blood alcohol content test

Drunk Driving Defense

Washington DUI / DWI and Drunk Driving Defense, WA DUI Attorney Geoffrey Burg. Home Your Rights FAQs Credentials Testimonials Costs Criminal Defense Directions Free Consultation. Call today. 206.467.2607 Toll Free. 888.252.8856 DUI/DWI Defense. Articles | BAC Calculator | DOL | Forms | Glossary | Laws | Links | Penalties Law Offices of Geoffrey Burg, LLC Pacific Building 720 3rd Ave., Suite 2015 Seattle, WA 98104 Phone: 206.467.2607 Fax: 206.467.3152 Email: geoff@glblaw.com Free Confidential Case Evaluation: Name: Daytime Phone: E-mail Address: Description of Charges: "I want to thank you for your help with my case. You were able to turn a possible life altering situation into just a great learning experience. I appreciate the time you spent on my case. Your sense of urgency and dedication to your work is priceless. I now know first hand why you were recommended to me. Thanks again for everything. Take care ." - Tracy Stopped for DUI? We would like to help you fight your Washington State DUI charges. Please call us so that we may do that. It is what we do – day in and day out, every day, every year. We have been doing it, collectively, for almost two decades. We are passionate about our work and will be doing it for years to come. We have helped hundreds of people who are in a similar situation as yours fight their charges. We have had great results, with many people having their Washington DUI cases dismissed, reduced to a lesser charge, or found not guilty after a trial. Washington State DUI Legislative Update. Click Here for the Latest Changes in WA State DUI Law... We understand after an arrest for a Washington State DUI, many people have feelings of despair, hopelessness, and even anger. We are here to tell you that there is hope that your charge will be successfully resolved and even more importantly, that you will make it through this period. Now you know that we represent people accused of Washington State DUIs. Here is how we do it. 1. Free Initial Consultation : We meet with you in our office, for free and for as long as it takes. We like to do this DUI consultation in person (not over the phone) because this is the best way to hear about your case and give you legal advice. There is simply no substitute for a face to face meeting. At that meeting we: • review the facts of what happened the night you were stopped for your Washington State DUI or DWI; • identify potential issues that may make it difficult for the government to prosecute you on your Washington State DUI; • describe the Washington State DUI law, as well as, the Washington State DUI procedure that you will be facing over the next few months; • outline different options you may have in your Washington DUI case; and, • provide you with a "game plan" in the form of a list of things to do to help you resolve your Washington DUI charges in the best possible manner. 2. Our Job: If you decide that one of us is a good fit to work with you on your Washington DUI (it is your choice who you work with and promise not to hard sell you, we only want to work with people who want to work with us) then we will we begin representing you in your Washington State DUI charges. We represent people all over the state on DUI Charges, but most often in King, Pierce and Snohomish Counties. Representation includes: • Attending all court hearings with you, including your Department of Licensing Hearing; • Answering all your phone calls, emails and questions within 1 day (usually immediately); • Investigating your case; • Advising you of your options for your Washington DUI charges and giving you our opinion of what you should do; • Reviewing the DUI arrest report with you; • Aggressively fighting your case – this means negotiating with the prosecutor, filing legal motions, representing you in court; and doing whatever it takes to get you the best deal possible for your DUI charge. (Please note, if you want fist pounding, shouting and screaming lawyers, we are not for you – that is not our style. We have found that we get the best results by being ourselves - civilized, honest and hardworking, not by grandstanding). • Being there to “hold your hand” throughout the entire DUI process – beginning to end, in court, in the office, and over the phone. 3. Commitment: We strive to be a firm of integrity. Here are our goals: • Honesty • Direct and no-nonsense • Hard-working • Organized • Professional • Excellent at what we do • Provide top-notch customer service • Respected by judges, prosecutors and other lawyers. Based upon feedback from our clients, it appears that we are living up to these goals and are committed to doing so in the future. 4. Who We Are: We both feel fortunate that other people have recognized us for being good at what we do. Here is some information about our backgrounds and accomplishments: Geoffrey Burg • “Super Lawyer” recipient by peers in Washington Law & Politics Magazine . • Speaker and chair of seminars regarding DUI defense. • Writer of numerous articles . • In July 2002, I discovered a problem with the breath-testing machine - the "caretakers" ( Washington State Patrol Breath Test Technicians ) of the machine were not following all the rules for calibrating it. I successfully litigated this issue and was able to suppress thousands of breath tests around the state. As reported on the front page of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer , and other periodicals around this State, this meant that for my clients, as well as other people who fell under the time period when the instrument was not being properly calibrated, if the breath test showed a reading above a .08 BAC, then it would be kept out of evidence and no judge or jury would ever learn of the result if the DUI went to trial. • Legislative Liaison for the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. In this role I wrote, lobbied for and passed three laws that help people accused Washington State DUI. (Photo: Geoffrey Burg at the right, present for the signing of HB 1589.) • Graduate of Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyers College. Mr. Spence is one of the best known trial attorneys in the world and he chooses 48 people a year to come live with him on his ranch in Wyoming for 21 days to train as a trial lawyer. I was fortunate enough to have been chosen to attend this program and completed it in 2001. Photo: Geoffrey Burg with Governor Gregoire. • Member of the only two Washington State DUI organizations that you must be voted into – the Washington Foundation for Criminal Justice and the Northwest Academy of DUI Defense. Combined, these two organizations have under 25 members of people considered of the highest caliber of representing those accused of Washington State DUIs. Most importantly, I have had great success in helping people accused of DUI. My rate of having people found not guilty at trial is higher than the state average. In addition, I pride myself (and gauge how well I am doing) by the number of thank you notes I receive from my clients. I feel proud in saying that I regularly receive these. Patricia Fulton • I devote my practice to defending clients accused of crimes, especially DUIs. I am very proud of the reputation as a thoughtful and articulate advocate I have earned while defending people accused of DUI in Washington. • Named a “Rising Star” by Washington Law and Politics Magazine. • Member, and past President of the Northwest Academy of DUI Defense – a Washington State DUI Defense organization with exclusive, by invitation only, membership. • Speaker/Presenter at DUI related seminars. • Author of articles regarding DUI Defense. • Membership of numerous criminal defense and trial organizations, including the Washington Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. • Member of the King County Bar Association and member of the King County Bar Association’s Lawyer Referral Oversight Committee. • Admitted Washington State Bar and Federal District Court, Western Washington Division . Tammy LaLanne: As our paralegal, Tammy keeps us organized and on time. She is the person who greets you on the phone and helps with many of the details of your case. While we try and speak to you in person when you call, if we are in court, Tammy is the one that will make sure your questions are answered. • Graduated from Paralegal School • Working with attorney’s since 1989. We have designed this web site to try and answer every Washington DUI question that you may have. We did this because we know that knowledge is power and we wanted to give you back some of the power that you may feel you have lost from your arrest. We would like the opportunity to meet with you and discuss your Washington DUI related case. Please give us a call or email us so that we can begin to help you resolve your case. P.S. – this is the disclaimer that our insurance carriers probably want us to make: Disclaimer: The legal system is complicated and people often find it has as many twists and turns as a maze. This is certainly true with Washington State DUI work. It is for these reasons that the information contained in this site is not legal advice and does not substitute for speaking with us, or any other Washington State DUI attorney out there about the particulars of your Washington State DUI charge. Each Washington State DUI charge really is unique and really does require individualized attention through a face-to-face consultation. The pages in this web site contain a lot of information, but just reading it does not make one an experienced attorney. Washington DUI law is very complicated and heavily litigated and there is a lot more information out there than can be put on just one web site, or probably even learned in a lifetime for that matter. Please, only make decisions about your case based on the personal advice of a lawyer. GB & PF Call our office to schedule a free consultation: 206.467.2607 © 2005 Law Offices of Geoffrey Burg, LLC Home | Your Rights | FAQs | Credentials | Testimonials | Costs | Criminal Defense | Directions Law Offices of Geoffrey Burg, LLC Pacific Building 720 Third Avenue, Suite 2015 Seattle, WA 98104 Phone: 206.467.2607 Fax: 206.467.3152 Email: geoff@glblaw.com

BreathScan blood alcohol content test BreathScan Validation blood alcohol content test Buy BreathScanblood alcohol content test The proof is in the numbers. Overview Alcohol plays an important and integral part in almost every society in the world. While not all alcohol usage is problematic, it remains the most abused drug in history. In the United States, alcohol plays a part in half the automobile fatalities and nearly half of all industrial accidents. For employers, it accounts for two thirds of all substance abuse complaints and depletes a similar percentage from the health care benefit budgets of American companies. While the responsible, adult use of alcohol has its appropriate place in our society, an increasing number of public safety officials, corporate officers and small business managers are concerned about problems in the workplace and in public places, particularly when the substance abuser is in control of a vehicle or heavy equipment. As a result, there is a demand for more effective detection of alcohol impairment, where possible, or of blood alcohol content test (BAC) in individuals engaged in work or driving. Traditional testing has centered on the testing of blood alcohol content rather than impairment, since impairment is significantly difficult to prove without highly specialized and specific evaluation of the subject. Generally, professionals in the testing field have found it advantageous and practical to test blood alcohol content and to rely on set levels of content in lieu of proof of impairment. Generally, .10% or .08% blood alcohol content levels have been used by legislators and jurists as the benchmark for the regulation of behaviors related to, or negatively affected by, alcohol. Unfortunately, these testing modalities (such as Breathalyzer test) require highly specific and accurate instrumentation which is both expensive and immobile. As a result, blood alcohol content tests have presented problems for testing professionals in both the public or private sectors. The high cost of sensitive equipment that cannot be transported has meant that most private sector needs for a blood alcohol content test have gone unfilled until the introduction of disposable breath testing devices. Next Buy BreathScanblood alcohol content test Goto Alcohol Breathalyzer, Breath Test & Analyzer Kits @Home

DWI Attorneys Search by

Benton, Arkansas DUI/DWI Attorneys, Lawyers and Law Firms DUI/DWI Lawyers in Benton County, Arkansas View all DUI/DWI Lawyers in Arkansas Search for Premier DUI/DWI Attorneys Search by State: AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MH MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA PR RI SC SD TN TX VI UT VT VA WA WV WI WY -------- or --------- Search within: 25 Miles 50 Miles 125 Miles All From Zip Code: Additional Resources How a criminal lawyer can help DUI/DWI Law (Drunk Driving) FAQs State-by-state DMV Information State laws on Drunk Driving MADD Impaired Driving Facts Alcoholics Anonymous Drunk Driving State Statisics Home -> DUI/DWI -> Arkansas -> Benton County Lawyers View All Benton County Lawyers Listings for Benton County DUI/DWI Lawyers: Bella Vista, AR Morris & Reeves , Tara Mullen, 418 Town Center East Bentonville, AR Gross Law Firm , John Gross, 103C S. Main, Bentonville, Arkansas Rogers, AR Keith & Miller, P.A. , Sean T. Keith, Esq., 1106 West Poplar Are you a Lawyer? List on AttorneyPages | Find Expert Witnesses | Find Legal Information / Advice | Legal Forms | About Us | Media AttorneyPages® is not a lawyer referral service and never receives any portion of any attorney's fees.We welcome feedback from visitors but are not responsible for any attorney's advice. Use of AttorneyPages.com is subject to our disclaimer, conditions of use and privacy policy.Use for marketing or solicitation is prohibited. AttorneyPages® , ExpertPages® and FreeAdvice® are trademarks and units of Advice Company ® 1997 to 2006 - All Rights Reserved - For feedback or listing information only, contact us by phone, Fax or Email: 2330 Marinship Way Suite 120, Sausalito, CA 94965, P.O. Box 1739 Sausalito, CA 94966 (415) 331-1212 - Fax (415) 331-4255

Drunk driving defense work

MICHIGAN DRUNK DRIVING DEFENSE Find a DWI DUI Drunk Driving Lawyer in your state. Michigan Information on Substance Abuse and Driving When you drink alcohol or use other drugs and drive, you endanger your life as well as the lives of your passengers and other motorists. Each year, thousands of people are killed or permanently disabled because someone drove under the influence of alcohol or other chemical substances. Michigan takes a strong stand against drivers who abuse substances and drive. This section provides information about drinking and driving, penalties for breaking the law, and the states tough Repeat Offender laws. .08 and Other Changes: 2003 Changes to Michigan's Drunk Driving Laws Search for Michigan Drunk Driving Attorneys by county. Ann Arbor Bingham Farms Timothy Ash : Even a first time DUI / drunk driving arrest in Michigan can have devastating effects, resulting in the suspension or revocation of your license as well as substantial financial penalties, increased insurance rates and even jail time. Simply being arrested for drunk driving, however, does not mean you are guilty. Birmngham Marc Beginin : A first-time offender convicted of drunk driving faces: Up to 93 days in jail Up to a $500 fine Up to 360 hours of community service Up to 6 points on a drivers license Up to 180 days with a suspended license, with a restricted license possible after 30 days Convicted drunk drivers will also be subject to a new $1,000 penalty that is included in a recently approved driver responsibility program. The $1,000 penalty will be imposed for two consecutive years. Drivers may still be arrested and charged with impaired driving, however, the law no longer has a blood alcohol content associated with impaired. Those convicted of impaired driving face an additional $500 penalty assessed for two consecutive years. Bloomfield Hills Cedar Springs Patrick Strong : If you or someone you love has been charged with drunk driving (OWI / DUI / DWI), a qualified attorney can make the difference between jail time and freedom. A drunk driving conviction can have a devastating impact, including jail time, high fines, probation, loss of drivers license, high insurance rates, among other things. Center Line Salvatore Palombo: A judgment is a declaration by a trial court that shows whether a defendant has been convicted or acquitted of a criminal offense. The judgment must be in writing and must be signed by the trial court. The judgment is only evidence of the defendant's conviction. It is not the defendant's conviction. The defendant is convicted when the trial court pronounces the defendant's sentence. An appeal of the defendant's conviction cannot be filed until the judgment has been entered on the record. Clarkson Larence Kozma: If the government, whether State or Federal, is charging you with a crime, you need experienced, competent, and aggressive representation. You need anattorneythat understands criminal law from every approach. A criminal conviction can have severe and long-lasting consequences. If you are charged with a traffic offense, including drunk driving, you could be facing large fines, court costs, loss of your drivers license, forfeiture of your vehicle, court-ordered alcohol treatment, lengthy probation, future legal ramifications, and even jail time. If you are facing a serious misdemeanor or a felony, a conviction could result in long terms of incarceration in jail or prison, and loss of certain civil rights. You do not have to face the prosecution alone. Clinton Township Coldwater Rhonda Ives : Know your legal rights! Dearborn Detroit Farmington Hills-Dearborn Heights Flint Gran Blanc Charles Riley : If you are facing fines, jail time, or the loss or suspension of your driver's license, you need a criminal defense lawyer who is familiar with Michigans statutes regarding misdemeanor crimes related to traffic offenses, drunk driving and the possession of controlled substances such a marijuana. Grand Rapids Grandville SMIETANKA & BUCKLEITNER : ... tart with our Constitution and its Bill of Rights, and then travel the streets and fields of our magnificent and contradictory country, reading it and rereading it along the way. Grosse Pointe Park Tim Dinan : OUIL/DUL Offenses Michigan's drunk driving laws are some of the toughest in the nation now. Whether it is your first offense or a subsequent offense, the best way to protect your rights is by bringing in a lawyer with the training and knowledge to guide you through the system. Theodore Bratton: Drunk driving has become a serious criminal charge with draconian penalties. If you get arrested, immediately consult with and/or retain an attorney with expertise in this area of the law -- the sooner the better. Ted Bratton has extensive experience in, and keeps up to date with, the ever-changing science and law necessary to effectively represent people accused of this crime. Hartland Doug Dern: 25% of the drunk driving convictions are actually innocent. It seems that if you get arrested for drunk driving, you are guilty until proven innocent. Breathalyzer machines are wrong 50% of the time. I hope no one ever needs me. But if you do, and you want the State to prove their case my mission is to provide affordable legal defense. Drunk Driving is serious business. If you get a first offense misdemeanor drunk driving many times the punishment will be worse then a first time felon. You would not go to a corporate lawyer for a divorce. Don't go to a criminal lawyer or a family lawyer for a drunk driving. Drunk driving defense work is a special area of the law that requires more then a general knowledge. There are often things that go wrong in chemical testing. It could be you were at the bar and had only a couple of drinks and you honestly thought you were sober. As you drive home a cop stops you and arrests you. If you have food in your teeth, or a small cut in your mouth, or you are a smoker, or you burped before a breath test all these things will give the illusion that you are drunk, when in fact, you were sober. A lot of lawyers, who don't specialize in drunk driving, will have you plead guilty. And once you have a drunk driving on your record your insurance is raised, society frowns on you and quite frankly you are treated like a common criminal. Hastings McPhillips & McDowell : Don't Lose Your License Because of a Drunk Driving Arrest If you have been arrested in Michigan for a DWI/DUI your right to drive may be at stake. Additionally, a drunk driving arrest can lead to fines or even jail time. It is important to retain the services of a criminal law defense attorney as soon as possible. Hopkins Jackson Thomas Wilson: Michigan has tough drunk driving laws and penalties. Laws aimed at discouraging and punishing those who drink and then choose to operate a motor vehicle get stricter every year. Every person who operates a motor vehicle on a public road or highway impliedly consents to being tested for the presence of alcohol or drugs in their body. It is now also illegal to operate a watercraft or snowmobile after consuming alcohol or drugs. Jenison Timothy Trichler : Why is going to trial so expensive? The primary reason is it is very time consuming for the attorney to properly prepare. Preparation for trial costs much more than conducting the trial itself. Good trial preparation is difficult and tedious work. Television glorifies the actual trial. The truth is that most trials are won or lost on the quality of the preparation. Kalamazoo Tibble Law Office : An experienced attorney can help advise you of your rights if you have been charged with a crime. Keego Harbor Thomas McGinnis : In a criminal proceeding each side has the opportunity to present an opening statement to the judge or jury. The prosecution presents its opening statement first and then the defendant presents his or her opening statement. In some states, the trial judge permits the defendant to defer giving his opening statement until the close of the prosecution's case. If there are multiple defendants being tried in one case, each attorney may give an opening statement for each defendant. Lakeside William Stevens : Often evidence of your bodily alcohol level or alleged impairment is derived from an improper stop. Lansing Livonia Wade McCann : Protect your RIGHTS! You need an aggressive and experienced criminal defense lawyer. Brian Lonnerstarter: If you are facing a traffic violation charge, such as a speeding ticket, reckless driving charge, or a drunk driving (DUI / DWI) charge, you need an experienced attorney making sure your rights are protected. Chapp Law Firm : A conviction on DUI charges may result in fines, the revocation or suspension of your drivers license, and possible jail time. In addition, your insurance company may increase your rates to an unmanageable level. In defending against an impaired driving charge, you have many rights as a criminal defendant. Ludington Madison Heights Jack Jaffe : If youve been arrested and charged with a crime, you need immediate legal representation from an experienced and aggressive defense attorney committed to protecting your rights under the law. Conviction on drunk driving charges can result in fines, jail time, increased insurance rates, loss of insurance, and suspension or revocation of your drivers license. Midland Barbara Maurer : The first line of defense is to challenge the reason that you were stopped. There are bad stops! There are many things that you need to do before appearing in front of a judge. I know what these things are and I strongly urge you to move quickly and contact my firm if you have been arrested or cited for a traffic offense. If it is your first arrest, the goal is make sure that you can continue driving. For second offenses, the goal is often to keep you out of jail and able to continue providing for your family. Handlon, Eastman, Dewitt & Beale : Have you been charged with drunk driving? Accused of theft, assault, or other crime? You need a lawyer right away. ... You may exercise your right to remain silent until you are properly advised or consulted by an attorney. DeLois Leapheart : Ordinary law-abiding people who have never been a party to a criminal proceeding can suddenly find themselves thrown into the world of handcuffs, Breathalyzers and jail cells. Each year the drunk driving laws become stricter. In Michigan, in October of 1999, many significant changes will be made to its drunk driving laws. Drunk driving cases are usually processed in a relatively short time. In Michigan arraignments are held within 14 days, a pre-trial conference (in Midland County with the judge and prosecutor in attendance) within 35 days and if a trial is necessary, it is usually held within 77 days. The penalty for a drunk driving ticket will largely be determined by ones prior record. Mt. Clemens Derek Girdwood : Q: My friend was arrested and the police did not read him his Miranda rights. Can the arrest be dismissed? A: No. The police are not required to read an arrested person Miranda rights unless the police are also attempting to elicit a confession and even then, the matter would not necessarily be dismissed but your friend's confession prior to the reading of his Miranda rights would be suppressed and not permitted to be told at a trial. Mt. Pleasant James Veldhuis : The crime of drunk driving is generally defined in two ways: (1) having a blood alcohol content above the limit set by law, or (2) driving under the influence of alcohol. To find a person guilty under the first definition, a jury (or judge) must be convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the person's blood alcohol content (BAC) exceeded a certain amount. In most states the legal limit is .08 percent. Therefore, if it is proved that the person's BAC at the time of the incident was .08 percent or greater, he or she can be convicted of drunk driving, regardless of how much alcohol was actually consumed. As a practical matter, one drink would almost certainly not lead to a BAC of .08 percent or greater; generally, a person needs to have five drinks in an hour to develop a BAC of .08 percent. However, if there was something unique about the person or the drink, or other circumstance, one drink could raise the BAC above the legal limit. In contrast, the second definition does not refer to any particular BAC. It focuses on the driving behavior of the person; if it is impaired by the person's consumption of alcohol, he or she can be found guilty of drunk driving. Instead of presenting evidence of the BAC to a jury, the prosecution seeking a conviction under this definition generally presents testimony about the person's driving and consumption of alcohol. A police officer will often describe the impaired driving that lead him to pull the person over and the person's ability (or lack thereof) to perform field sobriety tests, such as walking a straight line. Evidence is also usually presented concerning the person's consumption of alcohol and if the jury then concludes that the prosecution has met its burden of proof, it will convict the person of drunk driving. A susceptible person may exhibit impaired driving after one drink and therefore be convicted of drunk driving. Muskegan Novi Matt Savich : Many lawyers charge huge retainer fees to defend clients. I charge only for the amount of legal work that is involved. If yours is a simple case that results in a plea agreement, I will only charge you for a plea agreement. If your case results in a week-long trial, I will only charge you for the time that is involved in trying your case. Plymouth Michael Gerou: Drunk driving is a criminal offense that an otherwise law-abiding citizen may face if they exercise poor judgment and elect to drive a motor vehicle after consuming too much alcohol. Point Huron June Sullenger : When facing criminal charges, it is important to have an experienced law firm on your side. Leslie Clark: Most states break their crimes into two major groups-felonies and misdemeanors. Whether a crime falls into one category or the other depends on the potential punishment. If a law provides for imprisonment for longer than a year, it is usually considered a felony. If the potential punishment is for a year or less, then the crime is considered a misdemeanor. In some states, certain crimes, called "wobblers," may be considered either a misdemeanor or a felony, because under some conditions the punishment may be imprisonment for less than a year, and in other situations, the criminal may go to prison for a year or more. Pontiac Toca & Associates : An indictment or an information must be valid in order to charge a defendant with a crime. If the indictment or the information is insufficient, that is, if it fails to contain certain requirements, the defendant may challenge the indictment or the information by filing a motion to dismiss or a motion to quash prior to trial. Port Huron James Pratt : The sooner you have an attorney on your side, the sooner you may be able to resolve these difficult situations. Royal Oak Shelby Township Jeffrey Cojocar : In Michigan when you are charged with drunk driving the official charge is OWI (Operating While Intoxicated). You can be charged with OWI when operating a motor vehicle or a boat. The consequences of an OWI conviction are serious and grow more serious with successive violations. If you are arrested for OWI, you should contact an attorney immediately. St. Clair Shores George Birch: A person accused of a drinking or drug related driving offense should retain counsel as soon as possible. They should not wait until the day before their hearing to think about hiring an attorney. Early enrollment in alcohol or substance abuse therapy will many times help a convicted offender at the time of sentence. St. Joseph John Burhans : In recent years, the State of Michigan has taken a tougher approach to individuals who are accused of driving in an intoxicated state. Penalties may include community service, jail time, and or a restriction on one's driving privileges. Southfield Sterling Heights Janet M. Ziulkowski : Robinette & Walton : Enhanced Penalty BAC Level and Zero Tolerance Laws Many states have "enhanced penalty BAC level" laws that impose harsher penalties for drivers with BAC levels at or above the state's enhanced penalty standards. These laws typically apply to drivers with a particularly high BAC, ranging from .15% to .20%. In addition, all states have "zero tolerance" laws that penalize drivers under age 21 for driving with any trace of alcohol in their systems. Thomas Tomko: In Michigan there are a great number of specific offenses which can be charged when a person is arrested for Drunk Driving. Trenton Troy Walled Lake Reeds & Reeds : Drunk Driving cases involve some of the most complex issues of any criminal case. Scientific evidence, such as Breathalyzer and blood test results. Dealing with these results at trial requires a detailed knowledge how these processes work. Warren Erich Goetz : The state of Michigan aggressively prosecutes people charged with drunk driving, operating while intoxicated (OWI). It is essential to aggressively defend against an OWI charge. If you are charged with OWI or OWVI (operating while visibly impaired), whether because you failed a breathalyzer or refused to take it, you will have a civil driver's license revocation proceeding and a criminal case happening simultaneously. An OWI conviction can result in large fines and court costs, court-ordered alcohol treatment, lengthy probation, loss of your driver's license, and even jail time. Michael Komorn : The following in an abbreviated list of the most important questions an attorney specializing in drunk driving should ask you before taking your case. 1. How long did the police officer wait before having you submit to a preliminary breath test? 2. How did you perform on the field sobriety test at the scene? 3. How long after the arrest was the breath or blood test given? Washington Sidney Suo : The adage that "a lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client" is the product of years of experience. Often it is easier and far less expensive for the client to employ an attorney to prevent a problem than the cost of having an attorney resolve the problem. Since most attorneys offer an initial consultation for nominal charge, often without charge, before deciding if you should employ an attorney, call and ask what the possible attorney fee may be to assist you. If you know the law as well as the opposition and believe you are able to negotiate without the burden of emotion, perhaps you can handle the matter without an attorney. If, as most people, you have not been involved in an accident, purchased a home, involved in a failing marriage or required to go to court, you probably will be opposed by a person who knows far more than you. Waterford Todd Fox : Being arrested and charged with a crime is a frightening experience. RETURN TO DRUNK DRIVING DEFENSE

blood alcohol level at

CNN - Report: Driver's alcohol level even higher than reported - September 1, 1997 The Investigation: Sources: Tests showDiana's driver suffered 'moderate, chronic alcoholism' The Funeral: A Final Farewell Multimedia: The Funeral Procession Video: The Procession Mourning Princess Diana: A Photo Gallery Video: Elton John's Musical Tribute Video: Earl Spencer's Tribute Princess Diana: Related stories and sites British coverage: ITN coverage Report: Driver's alcohol level even higher than reported September 2, 1997 Web posted at: 11:35 p.m. EDT (0335 GMT) Latest developments: Did driver taunt paparazzi? Prosecutors: Speedometer on zero, not 196 kph Contradictory portrait emerging of driver Experts: Seat belts may have saved Diana, Fayed Related stories and sites PARIS (CNN) -- More disturbing news emerged Tuesday about the driver of the car in which Princess Diana was killed: His blood alcohol level at the time of the wreck may have been even higher than originally believed. Who's to blame? CNN's Brent Sadler reports 2 min., 30 sec. VXtreme streaming video Also, press reports suggested that the driver, Henri Paul, had taunted photographers who chased the Mercedes S280 before it crashed Sunday in a Paris tunnel near the Seine River. The French newspaper Le Monde said Tuesday that Paul, who was killed in the crash along with Diana's boyfriend Dodi Fayed, may have been more intoxicated than judicial sources said Monday. The newspaper said a second police toxicology analysis registered a level of 1.87 grams of alcohol-per-liter of blood -- higher than the initial 1.75 figure. If confirmed, that would give the driver a blood-alcohol level nearly four times than 0.5 grams-per-liter legal limit in France. Even the lower figure of 1.75 grams -- the equivalent of quickly drinking nine shots of whiskey -- would mean that Paul had a blood alcohol content of at least 0.175 percent. Most U.S. states consider a driver to be legally drunk when a blood alcohol content of 0.10 percent is reached. Did driver taunt paparazzi? The Times of London on Tuesday cited unconfirmed reports that the driver had taunted the paparazzi by saying, "Catch me if you can," before speeding away from the hotel with Diana, Fayed and a bodyguard. Several newspapers similarly quoted an unnamed photographer as hearing Paul boasting to waiting paparazzi: "You won't catch me." However, a spokesman for Fayed's father and Paul's employer, Mohammed Al Fayed, said the driver did not appear drunk to hotel employees and did not taunt photographers as the couple left the Paris Ritz hotel, which the elder Al Fayed owns. Spokesman Michael Cole said that after the crash, Al Fayed dispatched his security director -- a former Scotland Yard detective chief superintendent -- to Paris. Cole said Paul did not appear drunk to hotel employees, that he did not taunt photographers, and that the speedometer on the doomed Mercedes S280 was not stuck on a high rate of speed following the fatal crash. Cole said Al Fayed's investigators found "the allegation that Paul taunted the press as he drove away from the front of the hotel is untrue. He left from the rear exit and at a time when, according to film evidence, no paparazzi were in the immediate vicinity." Prosecutors: Speedometer on zero, not 196 kph Prosecutors on Tuesday also said the speedometer in the Mercedes was stuck on zero, not 196 kph (121 mph) as a police sourcehad previously said. Paul had driven Diana and Dodi Fayed into Paris earlier in the day after arriving in the city by plane, according to a statement by London's Harrods luxury store, which the elder Al Fayed also owns. Paul was on duty at the hotel until about 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Cole said. He left the hotel after it appeared that Diana and Dodi Fayed had left the hotel for the evening. Paul returned to the hotel at about 10:10 p.m. after he was told the couple had unexpectedly decided to return to dine at the hotel, Cole said. "He was observed driving his own car to the hotel, parking it in the normal way and walking normally into the hotel," the Al Fayed spokesman said. "In the hotel he spoke to a number of members of staff, none of whom detected any smell of drink or any other signs to suggest he had been drinking," the Al Fayed spokesman said. Contradictory portrait emerging of driver But colleagues interviewed in the French press painted contradictory pictures of the No. 2 security man at the Ritz; some describing him as a teetotaler and others as a drunk. Some friends and colleagues expressed surprise that the 41-year-old former air force officer was involved in the crash. "He was a very friendly guy, very serious," one longtime friend, Air France pilot Jean-Louis Le Baraillec, told the Ouest France daily. "One cannot say he was a drunk," a Ritz colleague told the daily Le Parisien. In the daily Liberation, one Ritz employee, speaking anonymously, said Paul had given up drinking last year and had been seen drinking only orange juice at a reception at the hotel last week. But another said he came to work one day last week completely intoxicated. The statement by Harrods praised Paul as a "conscientious and responsible member of staff" and stressed that he had twice attended special driving classes for limousine chauffeurs at a Mercedes-Benz training track in Germany. The popular daily France-Soir quoted an anonymous Ritz official as describing Paul as "calm and very competent." "He mastered the technique of high-speed driving," he said. Sunday morning, "he must have been surprised by the car's power and could not control the speed." Lawyer to seek another blood test A lawyer for Paul's family, Jean-Pierre Brizay, said he will insist on another blood test to try to disprove allegations of drunkenness. Brizay insisted Paul was "a professional of the highest level" who worked for the Ritz for 13 years. "You can't bring him back to life, but you can defend his memory," Brizay said. Asked about the level of alcohol investigators say they found in Paul's bloodstream, he said: "I reserve my judgment. I want to see how it was checked." The driver's body now lies in a French morgue, and he will be buried in his native Brittany this weekend. Civil suits brought, another possible Both Paul's family and Al Fayed have brought civil suits in the case against photographers being investigated by police and a French magistrate, according to Brizay and a lawyer for Al Fayed. On Tuesday, Al Fayed lawyer George Kiejman said the billionaire businessman was joining the case against the photographers to prove that there was a cause and effect "between the pursuit (by paparazzi) and the accident." A French judge on Tuesday named six photographers and a motorcyclist as manslaughter suspects in the fatal crash. Meanwhile, Al Fayed's business empire could face a lawsuit by Princess Diana's grieving relatives. A French legal expert, Henri Adler, said that under French law, Diana's family may be able to claim damages from the Ritz. "If (the driver) committed a crime, which seems to be the case ... the victims may sue his employer in front of a civil court to ask for reparation, damages, etc.," said Adler, the former president of the Paris bar association. Whether a degree of criminal responsibility is eventually proved or not, a deadly mixture of circumstances seems to have led to Princess Diana's death -- car speed, alcohol and photographers in hot pursuit. 'Everybody blaming everybody else' "One of the difficulties of the moment is now everybody is blaming everybody else," said Anne Applebaum of the Sunday Telegraph in London. "The tabloid press is now blaming the Al Fayed family for allowing drunken security guard to drive the car that had the Princess of Wales in it," Applebaum said. "Quite a lot of people are still blaming the tabloid press for buying photographs from photographers that will chase a car. Other people are blaming the public for buying those tabloid newspapers." In some quarters in England, public opinion blames the Al Fayed organization. "It's an appalling lack of security on the part of the people that were supposed to be in charge of the security, and it's a tragic shame," said one Londoner. "What a way to end a life." Experts: Seat belts may have saved Diana, Fayed Meanwhile, British automotive safety experts said Diana and Fayed might have survived the crash had they been wearing seat belts. French police refuse to say whether they were wearing seat belts, but media reports say they were not. The lone survivor was bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones, who was sitting in the front passenger seat and was wearing a seat belt and had the benefit of an air bag. Rees-Jones is conscious and out of danger, but his face was badly damaged in the crash and it will be weeks before he can speak to investigators, a lawyer for the Al Fayed family said. "We know that the impact speed with the post was survivablebecause the bodyguard survived," said British road safety expert Richard Cuerden, the head of the University of Birmingham's Accident Research Center. "We expect that people in the rear have as good a chance, if not better, of making it," he told Reuters. "It is hypothetical, but if Princess Diana were wearing a belt, she may not have sustained life-threatening injuries." Paris Bureau Chief Jim Bittermann, Correspondents Brent Sadler and Walter Rodgers, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report. Related Stories and Sites Princess Diana Dead - Message board Sound off on our message boards You said it... © 1997 Cable News Network, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you.