A recent incident has shed light on an old law in Colorado giving lawmakers official immunity during the legislative session. The law was invoked to protect Rep. Laura Bradford on Friday when she was pulled over in a traffic stop. Reports have indicated that police suspected the representative of driving under the influence.

The lawmaker was ticketed for an illegal lane change and took a cab home from the site of the traffic stop, according to police.

At the time that she was stopped, police conducted a routine DUI investigation, questioning the suspect about where she had been earlier in the night and if she had consumed alcohol. The officers report indicates that she did admit to drinking and that her breath smelled of alcohol. Then, as in a typical stop of this kind, the officer asked the woman to complete a roadside field sobriety test. After she failed the test the officer called his supervisor for advice on the best way to proceed with the unusual situation.

The lawmaker has denied that she invoked official immunity.

Of course, most DUI defendants don't have this option, and are often subject to extensive investigation by the police before they're allowed to leave. It's important to know your rights if you've been stopped by the police and to contact a lawyer if the police have charged you with a DUI.

Normally, penalties for DUI charges depend largely on the circumstances of the arrest and whether or not the person has a record of similar crimes.

Denver Post, "Colorado lawmaker avoids possible DUI thanks to state law," Yesenia Robles, Jan. 27, 2012.