I’ve handled DUIs as an assistant prosecutor in Virginia and for the past 15 years as a defense attorney in New Jersey. I’ve appeared regularly in Municipal Court and I have successfully handled appeals to the Superior Court after a conviction in Municipal Court. DUIs are complicated, technical cases that require an attorney experienced in handling such cases all the way through to trial if warranted.
The good news for clients is that the statutory penalties in New Jersey were amended in December of 2019 to provide the option of an ignition interlock device in lieu of a complete license suspension in many first-time DUI matters. This can help my clients maintain their employment when in the past the loss of the ability to drive created an insurmountable obstacle resulting in unemployment for many. However, the ignition interlock device comes with an installation cost and a monthly fee.
The best way to avoid the severe impact of a DUI is to:
Take an Uber, Lyft, a taxicab, or use mass transit if available
Ask a sober friend to drive you home.
Spend the night where the activity or party is held.
Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel. The consequences are just not worth it.
Also be on notice that this is the time of year when law enforcement is out in full force to keep our roads safe as people celebrate the holidays. Beginning Friday, December 3, 2021 and continuing through Saturday, January 1, 2022, local, county, and state law enforcement officials will conduct sobriety checkpoints looking for motorists who may be driving while intoxicated. The national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” effort endeavors to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving through high-visibility enforcement and public education.
Don’t put yourself or others at risk. Don’t drive under the influence. Be safe!
Should you or someone you know need legal advocacy as a result of a DUI, please contact us at info@amrlawyers or by phone at 908-237-3098.