Summer is in full swing in Tennessee’s River City and from Beale Street to Graceland residents are enjoying warmer weather and longer days.  Celebrations include everything from family backyard barbeques to festivals and street fairs.  But for those who combine drinking and driving with their summer fun, the lazy days by the pool may come to quick end.

Drunk driving is a serious crime in the state of Tennessee.  Laws are passed each year to increase the severity of the punishments that drivers may face and law enforcement agencies are always on the lookout for those who have had too much and get behind the wheel.

If you have been arrested for DUI in the Memphis area, you are facing a lengthy, uphill battle to retain your driver’s license.  The laws related to DUI are complex and the proceedings required to deal with these cases will take a significant amount of time and energy.  The best thing you can do is to seek out an experienced DUI attorney to review your case and recommend the best action for you.  Such a legal professional has seen hundreds of cases just like yours and is well-aware of the current laws related to DUI cases.

When you were arrested for DUI, the arresting officer requested that you take a chemical test to determine your blood alcohol concentration (BAC).  The chemical tests require you to provide a breathe or blood sample.  You have the right to refuse to submit to this test, but if you do your license will be suspended to 1-2 years.

The legal limit for intoxication in the state of Tennessee is .08%.  If you did submit to the chemical test and are convicted of DUI as a result, you may lose your license as well.  However, you will have the opportunity to apply for a restricted license if yours is suspended.  A restricted license will enable you to drive to specific places during specific times of day.  These special circumstances include driving to your workplace, to an alcohol treatment program, to a college or university if you are currently enrolled as a full-time student, and to any appointments required by the court.

First time offenders for DUI face numerous penalties: fines of at least $350, required participation in DUI school, and a minimum of 48 hours spent in jail.  These penalties increase if your BAC is .20 or greater.

As you can see, a DUI case is not a matter to be taken lightly.  Take action today by speaking with an experienced DUI lawyer.

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As the home to the oldest Mardi Gras celebration in the country, Mobile is a city whose residents know how to party.  With parties and parades on the schedule from November through the stroke of midnight on Ash Wednesday, the options for magic and merry-making are endless and so are the attendees.  The 2009 5-day long city Mardi Gras celebration reached a milestone attendance mark of 1,000,000 party-goers.  There was plenty of mixing it up on the streets of Mobile, but there is one mix that will not be tolerated in the Mobile area is drinking and driving.

Drunk driving is a serious offense in the state of Alabama and its penalties are severe.  If you have been arrested for a drunk driving offense in the state of Alabama, this is not a situation to be taken lightly.

The laws related to DUI offenses are complicated and can prove overwhelming for any layperson.  Your best response in this situation is to seek out the advice of an experienced DUI attorney.  This legal professional is well-informed regarding the constantly changing landscape of DUI law and has seen hundreds of cases just like yours.

You are considered to be DUI in the state of Alabama if your blood alcohol content is .08% or greater.  This percentage includes both alcohol and drugs, including prescription drugs.

If you are convicted of a first offense DUI in Alabama, you will be required to pay fines of between $600 and $2100.  Additionally, you will be required to pay a $100 fine to the Alabama Impaired Drivers Fund.  Your driver’s license will be suspended for 90 days and you may be imprisoned for up to 1 year.

In order to reduce the recidivism of DUI offenders, the Alabama courts also require that all offenders complete mandatory alcohol assessment and treatment.  This assessment will determine if there are any issues with alcohol or substance abuse that led to your DUI offense.  Once the nature of the problem has been determined, treatment will be recommended.

Offenders must complete the recommended course of treatment while being monitored by the court.

All of the consequences of DUI are life altering and will dramatically impact the lifestyle of your life and those of your family members.  A DUI case is not something that you should go through alone.  Secure the services of a qualified DUI lawyer today to ensure that all of the unique aspects of your case are considered.

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Summer is in full swing in Little Rock.  Residents are enjoying the longer days and warmer weather with picnics and parties.  But for those who drink a little too much and get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, the fun in the summer sun may all come to an end.  Drunk driving is a serious crime in the state of Arkansas.

If you have been arrested for a drunk driving offense in the Little Rock area, your best response is to secure the services of an experienced DUI/DWI attorney as soon as possible.  These legal professionals specialize in the complicated laws surrounding DUI/DWI and as a result they are well-aware of the changes that are constantly occurring in this legal realm.

DUI/DWI charges are filed for drivers who have a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08% or greater in Arkansas.  The DUI charge is specifically for drivers who are under the age of 21, while DWI is the charge that is applied to adults.  DUI charges can be filed for drivers with a BAC lower than .08 but higher than .02%.

Once you are ticketed for DUI/DWI, the clock is ticking.  You will have only 7 days to apply for a court hearing.  Otherwise, your license will be automatically suspended for 30 days following your arrest.

If you are convicted of a first offense DWI, the penalties are severe.  You will face fines of between $150 and $1000 as well as court costs up to $300.  Your license will be suspended for 120 days if your BAC was under .08.

If there are drugs in your system at the time of your arrest, your license can be suspended for 6 months.  In some situations you will be allowed to apply for a restricted license so that you will be able to drive under specified circumstances such as travel to and from work.

If your BAC was significantly greater than the legal limit for intoxication, you may be required to install an ignition interlock device (IID).  This device will require a breath sample to ensure that there is no alcohol in your system before it allows your vehicle’s ignition to start.

Regardless of your BAC, you will also be required to complete an alcohol education program at your expense.  The penalties for DUI/DWI in cases that involve accidents, injuries and death are even greater.

The cost of a DUI/DWI defense is significant and it can take a toll on both you and your family.  Take action today to ensure that all of the circumstances in your case are considered.  Contact a reputable DUI/DWI lawyer to assist you in handling this difficult situation.

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New Orleans may be known as The Big Easy, but one thing that won’t be easy is retaining your driving privileges after you have been arrested for DWI in the city.  Residents of NOLA know how to party and they have the accolades to prove it.

A 2007 CNN poll ranked New Orleans as the number 1 city in the United States for live music, cocktail hours, nightlife, “wild weekends”, and cheap eats.  Unfortunately, another area that the residents of Louisiana have gained top honors in is that of alcohol related traffic fatalities.

Louisiana leadership is not taking this lying down so they have formed the Governor’s Task Force in an effort to address both the high incidence of impaired driving and the issue of drivers with multiple DWI offenses. When he was appointed to the Governor’s Task Force on DWI-Vehicular Homicide, State Representative Jonathan Perry said, “Even though we rank 21^st in the country in population, we rank seventh in the nation in the number of alcohol-related fatalities.”

In response to this initiative, law enforcement agencies through out the state are dedicated to removing drunk drivers from the streets and waterways, and those who are convicted will face much tougher penalties.

If you have been arrested for DWI in the New Orleans area, the worst thing you can do is to discount the seriousness of your situation.  Your best response is to consult an experienced DWI attorney to review your case and recommend the best actions for your unique situation.

First time DWI offenders in Louisiana face fines of between $300 and $1000, a license suspension of at least 90 days, and jail time between 10 days and 6 months.  There is an opportunity for your sentence to be suspended if certain conditions are met.  First offenders will be eligible for a hardship license during the license suspension.  The hardship license will restrict the times and routes that the driver may operate a motor vehicle.

At the time of your arrest you were asked to submit to a chemical test to determine the concentration of alcohol in your bloodstream.  This test requires either a breath or blood sample.

You have the right to refuse this test, but if you do your license suspension will increase to 180 days and you will not be eligible for a hardship license for 90 days.

First offenders have the opportunity to reduce their sentences by agreeing to participate in alcohol treatment programs or by performing community service.  All of the consequences for DWI in Louisiana will affect you for many years to come.  In order to ensure the best outcome in your DWI case, you should secure the advice of a qualified DWI lawyer without delay.

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Summer fun is in the air in the city of Jacksonville.  This city is the largest in the continental United States land-wise and it does everything in a big way.  From the country’s largest fireworks display at the Freedom, Fanfare, and Fireworks celebration to Gate River Run, which is the largest 15K race in the country, Jacksonville enables its residents to go big and go home. Jacksonville also goes big with regard to its pursuit of drunk drivers.

Drunk driving is a serious crime in the state of Florida and the penalties for this offense get tougher each year.  If you have been arrested for drunk driving in the Jacksonville area, you need to take immediate action to ensure that your driving privileges are preserved.  You should consult an experienced DUI attorney to review your case and recommend the course of action that is best for your unique circumstances.

At the time of your arrest, your driver’s license was automatically suspended.  You will receive a 10 day temporary permit.  During this period you have the opportunity to file an appeal to this suspension.  You must file your appeal within the allowed 10 days or you will risk losing your right to contest this suspension.

The suspension of your license will last between 6 months and 1 year depending on your prior driving record.  The suspension of your license is referred to as the administrative license suspension and it is a case in and of itself, but it is not the only case you are facing.

In addition to the suspension of your license you are also facing a criminal case for your DUI.  Your DUI case is based on the results of a chemical test used to determine your blood alcohol level (BAC).  This chemical test requires a sample of either the driver’s blood or breath.  You have the right to refuse to submit to this chemical test.  The legal level for intoxication in the state of Florida is a .08% or higher.  The penalties for a DUI conviction in the state of Florida include fines ranging from $500 to $5000, mandatory community service, required participation in an alcohol treatment program, vehicle impoundment, and even jail time.  Penalties will be determined based on the driving record of the defendant and the circumstances of their case.

More severe penalties are assessed if the driver has a child under the age of 18 with them at the time of their arrest or if they have a BAC of .15 or greater.

Handling a DUI is a daunting task and one that you should not face alone.  To ensure the best outcome in your case, you should seek the advice of a knowledgeable DUI lawyer as soon as possible.

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Prosecuters in Johnson County, Texas have decided to drop open container and drunk driving charges filed against a judge from a neighboring county.

The decision comes after an appeals court in Waco upheld a lower court ruling that blood test performed on Tarrant County State District Judge Elizabeth Berry would not be admissable.

Judge Berry was stopped on Interstate 35W last November and misdemeanor DWI charges were filed based on blood test results from samples drawn tthree hours after the stop.

Senior Judge Robert Dohoney threw out the samples saying that the reasons cited in the arresting officer’s report were not sufficient to support the warrant that allowed the sample to be drawn.

Prosecuters in the case have refused to release the result of the blood alcohol tests.

Judge Berry currently presides over Criminal District Court Number 3 in Tarrant County, but will leave the bench at the end of her term next year. She has said that she will not seek re-election.

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Summer days are hot, hot, hot in the Southern city of Atlanta.  But the weather isn’t the only thing bringing the heat in Atlanta this summer.  Law enforcement agencies throughout the state are turning up the heat on aggressive driving through the 100 Days of Heat campaign.  Patrol officers are on the lookout for drivers using excessive speed, those who are impaired, and those who fail to use restraints for themselves or their children.

The 100 Days of Heat campaign will be in effect until the conclusion of the summer driving season over Labor Day weekend.  This specific program is designed to put more officers on the streets during the critical summer travel season when there are more drivers on Georgia’s highways and impaired driving is historically highest, but it coincides with Georgia’s Operation Zero Tolerance (OZT) policy.

OZT is in effect every hour of every day all year long.  This policy tells drivers in no uncertain terms that “Over the Limit, Under Arrest” is the law in Georgia.  As a result, all drivers found with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08% or greater will be arrested and put in jail.

There is good reason for this strong stand – statistics show that alcohol is involved in 1 out of every 5 vehicle crashes in the state of Georgia.  If you have been arrested for DUI in the Atlanta area as a result of these crackdown efforts, you are facing a serious battle to clear your name and preserve your driving privileges.

The worst thing you can do is to not take the charges leveled against you seriously because the state of Georgia certainly is.  The penalties for drunk driving are increasing in severity each year.  Your best response is to contact a qualified DUI attorney as soon as possible to evaluate the circumstances of your case and recommend the action that is best for you.  At the time of your arrest, your driver’s license was suspended.  This suspension will last anywhere from 1 to 5 years depending on your previous driving record.  You will only have 10 days following your arrest in which to file an appeal to this suspension.  In addition to the suspension of your license, there is a separate criminal case against you.

There are actually two types of DUI in Georgia.  The first type is referred to as “less safe driver” DUI and is charged based on the driver’s appearance, demeanor and driving at the time they are stopped.  There is also “per se” DUI, which is based on the BAC of the driver as determined by a breath or blood sample.  Penalties for both types of DUI are serious and can affect your life for many years to come.  Consequences may include substantial fines, required community service, license suspension and even jail time.

The legal procedures required for a DUI defense are complicated and will prove overwhelming for most drivers.  To ensure that your case is resolved smoothly and quickly, you should contact an experienced DUI lawyer as soon as possible.

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West Palm Beach is the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida, but its fight against drunk driving is still growing up.  Law enforcement agencies are stepping up their fight to keep drunk drivers off the streets and the laws related to DUIs are becoming tougher all the time.

Drunk driving is a serious crime in Florida and it has penalties that are equally severe.  If you have been arrested for a drunk driving offense in the West Palm Beach/Boca Raton area, you need the assistance of a knowledgeable DUI attorney to walk you through the tangled web of legislation.  You should seek out a legal professional who specializes in DUI cases to ensure that they are familiar with the all of the ins and outs related to DUI cases.

At the time of your arrest for DUI, your license was automatically suspended.  This suspension will be in effect for between 6 months and 1 year.  The length of the suspension will depend on whether this is your first or a subsequent DUI arrest.  You should have also received a temporary permit that will be in effect for 10 days following your arrest.  During these 10 days you will have the opportunity to file an appeal related to the suspension of your license.  You must file this appeal within the 10 day time limit or you will forfeit your right to contest the suspension of your driving privileges.

Your license is being suspended based on the outcome of a chemical test.  The chemical test is a sample of your breath or blood that is used to determine your blood alcohol content (BAC).  Any BAC of .08% or greater exceeds the legal limit for intoxication in the state of Florida.  If you refused to submit to a chemical test, your license will still be suspended.  The length of suspension will increase to 1 year for a first offense and 18 months for a subsequent offense if you have refused a chemical test.  You will have the opportunity to apply for a hardship license if you can demonstrate that you have a need to drive for business or employment purposes.  You will have to complete some period of the license suspension before you may even apply for a hardship license.  This period will vary depending on your driving record and the circumstances of your case.

If you have been convicted of DUI 2 or more times in the state of Florida or if you have refused to submit to a chemical test 2 or more times, you will not be eligible for a hardship license at all.

Once you have a DUI case pending against you, you must take quick action to retain your driving privileges.  In order to ensure that you are able to keep your case on track, you should consult a knowledgeable DUI lawyer as soon as possible.

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Summer fun is in the air in sunny Sarasota.  Residents are enjoying the warm weather and the longer days with boating and beach parties.  But if you mix drinking and driving, you may find your summer fun coming to a quick end.  If you have been arrested for a drunk driving offense in the Sarasota/Bradenton area, you need to take quick action to ensure that your driving privileges are protected.

Drunk driving is a serious offense in the state of Florida and the penalties for it can have a devastating impact on both your life and the lives of your family members.  Additionally, the laws related to DUI offenses are complicated and constantly changing.  You need a qualified legal professional to guide you through this complex process. It is important that you look for an attorney who specializes in DUI to ensure that they are the most knowledgeable regarding the current legislation related to DUI.

There are actually two separate legal cases related to a DUI in Florida.  The first is the administrative license suspension.  This is a separate case that relates only to your driver’s license.  At the time of your arrest, your driver’s license was automatically suspended for between 6 month and 1 year.  The duration of this suspension will depend on your driving record and the unique circumstances of your case.  The second case that is pending against you if you have been arrested for DUI is a criminal case.  This case is based on the results of the chemical test taken to determine your blood alcohol content at the time of your arrest.  The chemical test measures the amount of alcohol in your bloodstream based on a sample of your breath or blood.  The legal limit for intoxication in the state of Florida is .08% or greater.  You have the right to refuse the chemical test, but your license may still be suspended and there will still be a DUI case filed against you.

Penalties for a DUI conviction include fines, required alcohol treatment, community service, vehicle impoundment, and potentially jail time.  These penalties will increase in severity with each subsequent DUI conviction.  The fine associated with a first time DUI conviction with no extenuating circumstances is $500, but if the DUI conviction is a second or greater DUI offense the fine will increase up to $5000.  More severe penalties will also be assessed if there was a child under 18 in the car at the time of the arrest or if the driver had a BAC of .15 or greater.

As you can see, a DUI conviction can have a life-changing effect.  These cases should not be taken lightly.  To ensure that every effort is made in your DUI case, you should seek the professional counsel of an experience DUI lawyer without delay.

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