presentations

In addition to testifying annually before the New Mexico Legislature and its subcommittees regarding DWI and criminal law matters, Mr. Rasheed has been a featured speaker at the following continuing legal education seminars:

MVD Hearings Post Glynn 2011, What arguments can be made to win MVD hearings after State v Glynn, New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, October 21, 2011.

MVD Hearings After Schuster - How to successfully challenge the legality of your client's traffic stop and/or arrest for DWI after the Schuster appeal was successful. New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, October 30, 2012.

Sticking to the Principles of Bullcoming After Williams How the prosecution is trying to use the USSC Williams case to circumvent Bullcoming and how to oppose the State’s position in DWI cases, New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, October 25, 2013.

2013 NHTSA Manual Update An informative and critical review of the changes to the 2006 NHTSA Field Sobriety Testing manual with 2009 updates as included in the newest 2013 NHTSA manual available, New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, October 24, 2014.

Police Tactics, Observations and FST Clues: Where Does The Truth Lie? Just because officers see it, doesn’t make it important. Sometimes they even cause it and then count it against your client. A lawyer-driven discussion of what police do and its consistency with NHTSA. Facilitator: Ousama Rasheed, Rasheed & Associates, P.C., Albuquerque; Curtis Curran, NM State Police; Virginia Landry, Law Offices of Virginia L. Landry, Irvine, California. New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, October 24, 2014.

SLD’s NEW UNCERTAINTY AND CONFIDENCE LEVEL REPORTING ON BREATH TESTS - Where do the measurement uncertainty and confidence level numbers come from on breath alcohol tests, are they accurate, and how can you use them to help establish reasonable doubt? With Janine Arvizu, Laboratory Audit Expert, New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, October 30, 2015.

Challenging Breath Tests Without Hiring An Expert - Using the State Scientific Laboratory Division's expert to fill in the informational gap, New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, November 4, 2016.

MVD License Revocation Overview - The mechanics of the Implied Consent Act and advising your clients of the (un)civil consequences, New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, November 4, 2016.

DWI Live 2010, sponsored by the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, October 21, 2010. Played the role of the District Attorney in a mock trial for attendees.

DWI Defense - 2009, sponsored by the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, October 31, 2009, lecturing on MVD DWI License Revocation hearings.

"Mixed Misdemeanor Arts (MMA)" sponsored by the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association in October, 2008 regarding Drug Recognition Evaluations "DRE" by police officers and also cases where a person's breath score is below .08.

"I Know What You Did Last Legislature," sponsored by the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association on October 19, 2007, lecturing on the sweeping changes in DWI laws and rules applied in court.

"Advocacy in Action," sponsored by the New Mexico Crime Victims Reparation Commission & New Mexico Coalition of Sex Assault Victims Program, Inc. from March 21-23, 2007, lecturing on DWI in New Mexico: the problem, the process and possible solutions.

"Nothing to Lose: Sharpen Your DWI Defense Trial Skills," sponsored by the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association on October 6, 2006, lecturing on the twelve (12) step Drug Recognition Evaluation "DRE" protocol.

"Do's and Don'ts Of DWI," Sponsored by the NM Criminal Defense Lawyers Association on November 18, 2005, lecturing on a review of the 2005 Legislature in DWI and related matters and providing a review of the statutes, rules and judicial decisions affecting DWI.

New Magistrate Judge Training sponsored by the New Mexico Judicial Education Center on September 26, 2005, lecturing on evidence issues in Criminal/DWI cases.

"Moving Target: The Ever-Changing Landscape of DWI and Misdemeanor Defense in New Mexico," sponsored by the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association on September 9, 2005, lecturing on a review of the 2005 Legislature in DWI and related matters and providing a review of the statutes, rules and judicial decisions affecting DWI.

"364: The Defense of DWI and Domestic Violence Cases in Court of Limited Jurisdictions," sponsored by the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association on November 12, 2004, lecturing on a review of the statutes, rules and judicial decisions affecting DWI.

"DWI 2003: Truth or Consequences," sponsored by New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association on October 24, 2003, lecturing on Preliminary (Roadside) Breath Testing: Admissibility and Strategy.

New Mexico Public Defender Department Training on October 17, 2003, lecturing on DWI defense techniques.

"DUI/DWI Defense Strategies," sponsored by the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association and Frechette & Associates, P.C. at the Southwest Conference on October 11-12, 2002, lecturing on Reasonable Suspicion, Probable Cause, and NHTSA's Standardized Field Sobriety Tests.

"Beyond the Basics - DWI 2001," sponsored by the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association on October 12, 2001, lecturing on Roadblocks/Sobriety Checkpoints.

"DWI Defense: Art of Defending Zealously, Practicing Ethically, and Challenging Intellectually," sponsored by the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association on October 13, 2000, lecturing on Answers to Frequently Asked Questions by DWI Clients, Penalties, and Treatment Options for clients.

"Defending Drinking Drivers: Advanced DWI Training," sponsored by the New Mexico Criminal Defense Lawyers Association on October 15, 1999, lecturing on MVD DWI hearings and License Revocation issues.