Mount Holly DUI Lawyer: 2015 Memorial Day Weekend Was Deadly

Police establish more drunk driving checkpoints in New Jersey on a Memorial Day weekend than most other weekends because of increased holiday traffic, parades and the start of summer. The holiday is not an excuse for police officers to evade the law. Every charge must be reasonable and must comply with New Jersey requirements. If you were charged with a New Jersey DUI or DWI offense, Mount Holly DUI lawyer, Michele Finizio, will aggressively contest the charges.

Sadly, seven people were killed this past Memorial Day weekend in fatal car accidents. John Nash, the subject of the movie A Beautiful Mind, and his wife were two of the people fatally injured. At least one of those involved in these deadly crashes was charged with DWI. Moreover, in New York this past Memorial Day weekend a police officer saved a driver from driving into spectators on a parade route by blocking the suspected drunk driver with the officer’s own car.

New Jersey DUI Charges Are Serious

In New Jersey, a conviction for the first DUI offense can result in jail time. Convictions also mean fines, surcharges and suspension of a driver’s license. The penalties and length of jail time only increase for subsequent offenses. Drivers with a DUI or DWI conviction in New Jersey will face an increase in their insurance policy premiums because the New Jersey DMV keeps a record of all convictions.

Mount Holly criminal lawyer, Michele Finizio, Esq. knows the penalties and the exceptions regarding DUI charges in New Jersey. Young drivers under 21 are subject to more stringent BAC tests than older drivers. First-time convicted drivers must meet the requirements of the New Jersey Intoxicated Resource Centers. Second and third-time offenders must also install an ignition interlock device on their vehicle which tests the driver’s sobriety before driving. Drivers who refuse to take a breathalyzer or blood test may have that refusal used against them in court.

Defense Strategies for DUI Offenses in NJ

Mount Holly criminal lawyer, Michele Finizio knows that plea bargaining is not an option when facing DUI charges in New Jersey. New Jersey defendants need an aggressive criminal defense attorney who will fight the charges factually and procedurally, including working to show a driver did not meet the legal definition of DUI/DWI. For example, the Law Offices of Michele Finizio may argue that a driver’s BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) was below .08 or that the driver was not actually seen driving a vehicle.

New Jersey Police must comply with required protocols. Blood and breath tests can be challenged on the grounds that improper warrants were used or due to the fact that the machines were not properly calibrated. Moreover, doctors and nurses are required to draw the blood in a specific manner. Refusals to take tests are only admissible if the officer properly informed the defendant and the refusal was clearly negative. Field sobriety tests can also be challenged.

Drunk Driving Defendants Need a Skilled Criminal Lawyer in Mount Holly, NJ

If you were charged with a DUI/DWI this Memorial Day weekend or on any day of the year, you need an experienced DUI lawyer in Mount Holly fighting for you. A conviction can mean jail time, huge financial expenses and possibly the loss of a job because most New Jersey drivers need to use a car to get to work. Contact Mounty Holly criminal lawyer, Michele Finizio at 856-888-9059 for an appointment or fill out our online contact form. We represent clients in Burlington County, Camden County, Gloucester County, Mercer County, Cumberland County, Salem County and Atlantic County as well as in Mount Holly, Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Westmont and Moorestown.