A Massachusetts conviction for operating under the influence comes at a cost. Even as a first-time OUI offender, you may face as much as a $5,000 fine. There are also other expenses relating to the event, such as bail costs, car impound fees and license reinstatement...
When you need rehab and not jail: Managing your defense with addiction in mind
It’s proven that many alcoholics and drug addicts will only seek detox and rehab when they bottom out and face severe criminal consequences for their addictions. It makes perfect sense. Why would you quit drinking or drugging if all is well in your life? You wouldn’t,...
Is an OUI checkpoint legal in Massachusetts?
While driving home from a night out, you encounter an OUI checkpoint. You feel nervous about getting a charge of operating under the influence, especially since you had a few drinks earlier. Before encountering this situation, review the facts about OUI...
How does the IID program or Melanie’s Law work?
Those who have lost loved ones to drunk driving accidents have done an incredible job of lobbying for more laws about drunk driving and also increasing public awareness about the dangers of getting behind the wheel after having a few drinks. In 2005, Massachusetts...
Marijuana and drugged driving: How an officer knows you are high
Massachusetts is one of several states that have made marijuana use legal for all adults 21 years of age and older. However, there are some restrictions on when and where the drug can be used. In particular, it’s still illegal to drive when you’re high -- and doing so...
Do you have to stop at or drive through a sobriety checkpoint?
You're headed home from a dinner date or maybe a business meeting. You had a beer or cocktail, but you feel like you are okay to drive. However, your confidence quickly evaporates as you look ahead and realize that you will soon have to pass through a sobriety...
As an underage driver, the BAC limit is not 0.08%
One of the most common things that people know about driving laws or operating under the influence (OUI) charges is that the legal blood alcohol concentration limit for a driver is 0.08%. This means that most adults can have a drink or perhaps two without exceeding...
Which tests are most likely at an OUI traffic stop? How can you defend yourself?
An OUI traffic stop is a stop made in Massachusetts because an officer believes that you are driving while impaired or that you have violated another traffic law. With this stop, the goal is to take dangerous drivers off the road, so the officer will use several field...
How the penalties for drunk driving increase with more charges
Recidivism is a serious issue in the criminal justice system in the United States, likely in part because the focus is often on punishing individuals rather than rehabilitating them. Those accused of the same or similar charges multiple times in succession will face...
Examining the true cost of an OUI
Each state deals with drivers who operate under the influence differently, and Massachusetts falls somewhere near the middle of the pack when it comes to the severity of the repercussions lodged against its drunk drivers. You should expect to face harsh criminal...
