Drunk Driving (DUI, DWI)

In most cases, if you have been drinking and you are pulled over by a police officer, you should politely and respectfully refuse to do anything, including taking a sobriety or breathalyzer test and answering questions about whether or not you've been drinking. Your answers can be used against you in court, as can the results of the tests. However, your refusal to participate in tests cannot be introduced as evidence in a jury trial, so you are often better off refusing, even though your refusal may result in your license being suspended for up to 120 days.

If you have been arrested for drunk driving, you will need legal assistance. Call D'Angelo & Hashem - we are experienced at defending individuals charged with drunk driving. We will work to ensure that your rights are protected and that you receive the minimum sentence possible.

New law makes it tougher on repeat offenders

In the past, judges in Massachusetts were not allowed to consider convictions that occurred more than 10 years ago when sentencing drunk driving offenders. Not so anymore.

In September of 2002, acting Governor Jane Swift signed into law a bill that could mean tougher penalties for habitual drunken drivers. The law does away with the 10-year exemption and allows judges to consider all convictions, regardless of when they happened, in sentencing a drunk driver with at least three offenses on his or her record.

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