Z Law Firm

Unlike most criminal cases, DUI cases seem to affect the broadest demographic of clients.   According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in 2014, over 1.1 million Americans were arrested for DUI.   If you have been arrested for DUI, there are some things that you need to know. In the State of Florida, an arrest for a DUI will not only result in a criminal charge, it will also result in an Administrative Suspension of your driving privileges through the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) if you refused to provide and blood, breath, or urine sample, or if you provided a breath test in excess of the legal limit. As frightening as the prospect of having to appear before a Judge to answer to the DUI charge might be, your first concern should be in regards to your driving privileges.   You only have 10-days from the date of your arrest to either apply for a hardship license or to file an Application for a Formal Revie...

A Florida DUI case was reversed following the Second District Court of Appeals conclusion that the circuit court had applied the wrong standard of review. A Sarasota man was arrested and charged with DUI .   Law enforcement made the arrest for DUI based on their assessment of the man’s level of intoxication during the traffic stop.   The officer testified that the defendant smelled of alcohol, was slurring his words, and had bloodshot and glassy eyes.   The defendant admitted to have been drinking, but advised that he had only one beer and one shot. A Motion to Suppress was filed on the basis that law enforcement did not have probable cause to make the arrest for DUI .   The key piece of evidence was a dash camera that recorded the encounter.   The county court judge agreed that the video contained no indication that the defendant had slurred speech or was impaired and granted the motion.   The State appealed to the circuit court which rev...