CHARGE:FIRST OFFENSE DUI (BAC GREATER THAN 0.15)
POLICE REPORT:  A call was placed to the local Police Department reporting an erratic and possible intoxicated operator.  Police were dispatched and located the vehicle on a Town road.  The vehicle was observed, according to the Police, to be swerving over both the white fog line and the double yellow line on numerous occasions.  The Police stopped the Client's vehicle and conducted standardized field sobriety tests.  According to the Police, the Client failed all three phases of the standardized field sobriety tests - the horizontal gaze nystagmus, the walk and turn, and the one leg stand.  The Client was then arrested and transported back to the Police Station where she submitted to a chemical breath test.  The test produced blood alcohol content results of 0.104 and 0.100.  The Client was then formally charged with DUI - BAC between 0.10 and 0.15.  As the case proceeded to Court, we began a series of plea negotiations.  During our review of the case, we were able to point out to the Prosecution that there may be some doubt as to the height of our Client's blood alcohol at the time of her operation of the motor vehicle.  Using this issue we were then able to negotiate a plea deal that resulted in a reduction of the DUI charge to reckless driving.  Based on that reduction, were able to avoid a criminal DUI conviction, any loss of license and thousands of dollars in fines and fees for our Client.
RESULT: DUI CHARGE REDUCED TO RECKLESS DRIVING and the Client was ordered to stay out of trouble for one year, complete 20 hours of community service, complete a substance abuse assessment, and pay court costs of $94.25 on AUGUST 31st, 2018

CHARGE:FIRST OFFENSE DUI (BAC GREATER THAN 0.15)
POLICE REPORT:  A call was placed to a North Smithfield Police Department reporting an erratic and possible intoxicated operator.  North Smithfield Police searched the area for the possibly impaired driver.  As they were searching, they entered the Town of Burrillville and located our Client.  Upon seeing our Client's vehicle, they observed him swerve out of and back into his lane of travel and conducted a motor vehicle stop.  After stopping our Client, the North Smithfield Police Officer believed that our Client might be operating under the influence and called for the Burrillville Police Department to continue the investigation.  Burrillville Police arrived and eventually arrested our Client on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.  At the Police Station, our Client submitted to a chemical breath test resulting in blood alcohol content readings of 0.19 and 0.20.  He was then charged with DUI with a BAC over 0.15.  As the case proceeded to Court, we began a series of plea negotiations.  During our review of the case, we were able to point out to the Prosecution that the North Smithfield Police potentially conducted an unlawful stop and seizure of our Client in the Town of Burrillville that would be fatal to the prosecution.  Using this issue we were then able to negotiate a plea deal that resulted in a reduction of the DUI charge to reckless driving.  Based on that reduction, were able to avoid a criminal DUI conviction, a loss of license and thousands of dollars in fines and fees for our Client.
RESULT: DUI CHARGE REDUCED TO RECKLESS DRIVING and the Client was ordered to stay out of trouble for one year, pay court costs, and suffer no loss of his drivers license on February 27th, 2018

CHARGE: FIRST OFFENSE DUI (BAC GREATER THAN 0.15)
POLICE REPORT:  Our Client had been stopped for speeding in Westerly, RI.  The Police were suspicious that he might have been driving under the influence.  The Client was asked to perform standardized field sobriety tests to which there were mixed results.  The Police then asked the Client to submit to a preliminary breath test which he agreed to take.  The results of the preliminary breath test indicated his blood alcohol content was greater than 0.15.  Our Client was arrested and, at the Police Station, he submitted to a breath chemical test which resulted in BAC readings greater than 0.15.  As the case proceeded to Court, we began a series of plea negotiations and the filing of a series of defense motions.  During our review of the evidence, we were able to point out to the Prosecution that the Police failed to follow proper protocol in the administration of the breath test.  At trial, this failure to follow protocol would have rendered the chemical breath test inadmissible. We were then able to negotiate a plea deal that resulted in a reduction of the DUI charge to reckless driving.  Based on that reduction, were able to avoid a criminal DUI conviction and thousands of dollars in fines and fees for our Client.
RESULT: DUI CHARGE REDUCED TO RECKLESS DRIVING and the case was Filed for One Year and the Client was ordered to complete an Alcohol Assessment, 20 Hours of Community Service, make a $250 Charitable Contribution, and suffer no loss of his Drivers License and pay court costs on January 19th, 2018 

CHARGE: FIRST OFFENSE DUI (BAC BETWEEN 0.10 AND 0.15)
POLICE REPORT:  Our Client had been arrested breaking down in a rural neighborhood in a small Rhode Island town.  Eventually, the Police were called formed the opinion that our Client had been driving under the influence.  He was arrested and taken to the local Police Station where he submitted to a chemical breath test resulting in readings of 0.113 and 0.113.  Although our Client had a number of prior offenses in neighboring states, he was charged with a first offense DUI with breath test readings between 0.10 and 0.15.  Our Client was facing a seven year license suspension if convicted of the first offense DUI charge from his home state licensing authority.  Once the case proceeded to Court, we requested that the case be tried in by a jury and the case was transferred to the Providence Superior Court.  Once in the Superior Court, plea negotiations continued for over a year.  The case was passed for trial and the Defense filed nearly a dozen pre-trial motions including motions arguing an illegal arrest and motions to exclude the breath test evidence.  After reviewing the Defense motions, further plea negotiations a few days prior to the start of trial resulted in a reduction of the DUI charge to that of reckless driving.  We were able to avoid a criminal DUI conviction and thousands of dollars in fines and fees.
RESULT: DUI CHARGE REDUCED TO RECKLESS DRIVINGand the Client was sentenced to one year probation, alcohol counseling, one year license suspension with a conditional hardship license to get to work, followed by a one year period of driving with the ignition interlock device and court costs onJanuary 8th, 2018