5 Reasons Why You Should Hire a DWI Attorney
If you have been arrested for drunk driving or driving under the influence of any controlled substance, you may wonder if an attorney can help you get the charges reduced or dismissed altogether. Although hiring an attorney is not a guarantee of getting out of a DWI, it does significantly improve your chances. Below are […]
Proving a DWI From Toxicology
There were nearly 25,000 Driving While Intoxicated arrests in New Jersey in 2013, according to the state justice department. Police forces in New Jersey have been increasing efforts to further crack down on drunk driving in recent years. When making a stop for suspected drunk driving, police officers rely heavily on breathalyzer and toxicology tests. […]
Boating Under the Influence of Alcohol: Still Consider a DWI!
The term “driving under the influence” (DUI) or “driving while intoxicated” (DWI) is generally associated with driving some type of vehicle on the road while drunk. However, getting arrested for a DUI under New Jersey law is not limited to only vehicles on the streets. You can also face DUI or DWI charges for operating […]
What Is a Bench Trial in New Jersey?
If someone were to ask you to describe what a trial look likes, what would you say? If you’re like most people, you would picture a courtroom with a judge and jury. More often than not, this image is accurate. However, in some legal situations, the jury is absent, with only a judge left to […]
DUI Pretext Stops: Squealing Tires
A police officer with a pretext for a stop that is deemed to be reasonable can stop you and then investigate the possibility of drunk driving even though that was not the officer’s initial reason for pulling you over. However, there are some pretext stops, such as squealing tires, that raise doubt as to whether […]
New Jersey DUI Stops Based on a “Tip Call”
The police receive a call from an anonymous “tipster” alerting them of a suspected drunk driver on the road. Can the police legally pull over the New Jersey driver on the suspicion of a DUI based on this anonymous tip? In order for this to be a valid arrest, certain evidentiary and legal requirements must […]
Standardized Field Sobriety Tests
Walk-and-Turn Test The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has standardized three field sobriety tests. This means that the tests are administered uniformly and are evaluated in a consistent way. The three tests are: Horizontal gaze nystagmus Walk and turn One-leg stand In the Walk-and-Turn test, the suspect is instructed to take nine steps, heel-to-toe, along […]
Defendant’s Silence Cannot be Used Against Him
The New Jersey Supreme Court recently ruled that a defendant’s silence at or near the time of his arrest could not be used as evidence of his guilt or to impeach his credibility at trial. A New Jersey criminal law attorney can help protect your legal rights as well. Minutes after leaving a bar, the defendant Manaf […]
Securing and Preserving the Evidence For Your DUI Case
One of the first things that your DUI attorney should do to prepare for your court case is to take any and all appropriate steps to secure the scene and preserve any existing evidence. Once you have contacted a New Jersey DUI Lawyer, he or she will likely request that you go back to the […]