Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Saluda County DUI Attorney and the DUI Arrest

When a driver is stopped in South Carolina by a police officer, he will begin looking for signs that the driver is under the influence. These signs and symptoms can include slurred speech, smell of alcohol on the driver's breath or clothes, field sobriety tests or the results of a portable breath test. In South Carolina officers may videotape the stop, sobriety testing, and arrest of drivers and often have recording devices which can record conversations between the officer and the driver. If the police officer believes that there's probable cause to think the driver is under the influence, the officer may arrest him or her. When someone is charged with a crime in South Carolina, the police officers who arrest him or her are required to inform him or her of the charges against him or her and bring the defendant before a judge or magistrate. Typically, this must be done within 48 hours of the arrest, but there can be exceptions. Unlike most states, in South Carolina, the police may not choose to release defendants who are charged with misdemeanor offenses or infractions with a citation. Instead, if the officer who stops a driver believes the driver has committed a DUI, the officer will arrest the driver and bring him or her before a judge or magistrate. For further information, contact your Saluda County DUI Attorney or your Orangeburg County DUI Attorney.

Beaufort County DUI Attorney

According to the S.C. Department of Public Safety, 18 people have been killed so far this year in accidents across Beaufort County. This year's death toll is the highest in Beaufort County in over four years. The 18 deaths are a considerable jump from 2009 when crashes killed 8 people, according to Public Safety Department statistics. The statistics are compiled from Highway Patrol and news reports across the state according to the Public Safety Department spokesman. For further information, contact your Beaufort County DUI Attorney.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Greenwood County DUI Attorney for City Councilwoman

Greenwood city councilwoman Nikki Hutto has been charged with driving under the influence. The South Carolina Highway Patrol said Hutto had an open bottle of wine in her car when she was pulled over Sunday.

According to the State Police, Hutto was pulled over at the intersection of Main Street and Maxwell Avenue in Greenwood County for a minor traffic violation. The Highway Patrol said the trooper found an open container of wine in the car, which resulted in a DUI charge. For further information, contact your Greenwood County DUI Attorney or your Laurens County DUI Attorney.

Darlington County DUI Attorneys will be needed for New DUI Arrests

Darlington County DUI Attorneys will be in high demand since the Hartsville Police Department recently received news that it will get grant to fund a driving under the influence enforcement team. Hartsville Police Chief Tim Kemp said the department applied for the grant online while searching through grant databases. It is provided by the S.C. Department of Public Safety and will amount to $87,003.

The grant money will help establish a new DUI enforcement unit, consisting of one new officer, a vehicle and other items needed for DUI arrests. He said although the city faces different issues, those concerning traffic take up a lot of officers’ time, especially DUI cases. For further information, contact your Darlington County DUI Attorney or your Colleton County DUI Attorney.

Kendall County DUI Attorney and the Jury Process

You have been unable to obtain a disposition to your DUI case that you can accept, what alternatives are there? You have three options. The first option is to open plead (blind plea) the case before a judge. The second alternative is to waive a jury trial and have the judge be the trier of fact. The last option is to have a jury trial. What will occur in court when you request a jury trial?

On the day of your trial, the circuit clerk's office will summon 40 to 50 people for jury duty. The potential jurors will arrive and watch a short movie concerning the court system and the jury process. After the movie, the jurors will be brought to your courtroom. The judge will introduce the prosecutor, your attorney, you and the courtroom personnel to the jury. The clerk will randomly call jurors to the jury box. For Further informtion, contact your Kendall County DUI Attorney.

Boone County DUI Attorney and Double Jeopardy

Illinois DUI will also be labeled DUI, drunk driving, or driving under the influence. DUI arrests in IL results in 2 separate individual cases: the criminal case, which the consequence might include jail, fines, a suspended driver's license, required alcohol instruction courses, and more. A DUI arrest will also trigger an administrative driver's license suspension that can only be challenged with a timely request for a hearing. This is just one of the reasons it is so crucial to get in touch with a DUI attorney immediately.

While this may appear as if there is double-punishment for one offense (a violation of the Double Jeopardy clause of the Constitution), the IL Supreme Court decided that a summary suspension of a driver's license is not considered punishment under the criminal law and as a result does not offend the double jeopardy clauses of the Illinois or U.S. Constitutions. For further information, contact your Illinois Boone County DUI Attorney or visit the DUI Blog.

Elgin DUI Attorney

A driver who was arrested for a DUI is eligible may be eligible for monitoring driving device permit (MDDP) if they are considered a first offender. The defendant's attorney will complete the appropriate paperwork to apply for the MDDP. To obtain the permit, the State of Illinois requires that a Breath Alcohol Interlock Ignition Device (BAIID) be installed on their vehicles. The costs can range from $1000 for a 6 month suspension to $2000 for a 1 year suspension. For further information, contact your Elgin DUI Attorney or visit a video regarding your Elgin DUI Attorney