Union County DWI Defense

October 12, 2011

Union County, NJ, Police Blotter Reports Numerous Drunken Driving and Marijuana Arrests

With nearly nine million residents, the Garden State has the greatest population density of all 50 states, which might explain the constant stream of drunk driving arrests all across the state. As New Jersey DWI defense attorneys, I and my staff of experienced litigators understands how easily a motorist can become entangled in the state’s legal system following a seemingly simple traffic stop.

The fact of the matter is, nobody expects to be pulled over by a state police trooper or a local municipal patrolman, however police stops for minor traffic violations can many times precipitate into an arrest for driving while intoxicated. Anyone who has ever gone to an acquaintance’s home for a birthday celebration or gone out with friends to enjoy a pleasant evening eating good food and having some wine or after-dinner drinks will likely recall the concern of being stopped for a DWI.

Even if a person isn’t a drinker, the use of doctor-prescribed medication can have an unexpected affect on a driver’s ability to operate a motor vehicle, which may not have been immediately obvious. Just the same, however, once a police officer has stopped a driver for a traffic infraction, the opportunity for a DWI or DUI is always there.

As the following items from the Cranford, NJ, police blotter illustrate, being stopped for driving under the influence of alcohol or drug DUI is neither uncommon nor exceptional. In fact, these reports are typical of the drunk driving cases that come through New Jersey courtrooms on a weekly basis.
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September 6, 2011

Garden State Counties Join in New Jersey Law Enforcement Drunk Driving Crackdown

by Jonathan F. Marshall

For many New Jersey residents, rather than enjoy this past Labor Day weekend they likely spent most of their time cleaning up from the effects of tropical storm Irene. Still, in areas less affected, surely some Garden State drivers saw some increased drunken driving enforcement activities by state and local police. As part of the national “Over the Limit, Under Arrest” campaign, it’s a fair bet that dozens of motorists had encounters with law enforcement officers during what has become an annual anti-DWI effort.

Of course, it’s hardly a good idea to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of beer, wine or hard liquor, as well as illicit drugs such as marijuana and cocaine. But during the last two weeks, drivers who did take their chances by drinking and driving may have met with a DWI or drug DUI arrest or summons to appear in court.

This effort took place in nearly every county across New Jersey, including Bergen, Hudson, Union, Monmouth and Ocean, just to name a few. As a drunken driving defense lawyer and former municipal prosecutor myself, I understand how some individuals can be pickup up for driving while intoxicated, though perhaps be unaware that they were legally impaired at the time of their arrest.

Whether stopped by a rolling DWI patrol for an apparent minor traffic offense, or being waved into a sobriety checkpoint (also known as a DWI roadblock for observation by a police officer looking for drunken drivers, the resulting charges of drunken driving or impairment due to prescription medication or an illegal drug (also known as a controlled dangerous substance or CDS) can be costly in terms of fines and penalties, as well as the impact on an individual’s personal and business relationships or standing in the community.
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June 16, 2011

NJ State Police Institute Tighter Standards Regarding Troopers Arrested for DWI

by Jonathan F. Marshall

In the wake of controversy revolving around State Police Trooper Sheila McKaig’s alleged drinking and driving incidents over the years, the New Jersey State Police have implemented new standards aimed at curbing potential abuses of power that some have said police officers occasionally commit when they are stopped for offenses such as DWI.

In McKaig’s case, numerous news reports indicate that she was never ticketed even though the officer was stopped multiple times for driving while intoxicated over the course of three months back in 2008. In this particular situation, the judge in the case did not recommend firing the trooper outright on the grounds that that McKaig did seek counseling and has been considered a model for other police officers.

Back to the NJ State Police and its newly instituted policies for officers caught driving under the influence according to reports, the agency has reportedly launched a review of the use by troopers of so-called “undercover identification cards.” Along with this, orders from up the chain of command within the State Police reportedly increase the accountability on the part of higher-ranked officers and requires more careful review of traffic stops (including car accidents) that may have been related to alcohol consumption.

As a New Jersey drunken driving defense lawyer, I and my staff, understand that the police have a tough job of maintaining the peace and bringing alleged perpetrators to justice. However, when the rules cease to apply to the vary people entrusted with the public’s safety this is when our tolerance as individuals and a society begins to be tested.

According to news reports, policy changes at the State Police will place responsibility squarely on the shoulders of regional commanders when a trooper is suspected of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol. In fact, based on information provided by local news sources, higher-ranking officers may even be required to respond themselves to the scene of a possibly alcohol-related traffic incident involving another law enforcement officer.
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May 15, 2011

Union County DWI News: New Jersey DWI and Drug DUI Police Blotter

by Jonathan F. Marshall

As New Jersey DWI defense attorneys, we find reports of drunk driving arrests in the media nearly every day of the week. Whether you live in Bergen County, Hudson County or Mercer County, the odds of a driver being pulled over and charged with driving while intoxicated increases with enhanced drunken driving enforcement patrols.

While many DWI arrests take place as a result of a seemingly minor traffic offense, many other motorists are picked up for drinking and driving as a result of sobriety checkpoints. Still others are arrested for being intoxicated while sitting in a parked vehicle. The following news items from Union County are just a couple of the typical arrest reports that transpire every week in the Garden State.

Kenilworth

April 28, 2011

Monmouth County DWI Defense: Things to Consider Following a Drunk Driving Arrest in New Jersey

by Jonathan F. Marshall

Whether you live or work in Ocean, Sussex, Bergen or Union County, it’s likely that nobody expects to be pulled over by police and arrested on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol. Here in Monmouth County, as in the rest of the Garden State, I and my staff of experienced DWI defense attorneys fully understand the anxiety and trepidation that follows a drunken driving or drug DUI police stop.

For first-time drunk driving arrestees, and even those picked up for driving under the influence of prescription medication or illicit drugs such as marijuana, the experience can be a shock. But more than that, not taking action and leaving one’s fate in the hands of the court is something that no one should allow to happen, if they can help it.

Of course, second and third-time offenders have a different set of circumstances to deal with, but in general, we always recommend that motorists consult with a qualified DWI lawyer. The reason is simple: being cited for impaired driving — whether allegedly due consumption of beer, wine or hard liquor; prescription pain medication or a controlled dangerous substance (CDS) — is nothing to be taken lightly.

Careers, marriages, and reputations have been ruined by drunken driving and DUI convictions. Of course, being arrested for driving while intoxicated can happen night or day. It usually, but not always, happens with a seemingly routine police stop for a supposedly minor traffic infraction — something as insignificant as a faulty taillamp. Other times it can come at the location of a drunk driving roadblock (also known as a sobriety checkpoint).

Regardless of the circumstances, once charged with a DWI one should as a matter of course contact a DWI-DUI defense attorney. My office has handled enough DWI cases and spoken with so many people charged with DWI or DUI that we know it’s not a wise idea to represent yourself in front of the court. Not only can the process of fighting a DWI arrest be confusing to the first-time defendant, there is no way that a layperson can come fully prepared to face the court – at least, not like one can with a qualified DWI defense lawyer at one’s side.
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April 12, 2011

NJ Drunken Driving Arrest? Here’s Why You Might Need a New Jersey DWI Defense Lawyer

by Jonathan F. Marshall

Have you or a family member been arrested for drunk driving here in Monmouth County, or anywhere else in the Garden State? Whether you live in Union, Atlantic or Morris County, you may be asking yourself, “Why should I even consider hiring a drunk driving defense attorney? And, is it really worth it now that I’ve been charged with DWI?”

Maybe you were stopped for a minor traffic infraction and the officer ended up arresting you for driving while intoxicated. Perhaps you received a summons at a local drunk driving roadblock after having performed a number of field sobriety tests. Or maybe you got a ticket for being intoxicated while sitting in your parked car.

Whatever the situation, you should ask yourself some important questions. For instance, were you actually drunk? Maybe yes, maybe no. Was being charged with drunken driving actually warranted under the circumstances? Perhaps yes, or then again, maybe not. As with most other aspects of the law, not all drunken driving cases are completely open and shut.

As New Jersey DWI defense attorneys, I and my colleagues have counseled numerous clients who felt that they were unjustly accused. Although some may have broken the law, these individuals also understood the consequences and potential penalties associated with a DWI conviction. Wanting to improve the outcome of one’s DWI case is not so unusual.

We don’t worry so much about the people who seek us out, but we do share a concern for those motorists who choose not to speak with a qualified drunken driving defense lawyer. Some individuals believe that they deserved to be pulled over, or because the police have “positive” proof — via a breathalyzer or Alcotest machine — that it would be senseless to try and fight the charges. But this kind of thinking is just wrong. Everyone who is accused of breaking the law deserves to have their case heard in a court of law.

One of the main things that causes individuals to believe the state has solid evidence against them is embodied in the blood-alcohol content (BAC) breath or blood test results. But even with this kind of evidence in the hands of a prosecuting attorney, you need to be aware that “blowing” more than 0.08 percent BAC does not automatically mean you will be convicted for DWI. Never assume that because the breathalyzer registered a high BAC that you’re out of luck.
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February 9, 2011

Drunken Driving News: Garden State Police Log DWI-DUI Arrests in Orange and Union County

by Jonathan F. Marshall

Union County DWI Traffic Stop

A traffic accident involving two vehicles early on a Sunday morning precipitated a DWI arrest for one individual not long ago. According to news reports, the car crash occurred just before 2am in Fanwood at the intersection of South Ave. and Terrill Rd. According to police, officers at the scene interviewed both drivers and were able to determine that one of the cars rear-ended the other as it sat at a red light.

During one of the interviews, patrolmen reportedly detected the odor of alcohol emanating from a 20-year-old man from Scotch Plains, NJ. Allegedly smelling the strong scent of alcohol on the suspect’s breath, officers requested the man to perform a field sobriety test. Failing that test, police placed the man under arrest and took him to the local police headquarters where he was processed and issued a summons for careless driving and DWI. The driver was subsequently released to a responsible party pending a court date.

December 28, 2010

Union County, NJ, Drunk Driving News: DWI and Drug DUI Police Blotter

by Jonathan F. Marshall

Arrests for drunken driving, breath test refusal and controlled/dangerous substance (CDS) DUIs in Union County, New Jersey, illustrate how common law enforcement agencies pull over and charge motorists with these offenses, here and throughout the Garden State. As New Jersey drunk driving defense attorneys, I and my colleagues make an effort to help individuals accused of these charges on a regular basis.

Driving while intoxicated either by beer, wine, hard liquor or prescription drugs (drug DUI) is a serious offense in New Jersey and looked down upon by state and local authorities. Regardless of the circumstances, every person accused of or charged with a DWI offense is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Having worked in prior years as a municipal prosecutor, I understand the procedures and techniques employed by law enforcement and the judiciary to achieve a drunk driving conviction.

The following news items from Westfield, NJ, illustrate the various types of DWI and DUI arrests that occur on a weekly basis here in Union, Middlesex, Bergen and other counties throughout the state.

December 26, 2010

Multiple Convictions for Drunk Driving Can Make a New Jersey Driver’s Life More Difficult

by Jonathan F. Marshall

As Bergen, Ocean and Monmouth County attorneys who represent motorists accused of driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or prescription drugs, we can heartily say that there are potentially harsh consequences for individuals convicted of multiple times for drunken driving or operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of prescription medicine or even illegal substances, such as marijuana and cocaine.

There is a strong argument for mounting a compelling defense for first-time DWI and DUI charges, if only because subsequent arrests and convictions present an even more costly and potentially life-altering consequences. Even so, second- and third-time offenders may still ask themselves the question, “Why do I need a drunk driving lawyer?”

When it comes to multiple convictions for driving while intoxicated, the impact on one’s lifestyle and relationships may be greatly affected. It’s no secret that second, third and subsequent DWI convictions can result in far more serious consequences than that of one’s first-time offense.

December 12, 2010

Intoxicated Drivers Warned about New Jersey’s Plans for Holiday DWI Crackdown

by Jonathan F. Marshall

In-state and out-of-state drunken drivers take note, the State of New Jersey will have an increased police presence on public roads throughout the Garden State as the holidays approach. According to news articles, local and state law enforcement departments in Bergen, Passaic and Ocean County, as well as the rest of the state, will be on the lookout for drivers operating their vehicles while intoxicated.

As New Jersey drunk driving defense attorneys, I and my legal staff represent individuals accused of DWI, prescription drug DUI and breath test refusal on a daily basis. We even council drivers charged with cocaine, and other controlled dangerous substance (CDS) possession. This latest enforcement program, aptly named “Over the Limit, Under Arrest,” will bring additional officers to bear on the motoring public during the upcoming holidays.

Aiming to reduce the amount of drunk drivers on the road, the campaign calls for saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints (also known as DWI roadblocks) from December 13 through January 2, 2011, according to officials at New Jersey’s Division of Highway Traffic Safety. The program reportedly will provide federal grant money of up to $5,000 to each of 115 police departments.