Author: Summers, Rufolo & Rodgers
Tennessee mulls ending criminal penalties for blood test refusal
The Tennessee legislature is considering changing the state’s implied consent law, which requires drivers to provide breath or blood samples when suspected of DUI. You can lawfully refuse the test, but there are consequences. For a first offense, your driver’s license will be revoked for a year. Revocation of your license may be inconvenient, but
Actor to be resentenced in DUI manslaughter case
Amy Locane, who performed in 13 episodes of the popular TV series “Melrose Place” and who has appeared in several films, was arrested for vehicular manslaughter after a fatal 2010 car crash in New Jersey. The indictment charging her did not specifically mention alcohol intoxication, but a prosecution witness testified that she was likely at
Head injuries may increase ADHD risk in kids
If you are a parent whose child has suffered a head injury, you have every reason to be concerned. After all, it’s becoming more and more widely known that mild-to-severe brain injuries can have long-term negative effects. But is it true that even less-severe brain injuries suffered by children can lead to enhanced risk of
Is NHTSA’s roadside drugged driving survey really voluntary?
When the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last performed its national roadside survey in 2014, motorists and civil libertarians were concerned. The survey is supposed to be a random, completely voluntary survey of drivers who are compensated for their willingness to provide breath, saliva or blood tests. The purpose is to get a baseline sense
Prohibition of alcohol sales for DUI offenders heads to debate
Tennessee legislators are considering a proposed bill that would expand on the penalties for DUI convictions by restricting sales of alcohol. As we discussed in a previous post, the bill would prohibit alcohol sales to a person with a DUI conviction for a period of one year. The bill would prohibit third-time offenders from purchasing
Missouri House bill would change process for asbestos lawsuits
People who have been exposed to asbestos are sometimes reminded about their exposure years or decades later when they are diagnosed with mesothelioma, a deadly cancer caused exclusively by asbestos. When victims seek compensation for asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma, lung cancer, or asbestosis, it is common for them to seek compensation from every party that
Court of Criminal Appeals: Cops can testify based on notes alone
The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals recently ruled against a DUI defendant in a case where the arresting officer apparently had no real memory of the events leading up to the arrest. Instead, the officer relied on the police report and dashcam video. The U.S. Constitution guarantees criminal defendants the right to fully confront the
How much does it cost to reinstate your license after a TN DUI?
If you are convicted of a DUI offense in Tennessee, you will have your driver’s license revoked for a period of time, depending on the offense and whether you have been convicted before. For example, your license could be revoked for a year on a first DUI offense or breath test refusal. In a vehicular
Airing the dirty laundry: New efforts to raise awareness of asbestos disease
A disease that claims more than 2,500 lives every year, as mesothelioma does, is – quite literally – a deadly serious threat. Far too often, however, American popular culture either ignores the dangers of asbestos exposure or treats them in a caricatured way. Such a caricature occurred recently in a candy bar ad in the
How many traffic crashes does drowsy driving cause?
We all know that driving while you’re low on sleep can be dangerous. Some estimates indicate that missing out on just a few hours of sleep can affect your driving in a profoundly negative way. Two to three hours less sleep can quadruple the risk you’ll be in a crash — and that’s equivalent to