DUI Charges Lowered to Reckless Driving in the Kent County District Court

Earlier this week, a Client facing a Rhode Island DUI charge with BAC Over 0.15 had his charge reduced on the day of trial.  The First Offense DUI charge was reduced to Reckless Driving.  Instead of facing the mandatory penalties required by Rhode Island's DUI laws (including a 3 to 12 month loss of license and thousands of dollars in fines and a mandatory criminal conviction), the Client was sentenced to a Filing (stay out of trouble for one year, not a criminal conviction), no loss of license and thirty hours of community service.

The case involved a motorist who was passed out behind the wheel on a local street.  The Police observed him to be severely intoxicated, noting bloodshot, watery eyes and slurred speech.  They also observed a strong odor of alcohol emanating from the Client while he performed, and failed, the field sobriety tests.  Back at the police station, the Client submitted to a breathalyzer which rendered readings over 0.15, more than two times the legal limit.

Attorney Matthew Marin was able to successfully argue in pre-trial negotiations that the State would be unable to prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the Client operated a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol in violation of Rhode Island's DUI statute.  Relying on Rhode Island Supreme Court case law, including State v. Capuano and State v. Lusi, the State agreed to reduce the charges on the day of trial and offered a disposition that included no loss of drivers license and would not result in a criminal conviction.

If you are facing a First Offense Drunk Driving Charge in Rhode Island, contact Attorney Matthew Marin today for a free, confidential consultation.  Attorney Marin is an experienced, aggressive, and skilled Rhode Island DUI Defense Attorney who knows Rhode Island DUI Law and the defenses that may be available to you in your case.  As a General Member of the National College for DUI Defense, Attorney Marin is constantly apprised all of the latest DUI related defenses that he can put to work for you.  Contact us 24/7 at 401-228-8271, visit our website at http://www.matthewtmarin.com, or email us at mm@matthewtmarin.com.

RHODE ISLAND CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY 

MATTHEW MARIN

PHONE: 401-228-8271 

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Twelve Individuals Charged with DUI by the RI State Police over the St. Patrick's Day Weekend

Over the St. Patrick's Day Holiday weekend, the Rhode Island State Police arrested and charged twelve individuals with Driving Under the Influence (RI DUI First Offense).  Those arrests spanned the State, from Richmond to Providence.  However, the vast majority of the arrests were made in Newport County near the timing of the Saturday St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Of the twelve arrests, all were charged with a Rhode Island first offense DUI, meaning that none of the drivers involved had been convicted of a DUI charge, in Rhode Island or elsewhere, within the preceding five years.  A first offense DUI conviction in Rhode Island can carry severe consequences including significant loss of your drivers license, possible incarceration, drunk driving school, substance abuse treatment, and hefty fines and costs.  Your best defense to a first offense DUI charge in Rhode Island is to be represented by an experienced, knowledgeable, and skilled Rhode Island DUI Defense Attorney.  Attorney Matthew Marin has the experience and skill you need to fight your first offense DUI charge.

In five cases, the individuals arrested by the Rhode Island State Police refused to submit to a chemical test.  Refusal to submit to a chemical test is a separate violation and charged in addition to being charged with a first offense DUI.   A charge of refusal to submit to a chemical test is a traffic violation, not a criminal offense.  However, a chemical test refusal charge carries consequences that are, in some cases, significantly more severe than a first offense DUI charge.  First, if you refuse to submit to a chemical test in Rhode Island your drivers license will (typically) be preliminarily suspended.  This means that the Court will suspend your drivers license at the beginning of the case, before you have been found guilty of any wrongdoing.  Second, a chemical test refusal charge carries with it a mandatory minimum license suspension of six months if you are convicted, and the suspension for a first offense can be as long as one year.  This six month mandatory minimum is double the three month mandatory minimum which is available to those charged with a first offense DUI in Rhode Island.

Give us a call 24/7 to discuss your Rhode Island First Offense DUI Charge or Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Test Charge today.  At the Law Offices of Matthew T. Marin, Esquire, Inc. we offer a preliminary confidential, no fee consultation where we can sit and discuss your case, outline a defense strategy to put you in the best possible position, and offer you a reasonable price for our services.  We are also available by email at mm@matthewtmarin.com or you can fill out the Contact Form on our Website located at: https://www.matthewtmarin.com/rhode-island-dui-lawyer

RHODE ISLAND CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY 

MATTHEW MARIN

PHONE: 401-228-8271 

Can I Expunge A Rhode Island DUI Charge?

A frequent question asked by many people who have been charged drunk driving in Rhode Island is whether they can have the charge expunged.  While Rhode Island has some of the most liberal expungement laws in the Country, not every criminal case can be expunged.  The quickest way to determine if you can have your Rhode Island DUI case can be expunged is to speak with an experienced RI DUI Expungment Lawyer.  To get a prompt evaluation regarding your Rhode Island DUI Expungement question, fill out the contact form on the left hand column of our website (please include your full name, date of birth, and contact phone number):

NO FEE RHODE ISLAND DUI EXPUNGEMENT EVALUATION

Call Us Today At 401-228-8271

Some basic principles that apply in all Rhode Island Expungements:

• If the DUI Charge was Dismissed, it can be expunged immediately (as long as you have no felony convictions - conviction requires a jail sentence, suspended jail sentence, or a fine)
• If you were convicted of the DUI Charge, it can be expunged five years from the date of the conviction (as long as you were not sentenced to probation AND you have no other convictions, misdemeanor or felony)
• If you were convicted of the DUI Charge AND you received probation, it can be expunged five years from the date your probation ended (as long as you have no other convictions, misdemeanor or felony)

 Read what a former expungement client had to say about The Law Offices of Matthew T. Marin, Esquire, Inc.:

"One of the best Lawyers I have ever dealt with, he is honest and efficient with his work. Cleaned up 3 cases at district and 1 at superior . Cleared my records in a timely and professional manner.The location near the court house is convenient, he is quick to reply with his e-mails and keeps you informed of your status and progress. I would highly recommend him to anyone that needs a trustworthy lawyer in his field of work."

To read more about what former clients are saying about The Law Offices of Matthew T. Marin, Esquire, Inc., visit our Google+ Page HERE.

RHODE ISLAND CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY 

MATTHEW MARIN

PHONE: 401-228-8271 

Five Rhode Island DUI Arrests Made by the State Police Over the Weekend

The Rhode Island State Police announced on Monday that five individuals had been arrested and charged with a DUI in Rhode Island over the past weekend.  In each case, the motorist submitted to a breathalyzer which resulted in breath test results in excess of 0.15, leading to charges of first offense DUI (BAC Over 0.15).  Three of the arrests took place on Route 95, one in Warwick, Cranston, and Richmond.  The other two arrests were made by the Rhode Island State Police in downtown Providence, one on Union Ave and one on Hartford Ave.

At the Law Offices of Matthew T. Marin, Esquire, Inc., we have assisted hundreds of individuals charged with first offense DUI in Rhode Island.  As an experienced RI DUI Lawyer, we can put our knowledge and skill to work for you on your Rhode Island DUI case.  Given our experience, chances are we have handled a case just like yours and will be able to walk you through this difficult experience.  And while not every case can be defeated, we can give you the best possible chances of success and work diligently to get you the best possible results.  As a former client put it:

"Even though, I did not get everything in my situation to go completely my way; I know that everything about my situation went better with Matt Marin as my legal representative."  

That is our goal, give us a call today and see what we can do for you.

We are available 24/7.  You can reach us on the phone at 401-228-8271, via email at mm@matthewtmarin.com, or on our website at www.matthewtmarin.com.  We are available to meet and discuss your case in a no pressure, confidential setting and there is no fee for an initial consult.

RHODE ISLAND CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY 

MATTHEW MARIN

PHONE: 401-228-8271 

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Providence Man Charged with DUI After Sideswiping a State Police Cruiser in Downtown Providence

Last week the Rhode Island State Police charged a Providence man with DUI and driving without a license after he sideswiped a State Police Cruiser in downtown Providence.  Fortunately, no one was injured in the incident.  Back at the State Police barracks the Providence man submitted to a breathalzyer test which rendered readings of 0.205 and 0.200, two and one-half times the legal limit of 0.08.  You can read more about this case at the Providence Journal.

DUI charges brought under any circumstances are extremely serious.  Under similar circumstances, an individual who is charged with drunk driving in Rhode Island can face serious consequences including potential incarceration, probation, extended loss of license (up to one year even for a minor first offense), and hefty fines.  Even if you think that the case against you is open and shut, it is always in your best interest to speak with an experienced Rhode Island DUI Lawyer about your case.  There are literally dozens of potential defenses to Rhode Island DUI charges.  Many times, it takes the skilled eye and experience of a knowledgeable RI DUI Lawyer to uncover these defenses.  Don't unknowingly plead guilty to a case that cannot be proven or has significant problems.  Even if we cannot defeat your RI drunk driving case, we can help advocate for you to mitigate the extent of the penalties and sanctions you will face.

Contact the Law Offices of Matthew T. Marin, Esquire, Inc. today for a confidential, no fee consultation.  You can reach us 24/7 at 401-228-8271, email us at mm@matthewtmarin.com, or visit our Website.

RHODE ISLAND CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY 

MATTHEW MARIN

PHONE: 401-228-8271 

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Crack Cocaine Arrests Made in Westerly Drug Investigation

The Westerly Police Department made five arrests in a month-long investigation of a crack cocaine distribution operation. Four of the five arrested were held without bail at their arraignment in the 4th Division District Court while the other was released on surety bail.  The charges brought include:

•  Delivery of Cocaine / Possession with Intent to Deliver Cocaine
•  Delivery of Heroin / Possession with Intent to Deliver Heroin
•  Felony Conspiracy to Violate the Uniform Controlled Substances Act
•  Felony Possession of A Controlled Substances (Clonazephan)

At The Law Offices of Matthew T. Marin, Esquire, Inc. our attorney's have experience handling serious drug charges.  We can assist you in putting your best defense forward with our extensive knowledge of Rhode Island's search and seizure laws.  If you are facing Rhode Island drug charges including delivery of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance, manufacturing a controlled substance, cultivation of a controlled substance, or conspiracy to violate the controlled substances act your freedom is on the line.  

Most of the time, when charged with serious drug offenses, you will initially be held without bail pending a hearing known as a bail hearing.  It is vitally important that you, or a loved one acting on your behalf, retain an experienced Rhode Island Drug Attorney to represent and advocate for you at your bail hearing.  Effective representation can mean the difference between sitting in jail until your case is ready for trial or being released on bail awaiting your trial.

Contact our attorney's today by calling The Law Offices of Matthew T. Marin, Esquire, Inc. at 401-228-8271 or emailing us at mm@matthewtmarin.com.  To learn more about Rhode Island drug charges, visit our websites:

• Rhode Island Criminal Defense
• Rhode Island Drug Defense
• Possession with Intent to Deliver Marijuana
• Possession of  a Controlled Substance 

RHODE ISLAND CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY 

MATTHEW MARIN

PHONE: 401-228-8271 

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