Family Attorney

What a Speeding Ticket Attorney Can Do For You

admin — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 09:05:40 +0000

No one likes to get speeding tickets. They are annoying. They are time consuming. They hurt your wallet when you have to pay the fine and if/when you have to pay increased insurance premiums. And you’ve heard that they can be beaten. And a Google search of how to beat a speeding ticket returns millions of results. So how is it done? Bottom line, most people get a traffic ticket attorney to help them out.

But what do speeding ticket attorneys do that a regular old person can’t do? Aren’t speeding tickets the bottom of the barrel when it comes to lawyering? And isn’t any attorney who works on speeding tickets a bad attorney outright? It seems like if they had any skills at all they’d be doing something a little more high stakes.

The short answer is, traffic attorneys are usually pretty good attorneys, and they take their craft seriously. Just like in any industry there are some good ones and some bad ones, some that work hard and enjoy winning cases, and some who are more concerned with collecting fees. But in the end, having a lawyer on your side to fight your speeding ticket can make a huge difference in the outcome of your case, which usually ends up being a dismissal or a finding that the violation wasn’t committed. So, how do they do it? Short answer: they lawyer up just like the guys who are doing multimillion dollar litigation and murder trials.

Most speeding ticket attorneys that I know work a case from top to bottom examining the following three topics: (1) procedural violations; (2) radar maintenance and requirement violations; and (3) substantive violations. Each presents its own opportunities for dismissal or finding of non-committed. And the reason they are done in this order is that the violations in the first category are easier to find and completely destroy the legitimacy of the ticket. When you get into category three, one starts to get into more of a gray area that may or may not result in a non-committed finding.

Procedural violations, as they sound, deal with cops, the prosecutor, and the courts following the rules they are required to follow in traffic infraction cases. Although these are easy to check for a speeding ticket attorney, for most people (i.e. the untrained eye), these would never be caught. And I could try to list all of these, but it would take too much time and would probably be pretty hard to understand. If you find a procedural violation, though, the result is a dismissal of the ticket outright.

Radar maintenance records and maintenance requirements are the second avenue a traffic ticket attorney usually proceeds down to get a speeding ticket dismissed. Because radar is often the method of catching most speeders, evidence of the radar used must be presented into evidence to get the reading of the radar admitted into evidence. And because the radar is a scientific machine that utilizes scientific information specific things must be presented to the court so it can be satisfied the machine does what it is supposed to to and was doing what it was supposed to do on that particular day. Like procedural violations, a violation here results in dismissal of the case (although here it is because the evidence is excluded from the hearing).

And finally, if avenues one or two don’t work out, the third avenue is to determine if there is enough evidence present to allow the court to make a finding of a committed infraction. What this usually means is checking the officers report for mistakes or omissions that make the ticket unenforceable. Again, this goes back to lawyering – making sure they can make the case against your client stick. And often something can be found here to at least make a convincing argument.

In the end, speeding tickets are something that can be beaten. And though it is possible to do it on your own, the skill and expertise that a lawyer brings to the table greatly increases the likelihood of victory on your part. So, the next time you get a traffic infraction, consider hiring a speeding ticket attorney. It could mean the difference between winning and losing.

By: A M Smith

The Road to An Attorney Career

admin — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:21:03 +0000

Becoming an attorney requires extensive education, training, and hard work but rewards those who persevere with a career filled with a sense of purpose, importance and financial security. In order to become an attorney, a person must have a bachelor’s degree and then enroll and complete three years of law school before a Juris Doctorate (law degree) is awarded. But the road to becoming an attorney does not end there, as law school graduates in nearly every state must pass the state’s bar exam before being admitted to the bar and allowed to practice law. Once someone becomes an attorney they have a wide range of career paths they may take. Corporate law, criminal law, and family law are a few of the many specializations that a new attorney may choose from. The amount of earnings that an attorney can make is often dependent on the field of law and the experience of the attorney and can range anywhere from $30,000 to millions of dollars a year.

The road to becoming an attorney begins in college. Admission to law school requires a bachelor’s degree. Unlike many other careers requiring a bachelor’s degree such as medicine, law schools do not require that an applicant have a degree in any particular major. In fact, the American Bar Association (A.B.A.) “does not recommend any undergraduate majors or group of courses to prepare for a legal education.” as “students are admitted to law school from almost every academic discipline.” (http://www.abanet.org/legaled/prelaw/prep.html) The only advice from the A.B.A. is that students are “encouraged to pursue an area of study that interests and challenges you, while taking advantage of opportunities to develop your research and writing skills.”

Once a future attorney finishes their undergraduate schooling, they must apply to and complete law school. Before applying to law school, a student must take the Law School Admissions Test. Once that is done, the application process can begin. Once a student is admitted, they must complete three years of law school before receiving a Juris Doctorate or a law degree. However, there is still one more step a future attorney must take before becoming a practicing lawyer. The bar exam, according to Lan Pham, a recent law school graduate and bar examinee, “is a hellish three-day ordeal the likes of which I have never faced.” In California, the exam involves six one-hour essays, two three-hour essays, and 100 multiple choice questions. A grade of roughly 70% is required to pass. Unfortunately, all law school graduates must pass their state’s bar exam before becoming a licensed attorney.

Once someone completes four years of college, three years of law school, and passes the bar exam, they may now practice law as an attorney. However, there are still choices to be made. A law degree and license allows a person to choose from a wide range of different career paths. One can choose to be a corporate lawyer, whose duties include negotiating deals between large corporations, setting up new corporations, or ensuring that large corporations obey the law. Family lawyers handle matters such as child adoptions and divorces. There are lawyers who handle wills, prosecute criminals, defend criminals, sue people, defend people being sued as well as many other specialties. There are private lawyers, military lawyers, and government lawyers. An attorney has almost infinite possibilities when it comes to a career path.

The career path that an attorney chooses often determines how long they work and how much they get paid. Even among lawyers in the same field, the ranges of work hours and pay vary greatly. According to Mr. Pham, corporate lawyers are among the well-paid lawyers but also work some of the longest hours. It is not unheard of for an associate at a large law firm to regularly put in 80 hour work weeks. Although sole practitioners have more control over their work hours, many of them work long hours since most of them are working on several cases at the same time. Government lawyers, including prosecutors and city attorneys, usually have shorter hours but also generally get paid less than those in private practice. Public interest lawyers, including those who represent the poor or disadvantaged groups including minorities, children, and the elderly are among the lowest paid attorneys. However, they have among the highest job satisfaction rates among all attorneys. According to America’s Career InfoNet the median salary for an attorney in 2003 was $92,700 nationwide.

Becoming an attorney is a long and difficult process requiring a large amount of intense education and training. Being an attorney often requires long hours and a lot of hard work. However, attorneys are rewarded with a career that offers a large measure of prestige and income as well as the freedom to choose a wide range of fields in which to work in.

By: Mathew Simond

Immigration Attorney With Free Consultation – Makes a Difference For Many Reasons

admin — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:19:59 +0000

The dream of starting fresh in a new country can sometimes be hampered by economy and racial separation. The effect of such issues have a double negative effect as it also affects the expectations an person gets from society as well as how they perceive themselves as a citizen of their new country.

Hopeful immigrants may thus find themselves stuck somewhere between fulfilling their dreams and “living up to” the role they feel society has assigned them.

The problem outlined above does not automatically mean that very successful immigration by any means would be impossible. When it comes to making the process as elegant as possible, a good attorney may play a big part.

The Immigration Attorney Free Consultation

Indeed, immigrants today are facing many challenges. This is why an immigration attorney free consultation is now admitted to those who are in need of great assistance to be able to acclimatize to a new country that they want to live in. It is certain that these proceedings shall give the hopeful immigrants an opportunity to have an overview of the arrangements of the society that they want to reside in.

Trough the said immigration attorney free consultation service, an immigrant too would have a better chance of having the essential meet with an immigration and naturalization attorney. This stage is needed in order to becoming a legally owned resident. It is also a very important step in truly becoming a part of the new society.

In many western countries there is already a kind of “we and them” kind of thinking in place often, rightly or not, based on the level of education and income. Probably, the situation is governed by the fact that the human society today is so diverse that people have already applied the differences that they have from each other as a basis of the status that each person is expected to belong to.

It goes without saying that the challenges of immigrating are hard, but with the help of immigration attorney free consultation services, a person or group of people wanting to transfer nationality and residence would get the absolutely chance to be successful in the said process of social adjustment.

By: Bob H Clarke

US Immigration Attorney Services

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:36:12 +0000

In the US, immigration is a complex subject that involves several rules and regulations. So, obtaining an immigrant visa is a time consuming procedure and involves a significant amount of attorney fees. However, as immigration issues are very sensitive and complicated, you definitely need the assistance of an experienced attorney to handle them.

Immigration attorney services in the US involve both employment-based and family-based immigration services. Immigration attorneys are fully knowledgeable about the most complex immigration issues and ever-changing laws in the US. They can help you with work visas, marriage visas, executive transfers, investor visas, adjustment of status, family-based visas and immigration, green cards, litigation and appeals, fiancée visas, citizenship and administrative appeals, consular processing, I-751 petitions to remove conditional residence, employer regulatory compliance, permanent residence, student visas, mergers & acquisitions and global visas.

The immigration process begins with a free evaluation of your profile with comprehensive feedback. If the profile is correct, the attorneys offer you services such as: destination selection, document preparation, document submission, and application monitoring. Before you are called for an interview with the Immigration officer, you are given instructions and tips on how to present yourself in the best possible manner. After you are issued the visa, the attorneys provide you all the resettlement assistance that you need to settle comfortably in the US. For those who are seeking employment, they give employment guidance.

There are a number of large national and international corporations, individual investors, multinational pharmaceutical companies, educational institutions, healthcare professionals, individual applicants, small and mid-size companies, engineering firms, and a variety of professional practice groups seeking immigration visas to the US. Immigration attorneys continuously monitor the latest changes in immigration policy, legislation and procedures in order to make sure their clients fully benefit from the most up-to-date information. They help you in all the procedures involved in the naturalization of foreign nationals who wish to become US citizens. The attorneys also deal with the legal issues associated with people who are refugees or seeking asylum. Their vast experience coupled with state-of-the-art online visa processing technologies ensure economical, fast, and secure immigration process.

By: Reva Cruz

Santa Barbara Divorce Attorney

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 06:20:26 +0000

Santa Barbara County has over 2,000 Santa Barbara attorneys or Santa Barbara lawyers registered with the State Bar of California. Some popular cities within Santa Barbara County where Santa Barbara County attorneys may be practicing law are Buellton, Carpinteria, Casmalia, Goleta, Guadalupe, Isla Vista, Lompoc, Los Alamos, Los Olivos, Montecito, New Cuyama, Orcutt, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Santa Ynez, Solvang, and others. With so many attorneys practicing law in Santa Barbara County California, how do you find the right Santa Barbara County divorce attorney or Santa Barbara County divorce lawyer who can help you with your particular divorce case and/or child custody case?

First, an experienced Santa Barbara divorce attorney or Santa Barbara divorce lawyer should have experience and legal expertise in the field of family law. Family law covers a variety of topics such as divorce or dissolution of marriage, paternity, domestic partnerships, child custody and visitation, domestic violence, restraining orders, spousal support, child support, guardianship, adoptions, community property, division of property, and more. Some Santa Barbara divorce attorneys may specialize or have more experience than others in specific areas of family law. For example, some Santa Barbara attorneys are certified by the State Bar of California or an organization accredited by the State Bar of California as a specialist in the field of family law. Currently, Santa Barbara County has approximately a dozen Certified Family Law Specialists (CFLS) registered with the State Bar of California. These Santa Barbara County attorney’s have made efforts to become State Bar certified in the field of family law. In other words, of more than 2,000 Santa Barbara County attorneys in California, approximately a dozen are Certified Family Law Specialists (CFLS). However, just because a Santa Barbara County attorney is not a Certified Family Law Specialist does not mean he/she is not qualified and/or experienced to handle a Santa Barbara County family law, divorce and/or child custody case. In fact, there are many well-qualified Santa Barbara County attorneys or Santa Barbara County lawyers who do not hold State Bar certifications. If you are searching for a Santa Barbara County divorce attorney or Santa Barbara County divorce lawyer and you do not know what to look for or where to begin, narrowing down your search to only those who practice family law in Santa Barbara County may be a good place to begin.

Further, an experienced Santa Barbara divorce attorney or Santa Barbara divorce lawyer should have success representing clients on child custody and divorce cases in Santa Barbara County. He/she will likely be familiar with the judges, processes, and procedures in the Santa Barbara County family court which an attorney outside of Santa Barbara County may not have. However, just because an attorney or lawyer is not located in Santa Barbara County California does not mean he/she is not qualified and/or experienced to represent you on a family law, divorce, or child custody case in Santa Barbara County. Ultimately, if you have a child custody and/or divorce case in Santa Barbara County, you will want to investigate any prospective attorney’s background and experience and choose the right divorce attorney or divorce lawyer you believe can help you with your Santa Barbara divorce case and legal need.

© 2006 Child Custody Coach

By: Steven Carlson

Attorney DWI Minnesota

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 05:51:57 +0000

If you have been arrested for driving under the influence, an attorney DWI Minnesota professional can help you to minimize the penalties imposed if convicted or even help you to successfully defend yourself against the charges. Attorney DWI Minnesota responsibilities range from consulting clients when they are initially charged to seeing clients through their criminal trials and any administrative proceedings that take place. Qualified attorneys will be able to counsel DUI defendants and educate them about what will take place. Knowing what constitutes DUI in Minnesota and the penalties you may face is important for all drivers, so keep this information in mind.

Attorney DWI Minnesota Initial Contact

The state of Minnesota grants drivers suspected of driving under the influence one right that other states do not. If you are stopped for driving under the influence, you have the right to contact a Minnesota DUI attorney before submitting to chemical testing to determine your blood alcohol concentration. Because most people do not know of a DUI attorney off hand, law enforcement officers must provide a directory where you can find information on lawyers specializing in DUI cases. This is an important right and one that should be exercised so you can experience the best possible result from your case.

Attorney DWI Minnesota Case Preparation

In the state of Minnesota, an arrest for driving under the influence will trigger two different types of cases. One is an administrative case that deals with your driving privileges. Just being arrested for driving under the influence, without even being convicted, is enough to have your driving privileges revoked for a time period that corresponds with the number of convictions you have had for DUI and any other special circumstances. The other case is a criminal one where you will be prosecuted for the crime of driving under the influence. Your DWI attorney will help you prepare for each case by reviewing evidence and gathering information that can be crucial to your individual situation. While there are never any guarantees, having a qualified DWI lawyer on your side does give you a better chance of a positive outcome than representing yourself or working with a lawyer who does not specialize in DUI cases. Specialized DUI attorneys have more experience handling DUI cases and also have access to a number of experts that can provide testimony during your criminal trial.

Attorney DUI Minnesota Case Assistance

During both your administrative and criminal hearings, your DWI attorney can defend you based on witness testimony, chemical testing results, and other admissible information. Your attorney may be able to save your license from administrative consequences and having a skilled DWI lawyer on your side is your best chance for winning your case and not having to face the serious penalties associated with driving while intoxicated in the state of Minnesota. If you are convicted of the charges against you, your DWI attorney can speak on your behalf and request that the court show leniency in sentencing based on your specific circumstances. The penalties for being convicted of driving under the influence vary based on a number of factors including prior convictions, any injuries or property damage caused while under the influence, and other circumstances. The penalties can also be increased if you had a child in your car during your offense or if your blood alcohol concentration level was twice the legal limit.

For a first offense, you can receive up to 90 days in jail, alcohol education program participation requirements, driver’s license suspension, and fines. If aggravating factors are present, this can cause the prosecutor to charge you with a gross misdemeanor that can result in up to one year in jail and a fine of $3,000. Your second DUI conviction will carry increased penalties because second offenses are classified as gross misdemeanors. This carries a penalty of up to one year in jail and a $3,000 fine. If you are convicted of a third offense, you can face jail time, fines, alcohol abuse evaluations, and vehicle impoundment. If you are charged with a fourth offense, it is classified as a felony. The penalties for a felony DWI conviction include three years in prison and a fine of $14,000 or more. Working with an attorney DWI Minnesota legal professional is your first step to moving on with your life after being charged with a DWI offense. While no guarantees can be made about the outcome of a criminal trial, this is your best shot for defending yourself against DWI charges or minimizing the penalties imposed on you if you should be convicted.

By: Michael Tasner

Special Power of Attorney – How They Work

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 08:32:25 +0000

Special powers of attorney for financial management carry the same caveat as general powers of attorney: placed into the wrong hands, they can become a license to steal. Like all financial powers of attorney, you must be certain that the person you appoint to act as your agent is absolutely trustworthy. Here are some examples of special powers of attorney and how they work.

A special power limits your agent’s authority and is generally used only in specific circumstances. For example, you may be in the process of purchasing a home but, nearly a year ago, you purchased a non-refundable European vacation and you won’t be available to sign all of the real estate documents. A special power of attorney can authorize your agent to act on your behalf and sign all necessary papers to complete the purchase.

Under this scenario, your agent’s authority is very limited.

Contrast this to a general power of attorney for financial matters. With this document, you are granting authority for someone else to handle all of your financial matters – opening and closing bank accounts, withdrawing money, purchasing or selling real property – essentially, your agent would have the ability to transact every type of financial business that you would. A very dangerous document if placed into the wrong hands.

Usually, a general power over finances should only be granted if it utilizes a “springing power”. This means that your agent has no authority to act unless two qualified medical doctors provide written declarations, under penalty of perjury, that you are incapacitated and unable to make sound financial decisions. Then, and only then, does the power “spring into being”, as it were, and allow your agent to act on your behalf.

A special power of attorney generally becomes effective immediately. It is granted to allow your agent the authority to handle one or more specific transactions and, again, is usually done out of convenience because you are unavailable to timely act.

Using a boilerplate form where you just fill-in the blanks to specify the exact authority you wish to grant can be a mistake. Sometimes the authority is too limited and could prevent your agent from being able to complete the particular financial transaction. For example, granting authority to “sign all documents required by my real estate broker” may not be acceptable to the lender or the escrow company. They may have different requirements and do not feel comfortable in recognizing your agent’s authority under the special powers you have stated.

An attorney can assist with the creation of a special power of attorney for financial matters and, in doing so, should contact all of the companies and agencies involved to ensure that their requirements are met. The exact language used in the document can then be tailored to meet all of these needs.

Special powers of attorney can be very useful in completing certain transactions but should be tailored to meet very narrow and specific situations. If properly drafted, they are a valuable financial tool.

By: George Dickerman

Legal Tips – Power of Attorney

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 08:08:35 +0000

If you are planning your life and want everything thing to be in right just in case, then Power of Attorney is something you should pay special attention to.

Power of Attorney is valid in all states across the US and it gives one or more persons the right or power to act on your behalf. The power or right to act on your behalf can be limited to one particular activity or it can empower a person to act on your behalf in a variety of situations.

A Power of Attorney can either come into immediate effect or it can be exercised on occurrence of an event in future. The right to act on your behalf can be temporary, continuous or permanent.

Should you want to revoke the Power of Attorney given to a person, it can be done so. However, most states in the US require a written notice of revocation.

Most people wonder why is it necessary to give another person power to act on their behalf. The answer is actually very simple. It is all about convenience. If you are buying or selling assets, you may not want to be present always to close the deal. Power of Attorney allows another person or persons to close the deal on your behalf. However, the most important use of Power of Attorney comes with you are incapable of acting on your own behalf. This could be due to an accident, illness or you might be traveling. It allows another person to act on you behalf so that nothing is stalled and things can function.

In case you are unable to manage your personal or business affairs, and do not have a Power of Attorney, then the court may appoint a person to act for you. You will not have a say as to who should be appointed. However, with a Power of Attorney, the right to choose a person and the limits of the authority they have is up to you.

If you do not have a Power of Attorney, it is about time you started thinking about one. It will remain valid once you sign it and it will stay valid until you die or revoke it.

By: Pauline Go

The Basics of Power of Attorney

admin — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 05:16:02 +0000

“Power of attorney” is a legal tool that allows another individual the authority to act as a person’s legal representative. This gives that person the power to make binding legal and financial decisions on a person’s behalf.

It is not exceptionally difficult to find forms to grant someone the power of attorney via the internet, but there is typically not a lot of explanation of what a power of attorney is. In addition, there is very little information concerning when a person needs a person to act as power of attorney or even what type of power of attorney to choose. These are very difficult decisions to make as giving the power of attorney to someone gives that person considerable power over your life. Because an individual with power of attorney has the ability to sign a different person’s name to legal contracts, careful consideration should be given to choosing a person and whether or not limits should be placed on how long the power of attorney will last and what limits should be imposed on a person’s powers.

There are, broadly, two basic types of powers of attorney. A “general” power is unlimited in both its scope and in its duration. This granted type of power permits the named individual to act as a person’s legal representative in relation to all financial matters until the power is revoked.

A “specific” power creates limits on a person’s named representative. It is possible for a “specific” power to bind a representative’s powers to one single type of conduct or even a single transaction. As an example, the representative could be granted the power to engage in financial transactions stemming from a specific checking account or be given the power to sign the closing documents for a specific real estate transaction. These activities are very limited and are assigned to a specific type of transaction. They are not nearly as broad as “general” powers are.

Either type of power can be limited in its duration. This means that the person selecting a representative can specify a date after which the power of attorney assigned to that representative will no longer be valid.

Typically, forms granting power of attorney do not have to be registered with the state. If a form grants an individual the rights to engage in transactions and dealings pertaining to real estate, it may be required that the forms be registered with the state.

If you would like more information concerning power of attorney or other legal transaction related to probate, please visit http://www.probatelawyeraustin.com.

By: Joseph Devine

Rhode Island DUI Attorney

admin — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:12:08 +0000

Rhode Island DUI Law

Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal in the state of Rhode Island. Rhode Island is one of the toughest states on the East coast in terms of DUI penalties. You may face steep fines, jail time, and other penalties that make DUI a serious offense. You will also face the loss of your driving privileges, making it difficult for you to maintain employment or get to medical appointments, classes, religious services, and other obligations. Because DUI is such a serious offense, it is important that you have a Rhode Island DUI attorney to represent you. A skilled Rhode Island DUI lawyer has the experience and knowledge needed to defend your case and obtain the best possible outcome.

Rhode Island DUI Arrest and Prosecution

Rhode Island has strong policies for enforcement in place to catch drivers who are driving while under the influence or while having a BAC of 0.09% or more. There are many patrols in place and law enforcement officers may use field sobriety testing, videotaping, and other techniques to gather evidence. If you have a skilled Rhode Island DUI lawyer representing you, there is a good chance the lawyer can review the procedures used and attempt to show that they deviated from the standards set forth in the law. For example, sobriety tests must be administered in a standardized way. If your attorney can show that the arresting officer deviated from the standards in any way, you may win your case.

If you are arrested for a DUI offense in Rhode Island, you will be prosecuted in one of two ways. The first way is under the traditional theory that alcohol physical or mentally impaired your ability to safely operate a motor vehicle in your control. Under this theory, the prosecutor must show that alcohol impaired your ability to operate your vehicle. He prosecutor may introduce evidence such as your driving patterns, failure to perform well on sobriety tests, appearance, and any chemical test results that were obtained. The second means of prosecution is under the “per se” laws of Rhode Island. In this type of case, the prosecutor is not at all concerned with your level of impairment, if any, at the time of your arrest. The per se case is based entirely on the results of the chemical testing you submitted to at the time of your arrest. The prosecutor will introduce the results of this test to show that you drove a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration level of 0.08% or greater, which violates the per saw laws of the state.

Rhode Island DUI Criminal Penalties

In Rhode Island, there is a look-back of 5 years when determining how an offense will be charged. This means that if you have prior DUI convictions within 5 years of your most recent arrest, you’ll be charged with a second or subsequent offense. If your prior convictions are more than 5 years before your most recent arrest, you will be charged with a first offense. There are a number of penalties available in DUI cases and they vary based on the number of prior offenses and other specific circumstances. There also enhanced penalties for driving with an extreme blood alcohol level. The fines for a DUI in Rhode Island are $100 for a first offense and $400 for second and subsequent offenses. A first offense has no jail time penalty because it is considered a civil offense. A second offense has a penalty of 10 days in jail and a third offense within a 10 year period has a penalty of one year in jail. For first offenders, ten hours of community service are mandatory and the court may impose a penalty of up to 60 hours. Home confinement and mandatory attendance at a Victim Impact Panel may be imposed at the discretion of the court. The enhanced penalties for driving with a BAC of 0.15% or greater are a $500 fine for a first offense and a $1,000 fine for a subsequent offense, 6 months in jail for a second offense and three years in jail for a third offense, and 20 hours of mandatory community service for first offenders. These penalties have a great potential to impact your life in a negative way so it is important that you contact a Rhode Island DUI lawyer immediately after your arrest to help preserve your rights and have the best possible chance of having a successful outcome in your case.

Rhode Island Driving Penalties

Rhode Island is a member state in the Interstate Driver’s License Compact. This means information about your Rhode Island DUI offense may be shared with your home state or prior offenses from your home state may be found and count against you as prior offenses in Rhode Island. If you are convicted of driving under the influence in Rhode Island, you face the loss of your license for a period of time to be determined based on the number of prior offenses and the severity of your most recent offense. Losing your driving privileges can make it difficult for you to participate in your normal daily activities, so hiring a Rhode Island DUI attorney is one of the best things you can do to protect yourself and have a chance of winning your case.

By: Michael Tasner