DUI ENFORCEMENT TO INCREASE DURING THE HOLIDAYS

DUI ENFORCEMENT TO INCREASE DURING THE HOLIDAYS
The Thanksgiving holiday brought out scores of early holiday shoppers and party revelers for the Arizona-Arizona State football game. With many people on the roads, law enforcement agencies across the state stepped up their drunk driving enforcement activities. With Thanksgiving week being one of the deadliest during the year, it is an annual ritual to increase patrols and DUI checkpoints.
KVOA news in Tucson reported that the Southern Arizona DUI Task Force stopped 257 cars last Friday, with 34 drivers being arrested on suspicion of DUI.
From now through the New Years' holiday, it is expected that law enforcement will have an increased presence on Arizona roads. Motorists should also be aware of "no refusal" strategies; programs geared towards preventing drunk drivers from taking authorities' ability to get important evidence to support a DUI charge.
Why are these strategies used? Under Arizona law, a driver arrested for DUI can choose a blood test instead of a breath or urine test to measure their blood alcohol content (BAC). While blood tests are more accurate than breath tests, it takes a while for the test to be performed. By this time, the driver's BAC can be lower than when they were first arrested (or even under the legal limit); allowing the driver to avoid criminal charges.
Under "no refusal," judges are readily available to issue search warrants so that on-site nurses can take blood samples. A driver cannot refuse a search warrant.
While these strategies are touted for saving lives, they raise important questions about whether such searches are constitutional based on how much information is collected before a warrant is issued.

DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyer

DUI and Criminal Defense Lawyer

Serving Scottsdale, Phoenix, and Tempe, Arizona

As a criminal defense attorney, my job is to vigorously protect the rights of my clients and to give each of them the best legal advice I can. It is a job I have been doing for over 40 years. Over the course of my career, I have personally handled approximately 250 trials as well as virtually every type of criminal law case. In simplest terms, there is no other kind of work I would rather do.

Today, the majority of my criminal law practice is focused on abuse and domestic violence charges, drunk driving cases, and assaults - all topics you can read more about by using the links below:

Domestic violence - Disorderly conduct
DUI charges
Assault and battery
You have a constitutional right to a trial.

Most lawyers will charge $1,000 or more, PER DAY, for a trial. My feeling is that no one should be forced to plead guilty just because he or she cannot afford what the attorney charges for trial work. Because I believe that, I almost never charge extra fees for a trial.

If you are calling a lawyer for a quote, ALWAYS ask him or her after he or she quotes you a retainer fee: "If my case goes to trial, are there additional fees and HOW MUCH?"

Practicing With Integrity for Over 40 Years
Contact Me Online or Call 602.274.2827 for a Free Consultation

ARIZONA PENALTIES FOR DRUNK DRIVING INFRACTIONS

ARIZONA PENALTIES FOR DRUNK DRIVING INFRACTIONS

It is no secret that Arizona has become tougher on drunk driving in recent years. Drunk driving accidents are tragic reminders that a small number of motorists can be deadly hazards on the road.
Because of this, drunk drivers can be charged with a number of DUI violations that match their reported blood alcohol levels as well as property damage (and injuries) that may stem from the offense.
Drivers who are found to have blood alcohol levels above .08 (and below .15) can be charged with driving under the influence. DUI is a class 1 misdemeanor that is punishable with one day in jail and up to $750 in fines. Offenders also face a 90 day administrative license suspension.
For drivers caught with a blood alcohol level greater than .15 (and below.20), they face charges of extreme DUI. They face up to 30 days in jail and a host of fines, including a $1000 assessment to the state prison fund, a $1000 assessment to the state public safety fund as well as $250 for a DUI assessment. In addition to the 90 day administrative license suspension, offenders must install an ignition interlock system on their vehicle and maintain it for one year.
Drivers caught with a blood alcohol level greater than .20 can be charged with super extreme DUI. This charge is punishable by a mandatory minimum of 45 days in jail and up to $3000 in administrative fines and penalties. Offenders will also be required to maintain an ignition interlock system for at least 18 months.
If you have questions about the criminal consequences you face if charged with a DUI, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney.

DUI NEWS FLASH AT PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

DUI NEWS FLASH AT PHOENIX INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
By Thompson Law Firm posted in News on Friday, November 16, 2012     In one of the most bizarre stories about DUI, on November 15, 2012, a woman was arrested on suspicion of aggravated DUI after she drove her vehicle through a fence and onto the runway at Phoenix International Airport.  The irony for us comes in the fact that this all occurred while we was posting our last blog about DUI and the topic was Aggravated DUI. If this 21-year-old woman is found guilty, she is facing some pretty severe penalties.  Especially considering the fact that her 2month old infant was in the car and she is alleged to have crashed her vehicle onto the runway causing a security breach at PHX.
      We can only hope she was able to exercise her right to a lawyer and called someone experienced in representing those accused of Aggravated DUI.  We can also hope that no matter what else may happen to this young lady in the course of her impending legal trouble, that she also finds the help she so obviously needs. This is not a mere bump in the road, and this young woman surely has no idea how difficult and complicated her legal ordeal could become.