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Possible Penalties for DWI Conviction in Louisiana

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A driving while intoxicated (DWI) charge in Louisiana can be confusing. (It’s often known as a driving under the influence, or DUI, charge in other states.)

Will you have to pay a fine if you’re arrested for DWI? Lose your license? Go to jail? 

The answer depends on a number of factors. In an effort to answer these questions, the experienced DWI attorneys at Harmon, Smith & Vourvoulias address this question in this blog, as well as the potential penalties you stand to face if arrested for DWI in New Orleans.

[Read more…]

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What is the Difference Between DWI and DUI in Louisiana?

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As experienced DWI attorneys in New Orleans, Louisiana, our team at Harmon, Smith & Vourvoulias often sees confusion within the state about drunken driving terminology. This is to be expected, as different states in the U.S. use different acronyms for the charge, even ones that border Louisiana.

In Louisiana, driving while intoxicated, or DWI, is the term used to describe impaired or drunken driving. Texas also uses the term DWI.

DUI is another acronym for impaired or drunken driving, standing for “driving under the influence.” Mississippi, for example, uses the term DUI.

Read on to learn from our team about both terms and what to do if you’re facing a DWI charge in Louisiana.

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Pulled over for a DUI in New Orleans?

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If you have been pulled over for a DUI in New Orleans or anywhere in Louisiana, there is a lot that’s going to happen and it will be happening relatively quickly. 

The criminal justice system in Louisiana doesn’t take drunk or drugged driving lightly, and if you aren’t diligent in protecting your rights, you might find that you pay a heavy penalty or even potentially lose your freedom. 

Here’s what you need to know about protecting your rights during a DUI case, from our New Orleans DUI attorney George Vourvoulias.

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Your Best Friend: The Ignition Interlock

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ignitionAs you are leaving a friend’s 50th birthday party, your friend runs out to meet you.

“Hey, have you been drinking?” he asks.

You stop dead in your tracks. You have had a few beers, but you also ate a big dinner. Are you okay to drive? You didn’t accept that free martini. Perhaps you are all right, but regardless, your friend convinces you to leave your car at the party and catch a ride with him, not letting you drive.

You were questioning it. Were you okay to drive?  [Read more…]

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In One Night, This Man Saved People’s Money and Lives

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car crashOn June 22, Alex Sheen could’ve spent his evening at the movies or with friends and family. He could’ve gotten in a workout or taken his dog for a leisurely walk. He could’ve spent the evening watching one of the latest movies on Netflix.

Instead, Alex Sheen spent his Saturday night standing outside of a busy bar offering rides to people he had never met — for free. He stood with a sign saying:

“Hi, my name is Alex. If you have been drinking tonight, I’d like to offer you a free ride home. Someone I know killed a man while drinking and driving one year ago tonight. In honor of the man who died, I’d like to help keep the roads safe. I’ll even bring you back to your car tomorrow.”

[Read more…]

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DWI Infographic: Does Smoking Marijuana Impair Driving?

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The legalization of marijuana in multiple states across the U.S. has raised a very difficult question for many drivers and DWI attorneys. Does marijuana use impair one’s ability to drive?

Marijuana's Effect on Driving

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Marijuana Legalization Complicates Road Safety and DWI Laws

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Marijuana smoker

With the legalization of marijuana in the United States on the rise, states cannot agree on the best way to keep our roads safe. Drunk driving is much easier to regulate. Police often rely on the Breathalyzer, which can be administered on the roadside, to accurately determine a driver’s blood alcohol content. Alcohol is also much more predictable than marijuana in terms of how the body processes it. Therefore, it holds true for most people that their judgment and functioning is significantly impaired past the legal BAC limit of 0.08 percent.

This is not the case for marijuana. First of all, levels of THC—the psychoactive chemical in marijuana—cannot be detected with a Breathalyzer as can alcohol. In fact, the best measure of THC is through a blood sample, which must be taken at a hospital. [Read more…]

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Infographic: DWI Arrests Per Louisiana Parish

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Which Louisiana parish has the most DWI arrests each year? New Orleans defense lawyers at Harmon, Smith & Vourvoulias, LLC give the breakdown below.

DWI Arrests in Louisiana Per Parish

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Driving While Under the Influence…of Fatigue

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Sleepy Man

We all know that driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol can impair judgment and put everyone’s lives at risk. But we do not often think of the intoxicating effect of that all-nighter or the common case of “burning the candle at both ends.” If you are running on empty (sleep, that is, not fuel), you are putting yourself and others at risk.

On June 7, a sleep-deprived Walmart truck driver crashed into a car that was carrying, among others, comedians Tracy Morgan and James “Uncle Jimmy Mack” McNair on the New Jersey Turnpike, killing McNair and seriously injuring Morgan. According to New Jersey prosecutors, Kevin Roper, 35, of Jonesboro, Ga., had been awake for a period in excess of 24 hours at the time of the crash. As the NY Times reported, investigations found that Roper swerved at the last minute to avoid a collision with slow-moving traffic up ahead that he had failed to perceive, causing the multi-vehicle crash that killed one and injured several others. [Read more…]

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Are You Drunk? DWI Lawyers Explain Field Sobriety Tests

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Have you had one too many? Police officers in Louisiana will decide if you should be arrested for DWI by administering one, or a few, of the following field sobriety tests, explained by New Orleans DWI attorneys at Harmon, Smith & Vourvoulias, LLC.

Field Sobriety Tests Infographic

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