Tuesday, September 30, 2014

September 18, 2014: OWI-1st/Refusal of Chemical Test Reduced to Reckless Driving

As a professional subject to licensing in another state, our client, TRW, had a lot riding on the outcome of this case. A drunk driving conviction would have ruined her professional reputation and haunted her for years to come. TRW's case was complicated by the fact that she refused to submit to the breath test following her arrest, leading to a separate charge that actually carries worse penalties than the drunk driving charge itself. These "Refusal Charges" as they are known, can often be very difficult to defend, since there are only a very limited number of issues that can be raised to defend such a charge. But persistence and shrewd negotiating by Attorney Liz Majerus ultimately saved the day. On the afternoon of TRW's court trial, Attorney Majerus was able to negotiate a fantastic resolution. The OWI charge was reduced to the non-alcohol-related offense of Reckless Driving and the Refusal Charge was completely dismissed. Aside from paying a fine, TRW suffered no consequences from her arrest. She never lost her license for a single day and, because she avoided the awful stigma of a drunk driving conviction, her well-deserved professional reputation is fully intact. She could not have been more pleased with this outcome.