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My legal bills have exceeded $20,000
- Thread starter MattTheSkywalker
- Start date
Matt,MattTheSkywalker said:
First I am a former Batt. Boy so, since you are also, I thought I should pass along some helpful hints about your case.
SFS (Standardized Field Sobriety) "Exercises", is not a pass/ fail event. It is a tool used to see "clues", that would indicate impairment. Look at the supplemental of your report and see what clues you showed. Also, did he ask if you injured (hint, hint).
Maybe you lifted legs that day (cough, cough). See what screening questions he asked, and find out what he should have asked, it may help your case.
What was the probable cause of the stop? Then look up the code section for the violation and see if it matches.
Is it on video camera, tape recorder? If so, did the officer speak clearly?
Let me know if you need more info. Always willing to help another Ranger get his GO.
RLTW!!!
ANABOLICK1
New member
Dial_tone said:
Dang, maybe he'll pay for my next cycle...strictly for educational purposes of course.
LMFAO
W
Warik
Guest
Matt,
If you want to educate yourself on the workings of the criminal justice system, spending more than people with thrice your income in legal fees would is not the way to do it.
If you want to really educate, assume you make $40,000 (roughly the average income for a white male... actually a bit high for an average white male your age), deduct the standard expenses of someone with that income (rent, food, utilities, taxes) and use the remainder as a cap on your legal fees.
By spending $20k in legal fees and posting it on EF all you're doing essentially is just showing off. You'd get acquited with a fraction of that. That's like interviewing Stalin to better acquaint yourself with human rights.
-Warik
If you want to educate yourself on the workings of the criminal justice system, spending more than people with thrice your income in legal fees would is not the way to do it.
If you want to really educate, assume you make $40,000 (roughly the average income for a white male... actually a bit high for an average white male your age), deduct the standard expenses of someone with that income (rent, food, utilities, taxes) and use the remainder as a cap on your legal fees.
By spending $20k in legal fees and posting it on EF all you're doing essentially is just showing off. You'd get acquited with a fraction of that. That's like interviewing Stalin to better acquaint yourself with human rights.
-Warik
1/75 said:
Thanks bro. I have obtained all of the documents pertaining to the events of that night, and reviewed each one thoroughly. Each of the tests is specified by the NHTSA, and the clues are explained at www.nhtsa.gov - do a search for then if you want to see more, I can't find the exact web address.
Together with my lawyer and some other experts, we have mounted a vigorous defense, targeting mainly the officer's decision to arrest. On all the tests, I triggered fewer clues than the NHTSA guideline specifies as indicators for potential DUI.
Most of the officer's "justification" for arresting seems to be predicated on the odor of alcohol.
Thanks for the advice. I am working on it and I will let you know how it plays out.
Testosterone boy
New member
MattTheSkywalker said:
Outrageously ballsy of a cop to assume possible impairment from alcohol due to alcohol fumes emanating from your digestive tract is it not? Rock on bro.
thebabydoc
New member
Matt:
I can TOTALLY see where you're coming from, just so long as you don't lose sight of who is going to benefit most from any ruling- Drunk drivers.
I personally am saving up to go after Scottsdale for their kangaroo traffic court where 98% of "defendants" are found guilty. Clearly that number is indefensible and provides for a prima facia/ ips respo loquitor case but I want to BURY them for every ticket they've written or collected on in the past 10 years. (Notice that DUI will NOT be affected because it is criminal and those that go to trial would not fall in the category of the kangaroo civil traffic court.) I figure a good case will run about $100K but we're gonna see about class action which might make some decent lawyers crawl out of the woodwork.
I understand the righteous indignation at the infinite authority given to police and the shit they get away with, but your $20K is directed at the wrong place.
You will not establish precedent with this case and as you said, any precedent you set will be zapped ASAP. DWI is a SERIOUS problem and a serious topic in this country. You need to address police abuse of power and, more specifically, this particular officer who felt within his rights to arrest you (given the circumstances YOU described for us).
Better precedent would be to send the message that when an officer abuses his power he will have to personally answer for it, either in court or, ahem, cough, cough, on a more personal level. I can assure you that $20,000 would have gotten a whole lot more effect spent elsewhere.
I can TOTALLY see where you're coming from, just so long as you don't lose sight of who is going to benefit most from any ruling- Drunk drivers.
I personally am saving up to go after Scottsdale for their kangaroo traffic court where 98% of "defendants" are found guilty. Clearly that number is indefensible and provides for a prima facia/ ips respo loquitor case but I want to BURY them for every ticket they've written or collected on in the past 10 years. (Notice that DUI will NOT be affected because it is criminal and those that go to trial would not fall in the category of the kangaroo civil traffic court.) I figure a good case will run about $100K but we're gonna see about class action which might make some decent lawyers crawl out of the woodwork.
I understand the righteous indignation at the infinite authority given to police and the shit they get away with, but your $20K is directed at the wrong place.
You will not establish precedent with this case and as you said, any precedent you set will be zapped ASAP. DWI is a SERIOUS problem and a serious topic in this country. You need to address police abuse of power and, more specifically, this particular officer who felt within his rights to arrest you (given the circumstances YOU described for us).
Better precedent would be to send the message that when an officer abuses his power he will have to personally answer for it, either in court or, ahem, cough, cough, on a more personal level. I can assure you that $20,000 would have gotten a whole lot more effect spent elsewhere.
Warik, Test Boy and babydoc all have strong and valid points.
I am not sure how much of the legal system you are going to learn by spending $20K on a DUI case. That makes no sense, you could easily just attend public cases and follow along. I guess.
On a personal note, if you were indeed intoxicated, I have no sympathy for you. Not personally directed at you, but I have nothing good to say about a drunk driver. You might have been over the level limit, but still able to operate 100% effectively, I don't know. But you seem like an intelligent person who knew the consquences of this before you got behind the wheel. Not sure why the cop pulled you over, but something must have set him off. Unless you ran into a roadblock.
I am not sure how much of the legal system you are going to learn by spending $20K on a DUI case. That makes no sense, you could easily just attend public cases and follow along. I guess.
On a personal note, if you were indeed intoxicated, I have no sympathy for you. Not personally directed at you, but I have nothing good to say about a drunk driver. You might have been over the level limit, but still able to operate 100% effectively, I don't know. But you seem like an intelligent person who knew the consquences of this before you got behind the wheel. Not sure why the cop pulled you over, but something must have set him off. Unless you ran into a roadblock.
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