A college degree provides knowledge and experience that will help you thrive in today’s ever-changing world. Earning a degree takes a lot of hard work, and today’s college students face significant challenges. That’s why we want to help an aspiring student achieve this courageous goal.

To apply for this year’s New Heights Scholarship, write an essay on the topic below and submit it along with the application by April 29, 2025. We are only interested in original essays, and submissions generated using AI technology will not be accepted!

Click here to view our previous winners and their winning essays.

Scholarship Details

• Amount Awarded: $1,000
• Submission Deadline: April 29, 2025
• Finalists Announcement: May 13, 2025
• Scholarship Winner Announcement: May 27, 2025

You can view more scholarship details and submit your essay here.

Scholarship Essay Prompt: 500-1,000 Words

The Bussey Law Firm, P.C., recognizes that hardships can be painful to endure, but the old adage that you learn more from hardships than from having it easy often rings true. That’s why this year’s prompt is to describe a challenging moment in your life so far and explain how that experience helped prepare you for success in college and beyond.

Good Luck to Everyone Who Applies!

Check out our blog and our Facebook page for scholarship updates. Good luck, and never stop reaching for your goals!

Colorado Springs Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Law Firm

The Bussey Law Firm, P.C., has been helping people in Colorado Springs for over 30 years. Timothy Bussey has been featured in Super Lawyers Magazine and is recognized as a Fellow by the Litigation Counsel of America and has also received a Gold Client Champion Award from Martindale-Hubbell. To schedule a free consultation with our firm today, call (719) 475-2555.

The post Announcing Our 2025 New Heights Scholarship appeared first on Colorado Springs Attorneys.

Congratulations to:

• Madeline S. from Prescott, AZ

This year’s essay topic asked students to map out their future and describe the path they see their lives taking. Madeline plans to use her lifelong love of mathematics to pursue a PhD in the field. She would also like to develop a program to assist other girls interested in seeking an advanced degree in mathematics. You can read Madeline’s winning essay here.

Thank You to Everyone Who Entered!

We thank everyone who applied for the 2024 New Heights Scholarship. We truly appreciate how willing you were to share your goals and dreams. Good luck to all our applicants who submitted an original essay; we hope everyone will continue to strive to create a better future for yourselves and your community.

The New Heights Scholarship is an annual award set up by The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. — we encourage eligible students to apply again next year. In the meantime, check out our blog and Facebook for further scholarship information and firm news.

Colorado Springs Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Law Firm

The Bussey Law Firm, P.C., has been helping people in Colorado Springs for over 30 years. Our attorney, Timothy Bussey, is recognized as a Fellow by the Litigation Counsel of America. He also received a Gold Client Champion Award from Martindale-Hubbell and has been featured in Super Lawyers Magazine.

Call (719) 475-2555 to schedule a free consultation with our firm today.

The post Meet the 2024 “New Heights” Scholarship Winner appeared first on Colorado Springs Attorneys.

Selecting our finalists is always a difficult task, and we received more submissions this year than ever before. Your essays were enlightening and fun to read. This year’s essay prompt asked students to map out the path they see themselves taking in their chosen field. It’s heartening to learn about the dreams people have and the active steps you’re taking to achieve your goals.

The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. is very pleased to announce the finalists for this year’s $1000 New Heights Scholarship:

• Nicholas D. – El Dorado, AR
• Gracelynn E. – Etowah, TN
• Kamtoya O. – Washington, D.C.
• Sidney P. –  Tomball, TX
• Madeline S. – Prescott, AZ

The Winner Will Be Announced on July 2, 2024

Congratulations to all our New Heights Scholarship finalists! We would like to thank everyone who took the time to submit an original essay. As always, reading these thoughtful essays has left us feeling confident about our nation’s future.

Our New Heights Scholarship winner will be announced on July 2, 2024. You can follow contest results and other firm news on our blog and Facebook page.

Colorado Springs Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Law Firm

Timothy Bussey at The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. has more than 30 years of experience, has received a Gold Client Champion Award from Martindale-Hubbell, and has been featured in Super Lawyers Magazine. Mr. Bussey is also recognized as a Fellow by the Litigation Counsel of America.

Call (719) 475-2555 to schedule a free consultation today.

The post Announcing Our 2024 New Heights Scholarship Finalists appeared first on Colorado Springs Attorneys.

Our team is proud of the success we have achieved, and we’re grateful to have the opportunity to give back to the community. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce the winner of our 2023 $1000 New Heights Scholarship.

Becca C. from Pittsburgh, PA

Becca, a lifelong lover of animals with a strong interest in science, is studying biology and chemistry at La Roche University in Pittsburgh. She plans to continue her education after college by attending veterinary school.

Becca has volunteered at animal shelters and rescues, and she is currently working as a veterinary assistant at a private practice. She’s deeply committed to helping pet owners improve the quality of life for the animals she loves.

We are confident that Becca will make a wonderful veterinarian. You can read her essay here.

We had over 1500 submissions for this year’s New Heights Scholarship. The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. would like to thank everyone who entered. We invite all eligible students to apply again next year.

Feel free to check our Facebook page for scholarship updates and other firm news.

The post New Heights Scholarship 2023 Winner Announced appeared first on Colorado Springs Attorneys.

• Ryan B.
• Victoria H.
• Becca C.
• Joshua K.
• Elsa Z.

It’s always difficult to select five finalists among so many worthy applicants. And this year, we received over 1500 submissions, which is three times as many as we got last year! We are truly heartened by this overwhelming response.

The prompt for this year’s essay asked students to map out the career path they see themselves taking through college and on to a chosen field. We read every single essay, and we learned so much.

Our country faces serious challenges, but after reading your essays, we feel confident that America’s future leaders will be up to the task.

Our Winner Will Be Announced on June 6, 2023

Our New Heights Scholarship winner will be announced on June 6, 2023.

It was a privilege and a pleasure to read your essays. Thank you for letting us into your lives and allowing us to learn so much about your hopes and dreams.

Our annual New Heights Scholarship is open to college-bound high school seniors and current college students throughout the United States. You can follow the results on our blog and Facebook page.

Stay tuned for details about next year’s scholarship.

Good luck to our finalists!

The post Announcing Our 2023 New Heights Scholarship Finalists appeared first on Colorado Springs Attorneys.

To help you reach your goals and secure a brighter future, the Bussey Law Firm, P.C. offers a $1,000 scholarship to a deserving student every year. Our 2023 New Heights Scholarship is open to graduating high school seniors and current college students from across the nation.

Details and Deadlines

To apply, write a brief essay on the topic below and submit it along with the application form by May 9, 2023.

Finalists will be announced on May 23, 2023.

We will carefully review all essays and announce our scholarship winner on June 6, 2023.

Good luck to everyone who applies!

Scholarship details are available here.

Click here to view previous winners.

Scholarship Essay Prompt: 500-1,000 Words

The Bussey Law Firm, P.C., recognizes just how important it is to educate yourself. Timothy R. Bussey started as an active-duty Judge Advocate in the United States Air Force and served as a district attorney before founding his own firm. He is the only ACS Forensic Lawyer-Scientist in Colorado, a certified NHTSA Field Sobriety Test Instructor, and certified in Forensic Chromatography. For this short essay, please map out the path that YOU see yourself taking through college to your chosen field. If you’re unsure, tell us none the less – what would you like to do, and why?

Scholarship Details

Amount Awarded: $1,000

Deadline: May 9, 2023

Winner Announced: June 6, 2023

The post New Heights Scholarship 2023 appeared first on Colorado Springs Attorneys.

We feel fortunate for all our successes at the Bussey Law Firm, P.C., and it’s a privilege to be able to give back to the community when we can. As part of this effort, we are pleased to announce the 2022 winner of our annual $1000 New Heights Scholarship:

Arisa C. from Springfield, VA

In her touching essay, Arisa talks about the summer research she did with graduate students at George Mason University. Arisa assisted the students as they “created an American Sign Language (ASL) recognition device.”

Arisa is confident that the research she took part in will benefit people like her grandmother Aki, who recently suffered a stroke. Arisa “took an active part in Aki’s speech therapy sessions.” In the future, Arisa hopes to “contribute to the next evolutionary step of language, where we maximize the potential of communication using machines.” You can read Arisa’s essay here.

The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. congratulates everyone who participated in this year’s New Heights Scholarship. You can check our Facebook page for scholarship updates and other firm news.

The post New Heights Scholarship 2022 Winner Announced appeared first on Colorado Springs Attorneys.

Aaliyah P. – Duluth, GA
Arisa C. – Springfield, VA
Malia F. – Gig Harbor, WA
Olivia A. – Lexington, KY
Raga Y. – Columbus, GA

Selecting our finalists is always a difficult task, and this year we received over 500 submissions. Our 2022 essay prompt asks students to tell us how higher education will put them on the path for a rewarding career. It’s very encouraging for us to learn about the different types of goals that today’s students have.

At The Bussey Law Firm, P.C., we are grateful to be able to give back to the community. Our annual New Heights Scholarship is open to college-bound high school seniors and current college students throughout the United States.

Winner Will Be Announced on June 1, 2022

Our New Heights Scholarship winner will be announced on June 1, 2022. You can follow the results on our blog and Facebook page.

Congratulations to all our New Heights Scholarship finalists! Good luck!

We would like to thank all our participants for taking the time to submit their essays. We enjoyed reading every one of them. Our nation is fortunate to have such a talented group of students who will be outstanding leaders in the future.

The post Announcing Our 2022 New Heights Scholarship Finalists appeared first on Colorado Springs Attorneys.

Getting the right education is essential for pursuing your dreams. Several professions such as doctors, teachers, engineers, and lawyers require at least a four-year degree, and many other fields such as electricians and mechanics call for significant training beyond high school. And in today’s world, it’s essential to be a lifelong learner to keep up with the new innovations and regulations that are sure to impact any type of job.

At The Bussey Law Firm, P.C., we help to protect people’s freedom when they are facing legal charges and we also help people get back on their feet again when they have been injured in an accident. In this land of opportunity, we want to do our part to help deserving students live their life to the fullest.

It takes a lot of work to get a college degree, but it also provides a great deal of satisfaction. And you will be meeting all sorts of interesting people while acquiring the skills you need to be a leader in your community.

Deadline to Apply: May 4, 2022

Winner Announced: June 1, 2022

Scholarship amount: $1000

Essay Length: 500 to 1000 Words

Essay Prompt: The Bussey Law Firm, P.C., recognizes just how important it is to educate yourself. Timothy R. Bussey started as an active-duty Judge Advocate in the United States Air Force and served as a district attorney before founding his own firm. He is the only ACS Forensic Lawyer-Scientist in Colorado, a certified NHTSA Field Sobriety Test Instructor, and certified in Forensic Chromatography. For this short essay, please map out the path that YOU see yourself taking through college to your chosen field. If you’re unsure, tell us none the less – what would you like to do, and why?

Applicant Requirements

• You are a high school senior on track to graduate or a college student enrolled in an accredited four-year university/college, or currently enrolled in a two-year college and planning to transfer to a four-year university/college upon completion.
• You have earned or will earn your high school diploma this calendar year.
• You have maintained a 3.0 or higher GPA.
• You are a U.S. Citizen or hold Permanent Residency status. DACA recipients are welcome to apply.
• You must complete all entry fields on the application for the scholarship. Failure to do so will result in disqualification. Entries that do not meet the word count requirement will not be considered.

Welcoming All Eligible Applicants

We strongly encourage all interested high school seniors and college students to apply for The Bussey Law Firm, P.C. New Heights Scholarship 2022. Follow this link to learn more. You can also check out our blog and our Facebook page for scholarship updates. Good luck, and never stop learning!

The post New Heights Scholarship 2022 appeared first on Colorado Springs Attorneys.

Client Was Facing Second Degree Murder

Mr. Rau grabbed a headlamp and armed himself with a loaded revolver for protection and went to the basement. In the basement he discovered a large man sleeping in a small storage closet that is normally locked. Mr. Rau nudged the intruder with his foot and attempted to wake the intruder up. Mr. Rau verbally told the intruder that he was not supposed to be in there and told him that he needed to leave. The intruder’s behavior escalated as he yelled unintelligibly at Mr. Rau, became aggressive, and began throwing things. Mr. Rau believed that the intruder was on drugs.

As the intruder’s behavior escalated, Mr. Rau was frightened and he warned the intruder that he had a gun. These warnings did not alter the intruder’s behavior and Mr. Rau warned the intruder that he would “count to five,” and if the intruder did not leave, he would shoot the intruder. Mr. Rau counted loudly and not only did the intruder not leave, his menacing and aggressive behavior continued. Mr. Rau, in fear, fired one shot and the intruder died.

A grand jury indicted Mr. Rau for second degree murder (heat of passion). Mr. Rau was facing many years in prison for the alleged murder and turned to experienced trial attorney Timothy R. Bussey, founder of The Bussey Law Firm P.C.

The Make My Day Law

Many people have heard of what is referred to as Colorado’s Make My Day law. The name comes from a Clint Eastwood movie named Sudden Impact. The belief is that if an intruder is in your home, you can lawfully defend yourself under this Make My Day law. The law is under section 18-1-704.5, C.R.S. (2021). This law states in part that an occupant of a dwelling is justified in using any degree of physical force, including deadly force, against another when: 1) The other person has made an unlawful entry; 2) the occupant has a reasonable belief that such other person has committed a crime in the dwelling in addition to the uninvited entry or is committing or intends to commit a crime against a person or property in addition to the uninvited entry; 3) and when the occupant reasonably believes that such other person might use any physical force, no matter how slight, against any occupant.

Mr. Rau asserted an immunity against prosecution based upon C.R.S 18-1-704.5. Mr. Rau would have to meet the requirements of C.R.S. 18-1-704.5 by a preponderance of evidence in order to obtain an immunity against prosecution pursuant to the Make My Day law. The Bussey Law Firm P.C. was up against what appeared to be an insurmountable task based upon previous case law.

The Cushinberry Decision

In 1992, the Colorado Court of Appeals in the case of People v. Cushinberry, 855 P.2d 18 (Colo. App. 1992), declared that common areas in an apartment complex are not part of a dwelling for purposes of an immunity against prosecution pursuant to 18-1-704.5. The existing law in the state of Colorado was that a person living in a multifamily residence such as Mr. Rau would not be able to claim that a basement accessible by other residents would be considered part of the “dwelling.” Essentially, Mr. Rau could not assert the defense because it was the basement of a multifamily residence, as opposed to a single-family home, and the basement was a “common area” under Cushinberry.

The Long Road to Justice

Attorney Bussey was undeterred and began an almost five-year defense of Mr. Rau. Mr. Bussey personally visited the scene and interviewed witnesses. He reviewed the evidence and compiled a compelling defense for Mr. Rau. In multiday hearings he presented evidence to assert an immunity against prosecution for Mr. Rau. On September 7, 2018, the District Court judge ruled that the basement was part of Mr. Rau’s dwelling despite the Cushinberry decision.

The District Attorney appealed the decision relying heavily on the Cushinberry decision. The case went to the Colorado Court of Appeals after months of briefing and oral argument. Mr. Bussey continued to defend Mr. Rau. On June 11, 2020, the Colorado Court of Appeals ruled in Mr. Rau’s favor and determined that the basement in question was part of Mr. Rau’s dwelling.

The District Attorney requested that the Colorado Supreme Court review the case as the District Court judge and the Colorado Court of Appeals had ruled in Mr. Rau’s favor despite the existing Cushinberry decision that had been in existence since 1992. The Supreme Court, which does not accept every case for review, decided to address the Rau case.

Again, months of briefing occurred and then oral argument on November 8, 2021. Mr. Bussey appeared before the Colorado Supreme Court and argued the case. The oral argument can be viewed here.

The Supreme Court, after reviewing the record, the briefs, and oral argument, issued a decision on January 10, 2022. The decision, written by Justice Samour, and joined by the other six justices, concluded that the basement where Mr. Rau shot the intruder was his dwelling for purposes of the statute. The transcript of the proceedings can be found here.

Dedication, Creativity, and Skill

The Bussey Law Firm P.C. has a long and rich history of assisting Coloradoans in both criminal cases and person injury actions. The Rau case shows the amount of time, dedication, creativity, legal skill, and stubbornness that is required on large cases. If you have been charged with a crime or injured in an accident, contact The Bussey Law Firm P.C. at (719) 475-2555.

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