Posts Tagged ‘dayton ovi lawyer’

« Older Entries

DUI Law: Is This Constitutional?

February 3rd, 2012
English: View of Capitol Hill from the U.S. Su...

Even if you are found not guilty at trial, the Automatic License Suspension issued at the beginning of your case will remain in effect.  Yes, even if a jury of your peers concludes that you were wrongly arrested for OVI and exonerates you in court, the harsh ALS penalty will remain in effect.  Guilt or innocence does not matter.  How can this be?

In State v. Lewis, 2010 Ohio 2872 the First District Court of Appeals found that Ohio DUI law calls for an automatic license suspension if a person refuses a chemical test and O.R.C. 4511.191(D)(1) specifically states that “[a]ny subsequent finding that the person is not guilty of the charge that resulted in the person being requested to take the chemical test or tests under division (A) of this section does not affect the suspension.”  The appellate court relied on the case of State v. Kurtz (Dec. 31, 1997), 2nd Dist. No. 97-CA-25.  In that case Kurtz had been stopped and refused to submit to a chemical test resulting in an ALS.  Kurtz eventually pled no-contest to a lesser charge, but the court continued to ALS citing the above statute.

I believe this to be a violation of the United States Constitution and I am looking for the perfect case to challenge this rule. In the United States, every person accused of a crime punishable by incarceration for more than six months has a constitutional right to a trial by jury, which arises in federal court from Article Three of the United States Constitution, which states in part, “The Trial of all Crimes…shall be by Jury; and such Trial shall be held in the State where the said Crimes shall have been committed.” The right was expanded with the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which states in part, “In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed.” Both provisions were made applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment.  In the cases Apprendi v. New Jersey, 530 U.S. 466 (2000), and Blakely v. Washington, 542 U.S. 296 (2004), the Supreme Court of the United States held that a criminal defendant has a right to a jury trial not only on the question of guilt or innocence, but any fact used to increase the defendant’s sentence beyond the maximum otherwise allowed by statutes or sentencing guidelines.

DUI attorney Charles M. Rowland II dedicates his practice to defending the accused drunk driver in Fairborn, Dayton, Springfield, Kettering, Vandalia, Xenia, Miamisburg, Springboro, Huber Heights, Oakwood, Beavercreek, Centerville and throughout Ohio.  He has the credentials and the experience to win your case and has made himself the Miami Valley’s choice for DUI defense.  Contact Charles Rowland by phone at 937-318-1DUI (937-318-1384), 937-879-9542, or toll-free at 1-888-ROWLAND (888-769-5263).  For after-hours help contact our 24/7 DUI HOTLINE at 937-776-2671.  For information about Dayton DUI sent directly to your mobile device, text DaytonDUI (one word) to 50500.  Follow DaytonDUI on Twitter @DaytonDUI or Get Twitter updates via SMS by texting DaytonDUI to 40404. DaytonDUI is also available on Facebook and on the DaytonDUI channel on YouTube.  You can also email Charles Rowland at: CharlesRowland@DaytonDUI.com or write to us at 2190 Gateway Dr., Fairborn, Ohio 45324. “All I do is DUI”

Related articles

No comments »

Posted in DUI & ALS Suspensions, DUI Case Law

Tags:

Ohio DUI Law: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel

February 2nd, 2012

Sometimes despite the best efforts of a skilled and competent DUI attorney, a client will be forced to endure an outcome they do not like.  When this happens there Is a natural and understandable desire to place blame.  We field many calls, mostly after a conviction, seeking an opinion about an attorney’s performance.  Some ask whether or not we would be willing to undertake an appeal.  To date, our answer has always been an emphatic “No!”

The purpose of this article is two-fold; the first is to re-emphasize the importance of selecting the best attorney for your case right at the outset.  Most problems can be resolved by talking to your attorney about your case and about your expectations.  The second purpose is to inform you of the legal standard your attorney is judged by and what burden you would carry in order to show that you had a “bad” lawyer.

The leading case on this issue is the United States Supreme Court decision in Strickland v. Washington (1984), 466 U.S. 668, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 80 L.Ed.2d 674.  The Ohio Supreme Court adopts and applies the Strickland decision in State v. Bradley, 42 Ohio St. 3d 136 and the Second District Court of Appeals (which covers most of the Miami Valley) applied the Strickland reasoning in State v. Sparks, 2011 Ohio 3868.  Speaking to the issue of ineffective assistance of counsel, the Court held,

“To reverse a conviction based on ineffective assistance of counsel, it must be demonstrated that trial counsel’s conduct fell below an objective standard of reasonableness and that his errors were serious enough to create a reasonable probability that, but for the errors, the result of the trial would have been different…Hindsight is not permitted to distort the assessment of what was reasonable in light of counsel’s perspective at the time, and a debatable decision concerning trial strategy cannot form the basis of a finding of ineffective assistance of counsel,” State v. Mitchell, Montgomery App. No. 21957, 2008 Ohio 493.

Therefore, to demonstrate that an attorney is ineffective, you must show:

  1. 
That the attorney’s actions fell below the standard that is reasonable, AND
  2. That, the actions of the attorney were so serious as to create a reasonable probability that the outcome of the trial would have been different.

The basis of an appeal for ineffective assistance counsel can not be based upon a reflection of an attorney’s strategy during trial as the higher court will not use hindsight to determine the appropriateness of the attorney’s strategy.  Even if the strategy was wrongheaded or stupid, even if you did not agree to the strategy and even if the strategy proved amazingly unsuccessful, if the strategy is reasonable, the court will not remand based upon that fact.

DUI attorney Charles M. Rowland II dedicates his practice to defending the accused drunk driver in Fairborn, Dayton, Springfield, Kettering, Vandalia, Xenia, Miamisburg, Springboro, Huber Heights, Oakwood, Beavercreek, Centerville and throughout Ohio.  He has the credentials and the experience to win your case and has made himself the Miami Valley’s choice for DUI defense.  Contact Charles Rowland by phone at 937-318-1DUI (937-318-1384), 937-879-9542, or toll-free at 1-888-ROWLAND (888-769-5263).  For after-hours help contact our 24/7 DUI HOTLINE at 937-776-2671.  For information about Dayton DUI sent directly to your mobile device, text DaytonDUI (one word) to 50500.  Follow DaytonDUI on Twitter @DaytonDUI or Get Twitter updates via SMS by texting DaytonDUI to 40404. DaytonDUI is also available on Facebook and on the DaytonDUI channel on YouTube.  You can also email Charles Rowland at: CharlesRowland@DaytonDUI.com or write to us at 2190 Gateway Dr., Fairborn, Ohio 45324. “All I do is DUI.”

Related articles

No comments »

Posted in DUI Case Law

Tags:

DUI Law: What Should I Say?

January 30th, 2012

If you are stopped by law enforcement on suspicion of drunk driving, the officer will ask “Have you had anything to drink tonight?”  Some officers ask a variant of this question by making it an accusation, “I smell alcohol, how much have you had to drink?”  We are often asked how best to answer this question.

The short, best and most protective answer is to reply that you are uncomfortable answering any questions without an attorney present.  You have a Fifth Amendment Right to remain silent.  The police cannot punish you for exercising this right. USE IT!  So often a perfectly defensible case will be destroyed by a client’s ridiculous attempts to talk his or her way out of a DUI situation.  Police officers are very willing to listen to what you have to say.  A common tactic used by some experienced officers is the “it’s all over now, I’ve arrested you, let’s be honest” approach. They are seeking to solicit information to bolster the arrest and use against you in court.   It has also become a common practice for police agencies to conduct an “INTERVIEW” after advising a client of his or her Miranda Rights.  These so-called interviews is designed to elicit incriminating statements that destroy in advance any potentially mitigating conditions the defendant may wish to assert.  Questions like, “what have you had to drink?” “where were you driving to?” “when did you have your last drink?” “Do you suffer from any medical conditions?” etc.  The police officer simply goes down the list checking off the elements of the offense of drunk driving that the defendant willingly admits to.  Some clients even admit to being “buzzed” or feeling “inebriated” while they were driving even though credible evidence to the contrary is later discovered.  Admitting to drinking “one or two beers” is acceptable as that amount will not be sufficient to cause intoxication and it may explain why the officer can detect an odor of alcohol.

DUI attorney Charles M. Rowland II dedicates his practice to defending the accused drunk driver in Fairborn, Dayton, Springfield, Kettering, Vandalia, Xenia, Miamisburg, Springboro, Huber Heights, Oakwood, Beavercreek, Centerville and throughout Ohio.  He has the credentials and the experience to win your case and has made himself the Miami Valley’s choice for DUI defense.  Contact Charles Rowland by phone at 937-318-1DUI (937-318-1384), 937-879-9542, or toll-free at 1-888-ROWLAND (888-769-5263).  For after-hours help contact our 24/7 DUI HOTLINE at 937-776-2671.  For information about Dayton DUI sent directly to your mobile device, text DaytonDUI (one word) to 50500.  Follow DaytonDUI on Twitter @DaytonDUI or Get Twitter updates via SMS by texting DaytonDUI to 40404. DaytonDUI is also available on Facebook and on the DaytonDUI channel on YouTube.  You can also email Charles Rowland at: CharlesRowland@DaytonDUI.com or write to us at 2190 Gateway Dr., Fairborn, Ohio 45324. “All I do is DUI.”

Related articles

2 comments »

Posted in Field Tests (SFSTs)

Tags:

MADD’s “In-Car Searches Will Be Ready in 8 to 10 Years”

January 25th, 2012

In 2006, MADD, the government, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and members of the automotive industry created a panel to encourage and support the development of new technology that would stop drivers from operating a vehicle if drunk.  The result was DADSS or Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety.  DADSS uses tissue spectrometry, a technology that employs an estimation of alcohol in tissue through detection of light absorption and distant spectrometry which uses part of the infrared light spectrum to detect alcohol concentration in the drivers’s breath.  In 2008, at MADD’s urging, the Automotive Coalition for Traffic Safety entered into a $10 million agreement with the federal government to develop such a technology. This system would  search every driver (not just convicted DUI offenders) every single time they started their car.  France will be the first country to require breathalyzers in all of its cars by 2012.  The new plan will force every driver to have a breathalyzer kit in their cars so they can check their alcohol level before driving. In it’s ”Invention Issue,” Time Magazine named DADSS one of the 50 best invention of 2011.  As stated in TIME, the devices are in testing now and will be embedded into a research vehicle by the end of 2013,” TIME continues. “If all goes as planned, they could be on the road in eight to 10 years.” “The goal over time is to equip all passenger vehicles in the U.S. with the technology, since without full implementation the benefits will be reduced,” said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in a statement.

Charles M. Rowland II dedicates his practice to defending the accused drunk driver in Fairborn, Dayton, Springfield, Kettering, Vandalia, Xenia, Miamisburg, Springboro, Huber Heights, Oakwood, Beavercreek, Centerville and throughout Ohio.  He has the credentials and the experience to win your case and has made himself the Miami Valley’s choice for DUI defense.  Contact Charles Rowland by phone at 937-318-1DUI (937-318-1384), 937-879-9542, or toll-free at 1-888-ROWLAND (888-769-5263).  For after-hours help contact our 24/7 DUI HOTLINE at 937-776-2671.  For information about Dayton DUI sent directly to your mobile device, text DaytonDUI (one word) to 50500.  Follow DaytonDUI on Twitter @DaytonDUI or Get Twitter updates via SMS by texting DaytonDUI to 40404. DaytonDUI is also available on Facebook and on the DaytonDUI channel on YouTube.  You can also email Charles Rowland at: CharlesRowland@DaytonDUI.com or write to us at 2190 Gateway Dr., Fairborn, Ohio 45324. “All I do is DUI”

No comments »

Posted in Blood & Urine Tests

Tags:

DUI Science: How To Read The Correlation Studies in the NHTSA Manual

January 23rd, 2012

Researchers at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have created a booklet for law enforcement called “Guide for Detecting Drunk Drivers at Night.”  This guide sets forth some of the most common and reliable indicators of drunk driving.  The list divides driving behaviors into four areas of clues that officers are trained to look for: Maintaining Lane Position, Speed and Braking, Vigilance, and Judgment.  The following is a list of symptoms in descending order of probability that the person observed is at or above a .10% BAC, thus statutorily driving while intoxicated.

  1. Turning with a wide radius
  2. Straddling center of lane marker
  3. “Appearing to be drunk”
  4. Almost striking object or vehicle
  5. Weaving
  6. Driving on other than designated highway
  7. Swerving
  8. Speed more than 10 mph below limit
  9. Stopping without cause in traffic lane
  10. Following too closely
  11. Drifting
  12. Tires on center or lane marker
  13. Braking erratically
  14. Driving into opposing or crossing traffic
  15. Signaling inconsistent with driving actions
  16. Slow response to traffic signals
  17. Stopping inappropriately (other than in lane)
  18. Turning abruptly or illegally
  19. Accelerating or decelerating rapidly
  20. Headlights off
What’s more, they have assigned a probability of intoxication to each of the indicators.  For example, a person who turns with a wide radius will have a blood-alcohol concentration of .10 or higher 65 out of 100 times.  A person who  appears drunk will have a blood-alcohol concentration of .10 or higher 60 times out of 100.  There is also a procedure for calculating multiple factors, “When two or more cues are seen, add 5% to the highest value among the cues observed.”  If we see turning with a wide radius and a suspect who appears drunk, we take the higher number and add 10 (65 + 5 = 70).   Thus, 30 people out of 100 who appear drunk and turn with a wide radius are not at or above the .10 BAC threshold.

Another example: drifting at night had a 45% correlation to a .10 BAC or more and braking erratically  has a correlation of  35% to a BAC of .10 or more.  Thus if we have a driver who was breaking erratically (35%) and drifting (45%) we add 5% to the highest clue to conclude that the driver would have a correlation of 50% to a BAC of .10 or more (only if he or she were driving at night, of course).  Let’s throw in another clue.  Say our suspect was also turning with a wide radius which is correlated to a 60% chance the driver is above a .10 BAC.  When three or more clues are present we add 10% to the highest clue total (in this case the 60% turning with a wide radius) for a total correlation of 70%.  The individual clues have numbers written beside them in the manual which gives the correlation for the clue alone and in combination.  For instance “Problem Maintaining Proper Lane Position” has a correlation of 50% when indicated alone and a 75% correlation when combined with any other clue.  You can visit the NHTSA website at http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/alcohol/dwidwihtml/index.htm for more on the studies and the driving clues or read How to Beat a DUI by James Nesci, pp. 13-15.

DUI attorney Charles M. Rowland II dedicates his practice to defending the accused drunk driver in Fairborn, Dayton, Springfield, Kettering, Vandalia, Xenia, Miamisburg, Springboro, Huber Heights, Oakwood, Beavercreek, Centerville and throughout Ohio.  He has the credentials and the experience to win your case and has made himself the Miami Valley’s choice for DUI defense.  Contact Charles Rowland by phone at 937-318-1DUI (937-318-1384), 937-879-9542, or toll-free at 1-888-ROWLAND (888-769-5263).  For after-hours help contact our 24/7 DUI HOTLINE at 937-776-2671.  For information about Dayton DUI sent directly to your mobile device, text DaytonDUI (one word) to 50500.  Follow DaytonDUI on Twitter @DaytonDUI or Get Twitter updates via SMS by texting DaytonDUI to 40404. DaytonDUI is also available on Facebook and on the DaytonDUI channel on YouTube.  You can also email Charles Rowland at: CharlesRowland@DaytonDUI.com or write to us at 2190 Gateway Dr., Fairborn, Ohio 45324. “All I do is DUI”

 

Related articles

No comments »

Posted in Field Tests (SFSTs)

Tags: