Terra Haute DUI Lawyers

1. Shema Law Firm: # Personal Injury / Wrongful Death # Family Law # Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Consumer Bankruptcy # Insurance Disputes # Criminal Defense
2. Fleshner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin:

   Drunk Drivers / DUI

   DonŐt Drink & Drive!

   Drunk drivers threaten the safety of our streets, highways and interstates every day. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) estimates that 513,000 people are injured in alcohol-related crashes each year. ThatŐs 59 people per hour or one person every minute (1).

   The deadly facts about drinking and driving:

   1. About 3 in every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives.

   2. In 2003, there were 17,013 fatalities in alcohol-related crashes (2).

   3. Of the 17,013 people killed, 14,630 (86%) were killed in crashes where at least one of the drivers or nonoccupants had a BAC (blood-alcohol concentration) of .08 g/dl or higher.

   4. Alcohol-related deaths constituted approximately 40 percent of the 42,642 total traffic fatalities.

   5. Every 31 minutes, someone dies in an alcohol-related crash.

   6. Every minute someone is injured in an alcohol-related crash.

   7. In 2003, 21% of children 0 to 14 years old who were killed in motor vehicle accidents were killed in alcohol-related crashes.

   How dangerous is drinking and driving?
   The more you drink, the more likely you are to have a fatal accident. A driver with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.10 or greater is seven times more likely to be involved in a fatal motor vehicle crash than a driver who has not consumed an alcoholic beverage. A driver with an alcohol concentration of 0.15 or greater is about 25 times more likely. In most states, the legal BAC has been lowered to 0.08 in order to reduce the number of alcohol-related accidents.

   What is the definition of DWI?
   DWI, or Driving While Intoxicated, means operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs with a concentration level in the blood that is considered unsafe to drive a vehicle. In some states, itŐs called DUI, or Driving Under the Influence.

   Has increasing the minimum drinking age helped reduce alcohol-related crashes?
   All states now have a 21-year-old minimum drinking age law. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ( www.nhtsa.dot.gov) estimates that these laws have reduced traffic fatalities involving drivers 18 to 20 years old by 13 percent and have saved an estimated 20,043 lives since 1975.

   How can I help reduce the number of alcohol-related traffic accidents?
   Progress has being made over the past 20 years, but in spite of all the warnings, including public awareness and education programs, stiffer penalties for violations and efforts by law enforcement agencies to protect the highways, people will still make the decision to get behind the wheel while intoxicated. The most important thing that you can do to help is to never drive if you have been drinking. Call a cab or give your keys to a designated driver.

   Who is usually responsible for drinking and driving?
   The age group of 21-24 had the highest percentage of drivers with BAC levels of 0.08 g / dl or greater in 2003 (32%) followed closely by 25-34 year olds (27%). Safety belts were only worn by 25% of fatally injured drivers.

   Tell me more about MADD.
   Mothers Against Drunk Driving is a non-profit organization whose mission is to stop drunk driving, support the victims of this violent crime and prevent underage drinking. For more information on how you can get involved, visit their website at www.madd.org.

   Why should I hire a lawyer?
   There are no excuses for drinking and driving. People make a choice when they drink too much alcohol and get behind the wheel. They choose convenience over safety. They choose selfishness over responsibility. They choose to break the law. Thus, if people choose to drink and drive, itŐs no accident. ItŐs time to take a stand and let drunk drivers know we will not accept their reckless judgment. Call Fleschner, Stark, Tanoos & Newlin, Illinois and Indiana drunk driving accident lawyers today.

   Drunk driving is wrong and against the law, and yet every day innocent people get hurt by the carelessness of drunk drivers.

3. Effner Law Firm: Your life can be turned upside-down if criminal charges are filed against you.
4. Edward McGlone: Appellate courts frequently state that "a defendant is entitled to a fair trial but not a perfect one" when invoking the "harmless error" doctrine to review trial court decisions. Essentially, the doctrine recognizes that some legal errors, however blatant they may be, are harmless. "Harmless errors" may not warrant a reversal of the trial court's verdict; the error must have possibly affected the outcome of trial before an appellate court will reverse a verdict based on that error.
5. Chowning Law Office: Before you plead guilty to the charge of DWI (sometimes called DUI) you should know that doing so could be a life-altering experience. Not only are there non-judicial penalties for a DWI conviction but a DWI conviction can easily come back to haunt many people who enter into ill-advised pleas. The Indiana DUI and Criminal laws are as harsh as they have ever been. The Indiana state legislature has continually been increasing the penalties for crimes while (particularly in DUI cases) making the job of defending against such charges more and more difficult. If you or a loved one is arrested and charged with DUI, the first response should be immediately contacting a lawyer for the purpose of defending against the charge. At this point guilt is not the primary matter to be considered by you or your family. The MOST important thing is to find a qualified and experienced attorney that you can trust not only to do the job you want but who will get to work on your case at once. DUI Defense: The legal limit is now only .08 per cent and you must -- if asked by the police -- submit to a breath test. If you refuse you can lose you license for up to a year. If you agree to take the test and you test .08 per cent or above, that breath test result can and will be used against you at trial and is considered presumptive evidence of intoxication. If you believe that you are not intoxicated as charged it is very essential that you commence to fight to protect yourself or a member of your family right away. A good DUI defense lawyer will immediately begin investigating all aspects of the arrest including viewing the scene while you were followed and stopped by the police and talking with all potential witnesses as well as the police who made the arrest. If you believe that you are not guilty of DUI, your right to deny the allegation and force the State to prove their case against you (if they can) cannot be diminished by anyone. That right is absolute under the Constitution. If you choose to go to trial, there are a number of things that must be done as early as possible to ensure the best chance of success in the case as it proceeds to trial. You may need to assert in writing your right to a trial by jury. If you do not timely assert this right , you may have to be tried before a judge. You will want to be fully prepared for the trial. Expert testimony may be needed to defend against the charge of DUI. Other witnesses will need to be called to your defense. Any misconduct on the part of the police will have to be exposed. Going to trial by jury is very demanding on both you the defendant as well as on your lawyer. You will want a lawyer who is fully commited to your cause and willing to put in the time and effort to win your case.
6. Smock & Etling: Regardless of what you might think, a conviction for operating a vehicle while intoxicated is not a minor traffic offense, it is a criminal conviction and it will be part of your permanent criminal record. The offense generally is charged as a class A misdemeanor. A class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to 1 year in prison and a $5,000 fine. A class C misdemeanor is punishable by up to 60 days in jail, and a $500 fine. Furthermore, if it is your 2nd offense within 5 years, or if there is an accident involving serious bodily injury, it may be charged as a class D felony which is punishable by ¸ to 3 years and a $10,000 fine. Additionally, if you accumulate 3 convictions within a 10 year period, you may lose your license for 10 years. (This is not an all-inclusive list of the possible penalties). Accordingly, if you are arrested for operating a vehicle while intoxicated, even if it is your first offense, it is very important that you contact an attorney immediately.