Judges have a large amount of discretion when sentencing defendants. The sentence that a judge ultimately hands down depends on a number of factors including facts and circumstances of the case. Sometimes, judges choose to get a bit creative with their sentences and add a unique penalty to the st...

Students on board a high school bus called their parents after they realized their bus driver, Carole Ann Etheridge, was driving erratically. A student who was on board the bus at the time of the incident can be heard saying, “Were in the middle of the road!” in a recorded video. After students ...

In an interesting bid to save his job as a Mesa, AZ councilman, Ryan Winkle has accepted a plea deal substantially more punitive in nature than one typically receives on the same charges. The act seems to be one of self-imposed retribution, as Winkle will spend six days in Lower Buckeye Jail and ...

Many questions surround the intersection of DUIs and concealed carry weapons. Can a concealed carry permit be revoked for a DUI? Can you obtain a CCW permit after a DUI conviction? Can you carry a gun while on probation for DUI? If you are in possession of concealed carry weapon during a DUI stop...

DUI arrests occur every day across the country. They are routine fare for law enforcement and only certain cases warrant outstanding media attention, such as those involving celebrities or strange conduct on the part of the driver. DUI charges have been leveled against people who weren't operatin...

On St. Patrick's Day people come out in droves to celebrate the Irish holiday; a tsunami of green sweeps over the city and the Guinness flows freely. With that cheery frivolity comes the chance that a number of drivers may make the unfortunate decision to get behind the wheel while intoxicated. L...

As Americans, we're well-acquainted with the Super Bowl staples - ketchup-drenched hot dogs, endless BBQ wings, and a cold beer - or two. Its the last of these items that tends to draw the attention of law enforcement, particularly when a beer or two turns into one too many. In recent years, meas...

In December 2016, the Idaho Supreme Court decided the case of State v. Chernobieff. In this case, the court was asked to address whether exigent circumstances justified the decision to collect a blood sample from a defendant without first obtaining a warrant. Daniel Chernobieff was arrested on s...

Roadside checkpoints are a common way for law enforcement to catch intoxicated drivers. Police departments set up checkpoints all year round but certain holidays, such as the Fourth of July and New Year's Eve, tend to see a greater amount of enforcement efforts. Instead of going through a DUI che...

Thanksgiving is a holiday where people get together and spend time with their loved ones, sharing a meal and good times. This holiday weekend is one of the busiest travel times of the year. According to AAA, the most popular method of transportation is driving, with over 89% of people planning to...

Drinking and driving can lead to dangerous and deadly consequences for those who cross paths with the intoxicated driver. In San Diego in October of 2016, a deadly accident occurred because of a man decided to get behind the wheel while under the influence. A number of people were gathered at Chi...

Arrested for drunk driving? With the right defense strategy, you may be able to avoid the consequences of a criminal conviction. In fact, your DUI defense starts before the arrest. In order to conduct an arrest, law enforcement must first conduct a legal traffic stop, and in order to conduct a le...

Sometimes a late night craving can turn into a year long headache. On Friday May 4, former Lost star, Matthew Fox was arrested in Oregon for driving while under the influence while he was on his way to a fast food restaurant. A police officer noticed he was driving erratically and pulled him over...

The increase in bar, restaurant and entertainment options in Forsyth County GA has lead to an increase in DUI enforcement. Forsyth County makes a tremendous amount of revenue off of DUI convictions. A large portion of the State Court of Forsyth trial calendar includes drivers charged with DUI and...

DUI enforcement in Georgia is aggressive. Throughout the metro area, numerous motorists are stopped and arrested for driving under the influence ( DUI ) and related offenses such as minor in possession of alcohol ( MIP ) and possession of marijuana / drugs. This past weekend, former UGA tight end...

Forsyth County Georgia prosecuting attorneys and judges defer heavily upon the results of the state administered chemical test - usually the breath test results from the Intoxilyzer 5000 - when determining the plea offers and sentences of those charged with drunk driving ( DUI ). .08 is the legal...

Forsyth County is one of the toughest jurisdictions in the state of Georgia on DUI offenders. They regularly want additional jail time and high fines and fees for even first time DUI offenders. Forsyth DUI officers have been cracking down during the Christmas / New Years holidays. If you or a fri...

Last year, Paris Hilton and her then boyfriend, Cy Waits, were arrested when their vehicle was stopped by police in Las Vegas. Waits, the driver, was arrested for felony DUI charges for driving under the influence of marijuana. He was also charged with possession of marijuana. Hilton was charged ...

Former WWE wrestling champion Matt Hardy was arrested recently for a second DUI in North Carolina. His car was reportedly spotted by other motorists who were concerned that he was going to cause an accident. A responding law enforcement officer allegedly saw Hardy's car swerving into a curb and t...

If you are arrested for driving under the influence ( DUI ) in Cumming Georgia or the greater Forsyth County, GA area, you are facing some of the toughest DUI prosecuting attorneys and judges in the state of Georgia. In some jurisdictions in Georgia, prosecuting attorneys allow those accused with...

If you are a repeat driving under the influence offender or habitual violater, one of the terms of your probation may be the installation of an ignition interlock device.  Though it can vary, typically in situations when an ignition interlock is court ordered, it is ordered for a six month period...

Recently, a pilot working for a major airline was removed from his shift when others noticed an odor of alcohol on his breath.  He submitted to a breathalyzer and was found to be at the .05 blood alcohol level.  While it takes a .08 on a breath test to constitute an unlawful blood alcohol in Fors...

In Forsyth County Georgia, Cumming probation officers seek violations of their probationers all the time.  There are several reasons for this.  But first, let's talk about what probation means.  Probation is usually good news to people.  When someone is convicted of a crime, they face jail or pri...

More and more evidence comes up concerning the importance of sleep and how sleep deprivation can impact driving a vehicle.  Based on several studies taken from well-known publications, sleep deprivation is known to have the same dangerous effect as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol....

If a Forsyth County police officer suspects a driver of DUI, they will typically ask the driver to submit to field sobriety tests.  There are only 3 field sobriety tests that are validated and in which Forsyth County officers receive training.  These tests are the horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN) ...