Imagine this scenario: you have just left a lovely dinner with your friends where you had one or two alcoholic drinks. You don’t feel tipsy or buzzed, but you’re pulled over and accused of driving under the influence. Do you know what to do to protect yourself and your rights? 

In this brief article, our best DUI attorney in Clearwater with Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan has a few tips to keep in mind if you ever find yourself stopped for a DUI.

A DUI during the holidays can impact the rest of your life. Whether you made a split decision to drive when you shouldn’t have or are unfairly targeted by police, avoiding a DUI during the holidays will help you avoid steep fines, possible jail time, and loss of your driver’s license — not to mention the negative social and career implications of a DUI.   

In this brief article, our best DUI lawyers in Clearwater with Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan have shared a few tips to avoid a DUI during the holiday season. 

If you’re a longtime Florida resident or even just visiting, you’ve likely noticed how many golf courses sprawl the state. Florida has over 1,100 golf courses, and among those golf courses are entire communities where golf carts are the primary mode of transportation. Many of these courses offer the opportunity to unwind and play golf while drinking with friends, but is it actually legal to drive a golf cart if you are under the influence? 

In this brief guide, the top DUI attorneys in Clearwater with Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan have shared what you need to know about drinking and driving a golf cart before hitting the links.

On a night out with friends, family, or coworkers, the last thing on most people’s mind is getting a DUI. But as the spirits are flowing, that’s exactly what many people wind up facing. 

Don’t let one bad decision on a night out change your future. Instead, prepare now to avoid a DUI and understand the steps you can take to protect yourself if you find yourself facing these charges. 

In this brief guide, our top DUI lawyers in Clearwater with Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan have shared a few tips for avoiding a DUI.

You might have seen recent commercials stating “buzzed driving is drunk driving” or “one drink is all it takes to get a DUI.” But is this really the case? After all, can one drink actually impair someone to the point of being unable to drive?

In this brief article, the DUI defense lawyers in Clearwater at Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan have some tips to help you avoid a DUI by understanding the legal limit and what types of factors may play a role.

The first question we often get asked when someone is arrested for a DUI is, “will my license be suspended?” The second question, and the most important, is “will I go to jail since this is my first offense?” Jail time can have serious consequences not only for yourself, but for your family and those who rely on you, and for your career.

In this brief article, the top DUI lawyer in Clearwater with our team at Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan provides an overview of the penalties you might face for your first DUI offense in Pinellas County, including whether or not you will face jail time.

When you’re on vacation, it’s only natural to want to kick back and have a few drinks to relax. Unfortunately, even on vacation, you might find yourself facing DUI charges. Nothing ruins a great vacation like an arrest, especially for a DUI. This can become an even more complicated process if you’re visiting from out of state. You may need to appear in court or serve a sentence locally if convicted, creating an even more frustrating scenario for you and your family.

In this brief article, our best DUI attorney in Clearwater with Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan shares a few things you might need to know if you are charged with a DUI while visiting Clearwater, Florida on vacation.

During and Right After the Arrest

Just as you would have to handle the arrest if you were in your hometown, you may be asked to submit to a breathalyzer test. Additionally, your car will likely be impounded and you’ll more than likely need to contact someone who can come with bail money to help you get out.

It is an even stickier situation if you are on your trip alone or with only your children. In either event, your best choice is to contact DUI lawyers in Clearwater with Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan. Your attorney will help you understand your choices to be released.

Can You Go Home to Another State After an Arrest?

The big question after you’ve been arrested while vacationing in another state is whether you can go home, and what comes next. While you may be permitted to travel back to your home state, you may not be able to travel internationally. This poses an obvious issue to international travelers in particular, or those who travel internationally for business.

Once you go home, the DUI charge will follow you and if your license was revoked or temporarily suspended, the suspension stands in your home state as well. In fact, other states will treat the arrest as though it happened there for all penalties.

You may be required to return to the state for a trial depending on your plea, however when you hire Clearwater DUI lawyers you may not have to appear for other hearings. This will depend on what your attorney can have approved by the judge and if they are approved to appear alone on your behalf.

If convicted in Clearwater, you may be required to return to serve your sentence or the judge may approve you to serve your sentence locally to your home. This will vary depending on the judge, the blood alcohol level when arrested, if this is your first conviction, and a number of other factors.

The best course of action after any arrest when you are on vacation is to attempt to handle as much as you can while you are still in town. You may have a limited amount of time to handle your case, which is why it is so important to contact the best DUI attorney in Clearwater. To find out what you should do when you’ve been arrested for any reason during a vacation, contacting Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan can help.

For a free consultation with the best DUI attorney in Clearwater, please contact Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan today.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.

The impacts of DUI and DWI cases appear to be falling. In fact, according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), there were 746 fatalities from crashes involving alcohol, drugs, or a combination of both in Florida in 2020, which constitutes a decrease of more than 33% from 2019. However, the number of DUI cases appears to be on the rise, with the most recent data showing that over 43,000 DUI cases are filed annually.

If you’re part of the vast majority of DUI cases that do not involve a fatality, you may be tempted to represent yourself in court. Unfortunately, handling a DWI/DUI case is not the same as handling a simple traffic ticket. Although a DWI involves a vehicle, it will be handled in criminal court and requires knowledge of the criminal justice system.

In this brief article, a team member of our Clearwater DWI defense law firm, Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan, shares a few of the key reasons you should hire an attorney for your DUI arrest.

1. Attorneys Can Review Field Sobriety Tests for Issues

If your field sobriety test was flawed or administered incorrectly, you may have grounds to reduce your charge to reckless driving. The key is to hire an attorney who is as trained as the police when it comes to administering these sobriety tests. Attorneys Tim Sullivan and Marc Pelletier can review the video of your field sobriety tests to see if they were properly administered and interpreted fairly.

2. Your Attorney Will Review All of Your Options With You

Whether you have decided to plead guilty or want to fight your charges in court, an experienced attorney will be able to share all of your options. For example, if you want to take your case to trial, your attorney will discuss the best defense strategy for your unique case. If you want to reduce your charge, your attorney will help you review DUI diversion programs such as the D.R.O.P. program in Pinellas County, which can help reduce your charge to reckless driving.

3. Your Attorney Will Ensure You Meet All Deadlines

When dealing with any legal case, there are specific deadlines you must meet in a timely manner or you’ll risk a negative impact to your case. Your attorney will help make sure that you meet all necessary deadlines, including entering your plea and completing necessary program requirements (should you opt for a diversion program).

A Clearwater DWI attorney will help you understand the best course of action for your specific case and will guide you through the legal process. In addition to the points above, they will help you understand the avenues you can take to get your license back if it has been revoked and will represent your best interests.

For a free consultation with a DWI attorney in Clearwater, please contact Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan today.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation

When most people think of a DWI or DUI, they think of someone who has been drinking large amounts of alcohol. They wouldn’t suspect that someone taking the proper dose of legally prescribed medications could also be pulled over or even charged with a DUI, but in Florida that is not necessarily the case.

In this brief article, a DWI attorney in Clearwater with our team at Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan shares what you need to know about being charged with a DWI after taking legally prescribed medications.

Can I Be Convicted of Drugged Driving?

Florida law provides that a person can be arrested and charged with a DUI if he or she is under the influence of a prescription drug or an illegal drug. The key is that you had to be impaired at the time of driving. The drug must have impacted your abilities to see, hear, walk, talk, make decisions, judge distances, or otherwise operate the vehicle safely.

A DUI does not require evidence of the use of heavy drugs like cocaine or heroin, it can include medications you’ve been prescribed by your physician like Ambien, oxycodone, and even anti-anxiety medications that impair your ability to make decisions. That means that even if you are taking the prescribed, legal dose of a medication, if it has impacted your ability to drive, you can be arrested.

Of note, unlike alcohol where the legal limit is .08%, there is no legal limit for driving under the influence of drugs. This means that anyone can be at risk of getting a DUI, even if they are under the influence of a prescribed controlled substance.

Penalties for Drugged Driving

Like drunk driving, drugged driving has serious consequences. You may face anywhere from days to years in jail or prison, and will face steep fines ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. You may also have to complete community service and lengthy probation periods, in addition to losing your driver’s license. On top of this, you will have a permanent criminal record. You can read more about the mandatory sentencing requirements here.

Defenses for Driving Drugged

If you’ve been charged with driving under the influence of any substance, be it alcohol, drugs or a legally prescribed medication, you will need a strong defense. A Clearwater DWI defense law firm like Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan may be able to help you get your charges dismissed or reduced to reckless driving. Our team will also discuss your options for DUI and drug diversion programs that may be available to lessen your charges and sentence.

For a free consultation with a DWI attorney in Clearwater, please contact Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan today.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation

If you’re facing a DUI, chances are that you are already experiencing some of the psychological and social challenges before you have even been convicted. The stigma of a DUI can stick with you for a long time, but there are other long-term impacts of a DUI conviction that will likely make you reconsider whether you should represent yourself in court or hire an attorney.

In this brief article, our best DUI attorney in Clearwater with Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan shares a few of the long-term impacts you may experience if you are convicted of a DUI.

Financial Impacts

Perhaps the most obvious, but the most long-term effect of a DUI conviction comes in the form of your finances. You may be facing steep fines, possibly thousands of dollars, costs of educational courses, counseling and not to mention the costs to recover your vehicle from being impounded.

Additionally, you may find that after a DUI conviction you can experience:

• Insurance rate increases. These may extend for several years after the conviction, even if you are a first-time offender.
• Loss of work due to prison time or criminal record. Your job prospects may become much slimmer, especially if you have a job that requires travel or a driver’s license. You may also find it harder to pass a background check for a new job as a DUI is a criminal offense, not a traffic offense.
• Loss of scholarship opportunities. If you’re in college or hoping to go back to school, many scholarships and grants require no prior criminal history. If you are a current scholarship recipient, a DUI conviction can also cause you to lose your current scholarships.

Social Impacts

In addition to the financial challenges presented by a DUI conviction, you may also experience social isolation. If your driver’s license is revoked, you may have a harder time attending social gatherings and might find that public transit is simply not reliable, when you want (or need) to get somewhere. You can end up losing hours in a day due to public transportation issues, on top of the social challenges that come from a criminal conviction of any kind.

What to Do if You’ve Been Charged with a DUI/DWI

A DUI isn’t the same thing as being charged with a simple traffic offense. Although you might be able to successfully represent yourself in traffic court, you shouldn’t represent yourself with the criminal charge of a DUI. Clearwater DUI lawyers with Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan are available to talk about your options and help you understand your best defense. You may be able to attend a DUI diversion program or have your charges reduced, or even dismissed with the help of an attorney.

For a free consultation with the best DUI attorneys in Clearwater, please contact Russo, Pelletier & Sullivan today.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation