Students Should Think Before You Drink

During the 2005-2006 academic year, college students across the nation spent $5.5 billion on alcohol alone - more than the total they spent on books, school supplies, and other drinks combined. Recent studies have shown that almost every problematic student behavior issue has at its roots the over consumption of alcohol. And if you are drinking and driving, you are exposing yourself to serious and far reaching consequences. The last thing you want is to be arrested, charged and convicted of DUI!

LETS FACE THE FACTS... DUI CONVICTIONS CAN RUIN CAREERS

Think a misdemeanor DUI arrest isn't serious? Think again! For students already employed and those seeking new jobs, being convicted for a DUI arrest can cause career chaos!

Florida has tough DUI laws. If pleading no contest or guilty to DUI charges, or when found guilty after trial, DUI defendants receive permanent blemishes on criminal records, even when no jail time is imposed. Unlike findings of guilt administered in many other types of criminal offenses, DUI convictions can never be sealed. That's why it is very important to consult with an experienced DUI defense attorney about legal strategies which may lead to the avoidance of criminal convictions.

WHY EMPLOYERS FEAR DUI CONVICTIONS

Students with career goals mistakenly underestimate the seriousness of DUI arrests. Fearing expensive jury awards, insurance companies often advise business clients to verify that job applicants and even current employees don't have DUI convictions.

More and more, employers are looking to see if job seekers have DUI convictions. DUI arrests and convictions can also have consequences when seeking acceptance into college or the military or admission into professions having licensing requirements.

When a prospective employer discovers that a job applicant has been convicted of DUI, that employer will often exclude the candidate from further consideration. Many employers terminate longtime workers for recent DUI convictions. A DUI conviction can jeopardize your current job and future career!


DID YOU KNOW THAT ARRESTS & EVIDENCE CAN BE CHALLENGED?

Police officers are only human and can make mistakes. If it appears that law enforcement officers have violated procedural rules, a criminal defense attorney will prepare legal motions asking a judge to "suppress" or exclude key portions of the prosecutor's case and even dismiss the whole case. When a judge determines that a police officer lacked legally sufficient reasons for pulling over your vehicle, that judge may dismiss the entire case. There are several other issues which can arise; Improper administration of a breath test can lead to artificially inflated alcohol readings. Police departments and prosecutors often don't notify judges, attorneys and defendants when breath tests were conducted improperly or when DUI breath test machines are defective. That's why a criminal defense attorney will carefully review events occurring during the arrest and investigate the operational records of DUI breath test machines. When a DUI defense attorney or criminal defense attorney discovers improper police conduct or the use of faulty DUI breath test equipment, that criminal defense attorney will file legal pleadings asking the judge to dismiss some or all portions of the criminal case. Because police-administered DUI urine tests can reveal findings which may be legally irrelevant and unfairly prejudicial, a criminal defense attorney will frequently convince the judge to stop these test results from being admitted into evidence at trial.

There are many factors that can lead a prosecutor to plea bargain and dismiss DUI offenses and substitute them with less serious charges, such as when a judge orders that certain evidence not be admissible at trial or when case complications arise. These complicating factors can include the lack of witnesses or a defense attorney's discovery that the client has a health condition which mimics the symptoms of alcohol intoxication or drug use.

When a judge agrees to the reduction of DUI charges and to "withhold adjudication" on the less serious charge of reckless driving, defendants are not convicted of criminal wrongdoing and may be eligible to seal their DUI arrest records. Additionally, when found not guilty after a trial or when their case has been dismissed for technical reasons, DUI defendants having no prior arrests can seek the expungement of their criminal records.

Although DUI cases should be taken very seriously, DUI cases are not always hopeless. There are several ways to beat a DUI case, or at least keep the adverse consequences to a minimum.

Richard G. Salzman, Esq. is an experienced Broward County attorney; licensed to practice in New York and New Jersey since 1986, and Florida since 1988.

Law Offices of Richard G. Salzman, P.A.
4340 Sheridan Street, Suite 102
Hollywood, Florida 33021
954-981-0336
Richard@salzmanattorney.com