If you have been charged and convicted of a DUI in Florida, that’s not necessarily the end of the story. Depending on the circumstances and the details of your trial or plea deal, there could be an opportunity to appeal the conviction or the sentence – but you’ll need a…
Articles Posted in DUI
Challenging Drug Recognition Expert Testimony in Florida
It’s become increasingly common in Florida DUI cases for prosecutors to rely heavily on the investigation and testimony of drug recognition experts (DREs). These are police officers who are specially trained to recognize the signs of impairment in drivers who are under the influence of drugs. Last year, the Governors…
Florida Supreme Court Rejects DUI Blood Sample Challenge
In a per curium ruling, the Florida Supreme Court upheld an appellate court decision rejecting defense challenges to blood sample collection of suspects in felony DUI cases. It was a case watched closely by many Florida DUI defense lawyers because had the court ruled in defendant’s favor, it could have…
Appellate Court: Forced Drug Tests in Fatal DUI Arrest Were Unconstitutional
Felony convictions against a man accused of killing two while driving drunk were reversed recently by an appellate court in Illinois, which ruled the DUI testing after his arrest was unconstitutional. Although this issue takes place outside of Florida, it’s one motorists in the Sunshine State have had to grapple…
Florida DUI Manslaughter Convict Faces Failure to Appear Charges After 14 Years on the Run
Facing down a criminal conviction can be incredibly unnerving, but fleeing can leave you in even bigger trouble than before you started. That’s because failure to appear is a charge in and of itself that can have serious consequences, even if you are ultimately found not guilty of the original…
Woman Arrested for Florida DUI – on Horseback
A Florida woman who allegedly rode her horse slowly down a busy highway while intoxicated was arrested for DUI recently. Although Florida is practically infamous for it’s bizarre news, even this seemed a bit over-the-top. Plus, it raises a number of questions about the scenarios in which F.S. 316.193, Florida’s…
Plea Deal in Miami DUI Crash Pitched After Positive Pot Test
The majority of criminal defense cases that aren’t dismissed or result in acquittal are resolved through plea deals. The Bureau of Justice Statistics reports two-thirds of felony defendants in the U.S. are eventually convicted and 95 percent of those convictions occur through plea bargains. Criminal defense lawyers in Fort Lauderdale know…
Benefits of Getting Your Florida DUI Reduced to Reckless Driving
Following a Fort Lauderdale DUI arrest, the primary goal of our DUI defense attorneys is to challenge the charge outright and secure a dismissal or not guilty verdict. However, when the unfavorable evidence is substantial and chances of that are slim, we may adjust our strategy to negotiate with prosecutors,…
Note to Florida Defendants: Don’t Try to Crowdfund Your DUI Restitution
In cases that result in drunk driving convictions, a judge may assign varying penalties, depending on things like defendant’s prior criminal record and whether anyone was injured. In some cases that result in direct injury to another person, the court may order restitution. This is money paid by defendant to…
Tow Truck Driver Arrested for Fatal Florida DUI Crash That Killed Three
A tow truck driver in Ocala was arrested recently in connection with a January crash that claimed the lives of three people – a 61-year-old former congressional candidate, his wife and adult son. Investigators with the Florida Highway Patrol have alleged the truck was under the influence of drugs. He…