Friend launches a new DUI website in Arizona

After neraly 8 years of helping attorneys and other professionals build a stronger pressence online, I have begun to develop rrlationships and new friends throughout teh nation.

One such friend is Craig Rosenstein from Scottsdale AZ. Congratulations on his new website dedicated to Phoenix and Scottsdale DUI Defense. He has trememdous experience representing those accused of DUI and DWI in teh state of Arizona, snd as always he offers a free consulation. I certailnly hope you never need his services but if you find your self in a tough situation call him at your first opportunity.

I have family living in Arizona and vist the state about twice a year. Fortunatley I have never had an issue while visiting but I can tell you the penalties for a dui conviction and extreme.

Florida Divorce and Domestic Violence

The are are times when you may need more than one attorney during your divorce

 Finding the right Florida divorce lawyer ia always difficult.This situation may becoem even worse if their is domestic violence. The break up of a mariage can cause trememedous emotional and physical outbreaks. At times an estranged spouse may become angry and violent. This s uancceptable and you may require both a family law attorney and a criminal attorney to help you through the process.

The right Jacksonville Florida Divorce lawyer and/or North Florida criminal attorney can advise you on the legal protections you need during an extremely emotional time. They will also fight for your rights and ensure that you are given a settlement that you deserve. This is an important step in the life changing process divorce can cause. That is why you must seek out the best attorney that will ensure that the process is a smooth one. Do not hire an attorney that will simply show up at hearings unprepared and unwilling to help. Make the transition from married life to single life a smooth one by hiring a lawyer that will make the process easy. The road is a difficult one; make it easier by ensuring you get exactly what you need by hiring a lawyer that will make it happen.

DUI Accident Victim Awarded $15.4 Million Verdict in Florida

Significant FLORIDA DUI Accident Award

As a  follow up to my last post about drunk driving and personal injury, here is a perfect example of the heavy civil implcations of drunk drivning.  A personal injury firm from South Florida, Leesfiled & Partners, P.A. recently won a significant case for a brain damaged victim of a drunk driving accident.

Read more about the case below.

Dwight Grant was a 22 year old handyman living and working in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. According to the Florida Supreme Court Case 'Dwight Grant v. Matthew Lyons', Mr. Grant was a back seat passenger in a car stopped for a raised drawbridge when it was rear-ended by Matthew Lyons at a high rate of speed. Attorneys Thomas Scolaro and Carol Finklehoffe of Leesfield & Partners filed a lawsuit against Mr. Lyons because he was driving under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. Investigation revealed that Lyons blood alcohol level was .21. The legal limit in Florida is .08. As a result of the car accident, Dwight Grant sustained skull fractures, frontal lobe brain damage and facial fractures. He had corrective surgery to repair the fractures and was discharged after two weeks in intensive care. Following his release from the hospital, Mr. Grant developed a seizure disorder that is not controlled by medication. He is unable to resume work due to his uncontrolled seizures.

See the entire press release about the award.

Civil Implications of Drunk Driving

While DUI is a crime there are many instances where the criminal penalty may not be the only penalty for a drunk drivers actions. Under the criminal law an individual will face varying levels of criminal penalties depending on various factors in their particular crime. Was it a first offense, 2nd , 3rd, was there an injury involved?

If someone was injured a personal injury attorney may represent a victim of a drunk driving accident, seeking monetary damages for the victims medical bills, lost wages and pain & suffering from an accicent caused by the drunk driver. When a victim is killed in a drunk driving accident the family may bring a wrongful death claim against the drunk driver.

This is another instance where civil and criminal law come in close contact with each other.

When Criminal Law Brushes Up Against Personal Injury Law

A growing trend in the law over the last several years has been when crime victims seek additional justice in a civil courtroom through a lawsuit filed for financial damages. We have all seen the "High Profile"  civil lawsuits that can often include celebrities. The "Wrongful Death" lawsuit won by the victims families in the OJ Simpson case is one example most people are familiar with. As is evidenced by that case, it is not always required that a person is convicted in a criminal case in order to reach civil lawusit victory.

Most of the civil justice cases the general pubilc has never heard of include wrongful death claims in what is known as Indequate or Negligent security cases. These are often the type of cases that come about from an underlying crime.

There are times when a crime victim may find it neccesary to bring a civil lawsuit particularly whenn the crime has left them with permamnent injurrees and they need long term medical care.  This can include physical therapy, in hoem nursing care and possibly a lifetime of revovery

The New Facts of Warfare and the Law

Advances in technology such as the use of drones and the lack of nation-states as combatants have not only changed the face of modern warfare but also the legalities of war, says Oren Gross, the director of the Institute for International Legal & Security Studies at the University of Minnesota Law School.

Groups such as Hamas, Hezbollah and now even the forces of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi have deliberately blurred the lines between civilian and combatant to even the odds in the fight with more powerful and sophisticated militaries.
"In the past, clearly wars were army to army," said Gross, recognized as an expert in national security law and international law. "But now it's hard to tell who is an insurgent and who is not, both because detection is hard, and because they know that if you try and hit them, the PR cost is going to be huge."
Beyond the moral issue of what Gross calls the "PlayStation mentality," the technological advances in using devices such as drones provide a benefit.
"You can hover overhead, see what they are doing, and target them when they are isolated from the civilian population. It does increase the accuracy and limit collateral damages." said Gross, who is preparing an article called "The Years of the Drone."
But their use raises new legal questions. Can the United States, for instance, justify increased drone attacks in Pakistan as self-defense against insurgents or as an extension of the response to the 9/11 attacks? Can drones be used to attack buildings in which leaders such as Gadhafi happen to be?

Source: Miineapolis Star Tribune - read full article here.

Discharge Upgrades

Similar to having a criminal record your discharge status from the militaty can have a dramatic impact on your ability to be hired and earn a living in your future. If you have a less than honorable discharge on your record you may need to speak to qualified Military discharge upgrade attorney. if you are facing administrative separation you may also need a skilled military lawyer to help you get the best posssible outcome form your discharge.

Private employers place a certain amount of weight on your discharge record but you can also expect some flexibility by private comonies or small businesses. Pubic sector jobs will be very strict about your chances of employment with a less than honorable discharge. Government entities like a sherrifs office or a school system may not even grant you an interview.

If you face this situation it is important to speak with an experienced military lawyer to deal with your situation.