Increased Pressure for Increased DWI Penalties
There is an immense amount of pressure being exerted on the New York State legislature from outside groups such as MADD and other advocacy groups to put laws in place that will presumably deter people from drinking and driving. For example, back in 2013 the New York State Senate passed legislation requiring mandatory jail sentences for repeat DWI offenders. However, we are finding that the passage of such legislation does not seem to be impacting the number of drivers convicted of DWI. Unfortunately, most people who are repeat DWI offenders...
The “DWI Law” in New York is contained in VTL §1192 titled “Operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs”. The law includes 6 separate offenses; here we will cover 3 of the most frequently charged sections. .
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The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the rights of the people to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures. The Fourth Amendment protects against arbitrary arrests and is the basis of the law on search warrants, wiretaps, and other privacy law. It is a central concern of criminal prosecution and defense.
For a DWI case, the Fourth Amendment's protection from arbitrary arrests applies to the reason why a police officer stopped a vehicle. An officer will stop a vehicle for some suspected violation of the Vehicle and Traffic Law, for example...
Skilled trial counsel is essential at every stage of a DWI case to preserve your rights. Many people believe that an appeal can cure any mistake that may have occurred in the lower court. This is not how New York appellate courts operate. An appellate court will only consider issues that have been preserved for review.
For example, in a recent case, a driver appealed his conviction for aggravated DWI on a number of grounds. The driver’s appellate lawyer argued that the accusatory instrument contained hearsay allegations. The Court held the issue was unpreserved for review and did not...
Having a Hearing Can be Valuable Even When Lost
I have had clients, and some attorneys, who ask me, “Should I go forward with a refusal hearing?”—and despite the fact that they are unlikely to win, I tell them that I believe that they should in most cases. Participating in a refusal hearing is an excellent way to get free discovery and to cross-examine the police officer about the underlying conduct in the case—both in terms of how your client was interacting with the officer and the officer’s observations of your client.
As a result, I tell my clients...