Sunday, October 10, 2010

Personal Injury Lawyers: Who Needs Them?

Why is an Injury Lawyer Needed?

Author: Peter Lenkefi


Even for once, you might be involved in a personal injury case. In such case, you might want to claim a compensation for the pain and suffering that it has caused you.
This is when a personal injury lawyer is necessary. You must consult an injury lawyer, even if just to speak about the concern you have.
Remember that no matter how big or small your personal injury case is, you must file your personal injury claim and see what your legal rights are. And, your personal injury lawyer will help you about these matters all throughout your case.
Personal injury lawyers are so important in your personal injury cases.
They have been specializing in various services to offer possible clients.
These personal injury services include handling cases of auto or car accidents, aviation disasters, plane crashes or accidents, birth injury, brain injury, dangerous and defective products, dental malpractice, dog bites, medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, products liability, serious personal injury or catastrophic injuries, slip and fall, spinal cord injury, unfair insurance practices, wrongful death, and a lot more.

Indeed, a competent counsel is so important in a personal injury case.
So, if you've been involved in such case, don't think twice, go out, find the personal injury lawyer to be your partner in your quest for justice, and enjoy the services that he offers you
WHEN AN INJRY LAWYER IS NEEDED?
When you have suffered any personal injury ,that's when you need an injury lawyer, you should then consult with a personal injury lawyer as soon as practical.
An experienced attorney may have specific recommendations, cautionary advice and can help you through the recovery process.
There may be things that a personal injury lawyer can do in the short term to help you through the personal injury recovery process, such as making sure that insurance is paying for a rental car or assisting in finding qualified care from a medical specialist in the needed field.
Prompt consultation with a personal injury lawyer also allows the lawyer to send an investigator to the scene before the accident scene changes and to retain qualified experts if necessary.
Remember, failure to act promptly may result in missed deadlines, including statutes of limitations under Arizona law, that could result in an injured party sacrificing all or some of his/her rights.


Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/law-articles/why-is-an-injury-lawyer-needed-15098.html

About the Author

For more more information about Injury Lawyers please visithttp://www.injury-lawyer-help.com/

Friday, October 8, 2010

Arizona DWI Laws

Arizona - The new Arizona DUI Laws quietly took effect on September 26, 2008. The revised law has been so quiet that it has gone all but unnoticed in the media.

The new law piles on the amount of jail time for a first conviction for extreme DUI. Under the old law, a person convicted of having an alcohol concentration of .150 or greater would be sentenced to at least 30 days in jail. Of the 30 days, all but 10 days in jail could be suspended. This was the sentence that most people would get. No longer.

Now, under the new law, Judges are powerless to suspend any of the 30 day sentence. This means that the minimum jail sentence a person convicted of extreme DUI in Arizona will get is 30 days.

For second offense convictions it gets even worse. Now a judge must put the second offender in jail for 120 consecutive days. The Arizona legislature simply eliminated a judge's ability to suspend 60 days.
Many believe that the reason for the legislature's action is that they simply don't trust judges to do what will make state politicians look good, especially in an election year.

Not only does this mean more people will be doing more time in jail, it also means that the system will be further burdened. In an already crowded criminal court system, DUI lawyers will have to fight more cases to help their clients avoid a jail sentence that can be life-altering to say the least.

Time will tell whether these new Arizona DUI penalties are effective at reducing the numbers of drunk drivers and DUI related accidents. One thing is for certain, it is not good to be charged with DUI in Arizona, especially in an election year.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/criminal-articles/dui-law-under-new-arizona-dui-law-convicts-get-more-time-580020.html

About the Author

Daniel Jaffe is an Arizona DUI Defense Lawyer practicing in the Phoenix Metro area. He is also a frequent legal commentator. He blogs at http://blog.duiattorney.com/. His office is in Scottsdale, Arizona, and he serves clients througout Maricopa County.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Arizona DUI Laws

DUI Arizona Laws – Penalties guide

Author: Robert Dumea


Arizona, like every other state, has DUI (driving under the influence) laws meant to reduce driving after a few glasses of alcohol. Arizona is known throughout the country to have very strict laws regarding DUIs, which is all the more reason to hire an aggressive DUI attorney to fight for you.
Being arrested for an offense DUI can be a very upsetting experience. It may be your first time ever being accused of a crime and you may not know what your rights are or where you should turn.
It is therefore important to know the basics of the Arizona DUI laws and penalties to ensure that you stay on the right side of the law. It is unlawful for a person to drive or be in actual physical control of a vehicle in this state under any of the following circumstances:
1. While under the influence of intoxicating liquor, any drug and vapour releasing substance containing a toxic substance or any combination of liquor, drugs or vapour releasing substances if the person is impaired to the slightest degree.
2. If the person has an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more within two hours of driving or being in actual physical control of the vehicle and the alcohol concentration results from alcohol consumed either before or while driving or being in actual physical control of the vehicle.
3. While there is any drug or its metabolite in the person's body.
4. If the vehicle is a commercial motor vehicle that requires a person to obtain a commercial driver license and the person has an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or more.
Sentencing
You've just been arrested for a DUI in Arizona, now you’ll be sentenced according to a classification of your crime. Aggravating factors may include the following:
You have a blood alcohol concentration of 0.15 for up to two hours after the offense.
  • You have 2 or more prior DUI convictions in Arizona or in another state within 7 years of the arrest.
  • Your privileges to drive are revoked, suspended or restricted at the time you are charged with DUI in Arizona.
  • You have a child under 15 years old in the vehicle.
First Impaired or Breath Alcohol Concentration above .080
  1. 10 consecutive days in jail. The Court may suspend 9 of the 10 days if you agree to get an alcohol evaluation, and submit to treatment.
  2. Fine & costs: $250.00 fine, plus a surcharge, plus an additional $500.00 assessment for DPS, and another $500.00 for the Arizona Prison Construction Fund.
  3. Driver license: The MVD will suspend your drivers' license for 90 days.
  4. Counselling: If recommended in your evaluation and you want the Judge to suspend all but one day in jail.
  5. Probation: You may be placed on probation for up to five years.
Second Impaired or Breath Alcohol Concentration above .080
1. 90 days in jail. The Court may suspend 60 of the 90 days if you agree to get an alcohol evaluation, and submit to treatment.
2. Fine & costs: $500.00 fine, plus a surcharge, plus an additional $250.00 assessment to the Arizona DUI abatement fund, plus an additional $1250.00 assessment for arrests.
3. Driver License: Your drivers' license will be revoked for one year.
4. Counselling: If recommended in your evaluation and you want the Judge to suspend all but 30 days in jail.
5. Probation: You may be placed on probation for up to five years.
First Extreme DUI (Breath Alcohol Concentration above .150)
  1. 30 consecutive days in jail. The Court may suspend 20 of the 30 days if you agree to get an alcohol evaluation, and submit to treatment.
  2. Fine & costs: $250.00 fine, plus a surcharge, plus an additional $250.00 assessment to the Arizona DUI abatement fund, plus an additional $1000.00 assessment for DPS, and an additional prison construction fund fee of $1,000.00.
  3. Driver License: The MVD will suspend your drivers' license for 90 days.
  4. Counselling: If recommended in your evaluation and you want the Judge to suspend all but ten days in jail.
  5. Probation: You may be placed on probation for up to five years.
Second Extreme DUI (Breath Alcohol Concentration above .150)
  1. 120 days in jail of which 60 must be consecutive. The Court may suspend 60 of the 120 days if you agree to get an alcohol evaluation, and submit to treatment.
  2. Fine & costs: $500.00 fine, plus a surcharge, plus an additional $250.00 assessment to the Arizona DUI abatement fund, plus an additional $1250.00 assessment for arrests.
  3. Driver License: Your drivers' license will be revoked for one year.
  4. Counselling: If recommended in your evaluation and you want the Judge to suspend 60 of the 120 days of jail.
  5. Probation: You may be placed on probation for up to five years.
Felony DUI (3rd DUI w/i 5 Years, or DUI w/ License Suspended or Restricted)
The sentence guidelines below presuppose a completely clean felony record. Historical priors may significantly enhance any felony sentence. This is a class 4 felony and subject to the sentencing ranges based on historical priors as such. A DUI conviction under this section could carry over 10 years in prison.
  1. 4 months in prison at a minimum before you are eligible for probation, pardon, commutation or suspension of the sentence, or release on any other basis.
  2. Fine & costs: Up to $150,000.00 in fines, plus a surcharge, plus an additional $250.00 assessment to the Arizona DUI abatement fund, plus an additional $1,500.00 assessment for arrests.
  3. Driver License: Your drivers' license will be revoked for three years.
  4. Counselling: If probation is granted by the sentencing Court, you will be required to submit to treatment.
  5. Probation: You may be placed on probation for up to five years.
  6. Vehicle Forfeiture: If you were driving a vehicle you owned at the time of the DUI arrest that led to your conviction, the Court may take your vehicle as well.
Felony DUI (w/ a child under 15 years old in vehicle)
The sentence guidelines below presuppose a completely clean felony record. Historical priors may significantly enhance any felony sentence. This is a class 6 felony and subject to the sentencing ranges based on historical priors as such.
  1. A person convicted under this section will have to serve at least the minimum sentences for the misdemeanour DUIs described above if the offense would have been a misdemeanour but for the presence of the minor child.
  2. Fine & costs: Up to $150,000.00 in fines, plus a surcharge, plus an additional $250.00 assessment to the Arizona DUI abatement fund, plus an additional $500.00 assessment for arrests.
  3. Driver License: Your drivers' license will be revoked for three years.
  4. Probation: You may be placed on probation for up to five years.
  5. Counselling: If probation is granted by the sentencing Court, you will be required to submit to treatment.
  6. Vehicle Forfeiture: If you were driving a vehicle you owned at the time of the DUI arrest that led to your conviction, the Court may take your vehicle as well.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/criminal-articles/dui-arizona-laws-penalties-guide-929433.html

About the Author

For more tips and information please check DUI Arizona laws. I hope I will never have to work with an Arizona DUI Lawyer.

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Judge Restricts Legal Briefs in Arizona Immigration Law Case

The United States District Court Judge who will be ruling on the five lawsuits that have been filed against Arizona's new immigration law, has ordered page limits on amicus curiae briefs that are filed in the case.

From the Associated Press:

U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton has imposed limits on so-called "friend of the court" briefs filed by groups that aren't plaintiffs or defendants in the case.

Bolton's order lifts a requirement for the state to respond to all briefs and imposes size limits on new briefs being filed.

She says the many briefs being filed in the case (in her words) "may well jeopardize the court's ability to rule" by July 29 on a request to prohibit the law from taking effect that date.

But Bolton also says there's an interest in having the court hear views of interested parties that file briefs of reasonable length.

Amicus curiae briefs, or "friend of the court" briefs are filed by non-parties to a lawsuit who claim an interest in the outcome of the case. In the case of Arizona's new Immigration Law, and the passions aroused thereby, the Court is no doubt being flooded by amicus briefs.