When you are learning about public defense, the first question you are likely to ask is, “What is a public defender?” So let’s not waste anytime answering this question, and many more frequently asked questions about public defense lawyers. A public defender is a criminal defense lawyer that works for the state and paid by the government. They provide free legal representation to defendants that are facing criminal charges that are punishable by jail time. Continue reading to read more common questions and answers just like this one!

Do Defendants Have to Pay for a Public Defender?

No, clients do not pay. However, a judge must decide that a defendant qualifies for public defense before one is appointed to them. In cases that a person is fully capable of paying for a private representation, they may be denied state assistance.

Is a Public Defender Less Qualified Than a Regular Criminal Lawyer?

No, both public defenders and private criminal attorneys are equally qualified in terms of education requirements, certifications, and licensing. The only difference is the level of skills and experience of each person.

Should I Use Public Representation or Hire My Own Lawyer?

Although public defenders are equally qualified doesn’t mean they are the most promising option for defense. Since they work for the state, their case loads are extremely rigorous and overflowing. This means they only have a limited amount of time to spend on each case. A private attorney can provide personalized representation to ensure you avoid the maximum penalties if convicted of your charges. Whether you are facing a petty charge like shoplifting, or a major charge like manslaughter, private counsel is the best choice, no matter the price. You can’t put a price on freedom, after all.

Can a Public Defense Lawyer Reject My Case?

If you are indigent and cannot pay your bills as they come due, it would be both unethical and illegal to have your case rejected since it is a violation to your Constitutional rights. Although a case can be handed over from one lawyer to another, it cannot be rejected and ultimately “skipped over” or denied. A person who is entitled to free representation will get it, no matter what.

Can I Request a New Lawyer?

If you are found to be eligible for state defense, you will be assigned a lawyer by the court. If this lawyer does not meet your expectations or recover the plea arrangement that you wanted, you do not have any options. Unless you can prove to a judge that your current lawyer is somehow violating your right to adequate representation, you cannot switch or be appointed a new one. Inadequate representation includes scenarios like missing appointments, failing to meet deadlines, forcing you to a certain plea, not informing you of case status and court dates, and ignoring critical evidence. And if you choose to appeal your conviction, you must hire private representation anyway, so asking to switch at that point wouldn’t be necessary.

Anyone that has been stopped and arrested for a DUI charge is likely to find the entire process to be very difficult and stressful. Plus, with the reported increase in accidents involving drivers under the influence of alcohol or illegal substance, the authorities are making every effort to prosecute all offenders. In order to prove a person is driving under the influence, the law enforcement official that made the stop has a choice of asking the driver to take a roadside sobriety test or use a breathalyzer. A first course of action may be the sobriety test which involves simple tests like walking in a straight line, lifting one foot off the ground, touch the tip of your nose, etc.

But, these tests aren’t entirely reliable and the most common option used is the breathalyzer. A field breathalyzer is quick to use and basically involves breathing air into a device that is analyzed to determine whether of not the driver has consumed too much alcohol to be on the road.

While the breath analysis is the favored method to test the concentration of blood alcohol in a roadside stop, they are nowhere near as reliable or accurate as blood tests. But, for the case of DUI investigations, it is seen as an acceptable option, provided it is administered in the correct fashion.

The breathalyzer tests aren’t complicated and a useful piece of portable kit to analyze a sample, but the result generated by this device may not be as reliable as the authorities would like you to believe. In fact, it has been reported that neither the spectroscopic BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) test nor the breathalyzer test is 100% trustworthy. This mostly relates to alcohol not affecting everyone the same, with many people able to consume quite a lot and still not be drunk.

Even though the test can give a positive indication that the BAC reading is high, this doesn’t actually confirm the driver was under the influence of alcohol while in control of their vehicle.

Scientific studies have taken place in relation to the accuracy of the breath alcohol tests, and their conclusion was that they are inherently unreliable. These studies have indicated that the breath readings can be up to 15% outside of the true blood alcohol levels.

So, in the event of being stopped for a DUI charge, you don’t really want the result from a breathalyzer to be the defining factor that determines the sentence issued. The best course of action is to get in touch with a skilled and reputable DUI attorney who is able to use their knowledge of the law to help fight this offense.

A DUI charge is a serious offense that has the potential to lead to a variety of legal consequences, which can include a period of prison time, attending alcohol or drug awareness classes, taking part in community service, having to pay a high fine, or the loss of your driver’s license. There are situations where the sentence given is more severe, such as having a minor on-board at the time or not being a first offense.

In the approach to defend the DUI charge that involves a breath analysis, any qualified criminal defense lawyer will be aware that there could be several operational and theoretical issues. There are a variety of factors that can lead to the results of blood-alcohol analysis being regarded as unreliable, and attempt to show that this type of data isn’t enough to prosecute. By using a lawyer it is possible to get the get outcome with a case either closed or a sentence kept to a minimum.

Driving near a school or a school bus can be dangerous if motorists don’t take proper precautions to ensure not just their own safety, but the safety of children in the vicinity. Here’s a guide to help you understand the right protocol to follow as a motorist in a school zone, or near a school bus.

Picking up or dropping off children at school:

• Every school has a system to pick up and drop off children. Make sure you educate yourself on the rules of the school and adhere to them
• Don’t double park because it reduces visibility for other drivers, and can endanger students
• Park in the allotted areas (these have been designed keeping in mind the safety of students), and take permitted turns while navigating the school grounds. Avoid making U-turns and three-point turns.
• While driving, watch out closely for children on bikes coming onto the roadway from between parked cars. Also keep a safe distance of at least 3ft between your vehicle and the motorcycle, and always check your side-view mirror before exiting your car
• As a rule, ensure that your child is safely buckled in with the seat belt or in an age-appropriate child car seat before starting the car. Also, make sure your child enters or exits the car only via the ‘safety door’ which is the rear door on the kerb-side

Driving in a school zone:

• Don’t exceed the 25mph speed limit imposed while driving in school zones. Most often this speed limit is imposed in school zones between 8 a.m. and 9.30 a.m., and 2.30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Motorists must adhere to this speed limit even if there are no children in sight
• Slow down when approaching a school crossing
• Do not proceed past the school crossing until the crossing supervisor’s hand-held sign is no longer displayed, or until he/she indicates that you can continue
• If there is no crossing supervisor, but ‘CHILDREN CROSSING’ flags are displayed, the motorist must stop and wait until all the pedestrians have crossed the road
• While driving through a school zone, avoid honking as it might scare children and cause them to stumble or fall in the way of oncoming traffic

Driving in the vicinity of a school bus:

• Learn to understand the flashing light system on school buses.
• If the overhead lights on the bus are flashing yellow, then prepare to stop. These lights indicate that the bus driver is planning to bring the vehicle to a halt to load or unload children.
• If the overhead lights are flashing red, and the stop sign extended, it means that the bus has stopped and that children are getting on or off the bus. At this time all motorists, regardless of the direction in which they are moving, must come to a halt until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop sign pulled back, and the bus resumes motion. In all 50 states of the U.S., it is mandatory for all vehicles on both sides of the road to come to a halt during this process. However, if a median divides the road, this may not be required.
• If you are passing a school bus, make sure that there is plenty of visibility and space in the next lane. It is illegal in the U.S. to pass a bus on the right side, as this is where the loading and unloading of children occurs. Therefore, vehicles may pass the school bus on the left side on multiple lane roadways
• Remember, though buses have large mirrors to assist the driver in his/her navigation, these vehicles also have huge blind spots. Stay cognizant of this, and pull back and slow down if you see a bus flash its blinkers, and allow it to move into the next lane.
• Be especially vigilant near bus stops. Children may be playing at the bus stop to kill some time, or might be arriving late for their school bus and may inadvertently dart into oncoming traffic.
• Bear in mind that buses stop frequently, so maintain at least 3ft distance between your car and the bus, to allow yourself enough time to come to a halt too
• Do not park at or near a bus stop. In fact, maintain enough distance between your vehicle and the bus stop to allow children to enter and exit the bus with ease
• Always remember that children can behave in an unpredictable, often rash, manner. In their haste or enthusiasm, they may not remember the safety concerns associated with walking on the road or picking up something they’ve dropped on the road. Therefore, it’s important to look very carefully to make sure the way is clear before navigating traffic behind a school bus.

These tips will help you drive in a safe, responsible manner while driving in a school zone, or near a school bus. If you would like to share your thoughts or suggestions of your own, we’d love to hear from you. Leave us a comment below!

In response to a recent report issued by South Carolina Highway Patrol, there has been an increase in traffic fatalities in South Carolina. South Carolina has seen a whopping 25% increase in deaths caused by traffic automobile accidents.

According to the National Safety Council, traffic deaths in the U.S. from 2014 to 2016 increased by 18 percent. However, the state of South Carolina saw a 25 percent increase. In North Carolina, the number jumped to 26 percent during the same two-year time frame.

More traffic, increased distractions, and poor road conditions lead to higher traffic fatalities across the state of South Carolina. Remember, it is easy to call a death in a traffic accident a “fatality”-which is a generic term. But imagine if it were your loved one, or close friend, who died tragically in a preventable traffic accident. Deaths caused by auto wrecks are an unnecessary tragedy. All of us have to remember that it’s not just a “fatality”; in fact, it’s a the loss of a human being-the loss of a father, mother, son or daughter, brother or sister – in a preventable situation. As an auto accident lawyer, I witness how car wrecks affect the lives of real people in our community. And it’s a terrible, terrible preventable tragedy.

What are some of the reasons for these high statistics? The program Target Zero discusses the state of South Carolina’s goal of eliminating traffic related deaths to Zero. One of these factors is the increase in traffic due to tourism. Whether toting our gorgeous parks or our fabulous food, our state, especially the Upstate, has received a lot of positive media attention in the past couple of years. This has resulted in an increase in visitors.

Another contributing factor to the increased traffic could be attributed to people relocating here. In 2015, there was a 2.5 percent jump in the number of registered vehicles and a 2 percent rise in the number of driver’s licenses issued in South Carolina.

With more traffic on the roadways of course there will be more traffic-related accidents. Nevertheless, there are still other reasons for wrecks. Distracted driving, drowsy driving, and drunk driving are still factors in fatality related auto accidents.

So, please be safe out there and be a defensive driver. And follow this simple advice: Slow down. Give plenty of distance between your car and other cars. Get off the cell phone or smart phone. Keep your eyes on the road. Keep two hands on the wheel. Never drink or drive or drive while tired. Take safe driving seriously.

People tend to face numerous issues with respect to their automobiles. Some of the most common problems that people face are:

• Buying a defective car and getting refused a refund, fixing and replacement by the manufacturer.
• After completing a final loan contract, you are asked to sign a new contract with higher down payment.
• You are trapped with deceptive advertisements and you have been sold a more expensive car.
• Dealer conceals optional add-ons and undervalues the trade-in during fixing of the deals.
• Your car is repossessed without your consent by the creditor.

Know Your Rights

There are different laws that save the consumers from auto fraud. Here is a list of various laws and their scheme of protection.

Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act

This law is utilised when a contractor, warrantor or supplier denies complying with a service contract, written warranty or implied warranty.

State Repossession Laws

These laws state that:

• Your car cannot be removed from a locked garage by the car repossession company without your consent.
• You can put your car up in auction or you can pay the full money in order to buy back the car.
• On paying repossession costs or reinstating your loan, you can get your car back in some states.
• Your car must not be sold below market value.
• You should be informed whether the creditor will put the car up for auction or not.

State Lemon Laws

Those cars are dealt by lemon laws that have been repaired many times for the same defect. Different states have different lemon laws.

• Your car should be replaced or refunded by the manufacturer for a substantial defect after four tries.
• Your car should be refunded or replaced for a safety defect after two tries.

Truth in Lending Act (TILA)

According to TILA, interest rates and other information regarding the loan should be disclosed by the lenders before processing a loan. You can get the best auto financing rate with the help of TILA.

Unfair, Deceptive, or Abusive Acts or Practices (UDAP)

You are protected by UDAP from deceptive, unfair and false acts including the false advertisements.

Contacting an Attorney

You should know about the following, if you want to contact an attorney.

Repair Record

Keep record of the timing of the car when it is out for service and keep track of the repair attempts. Every time you repair the car, do not forget to submit a dated and written list of problems to your dealer.

Notice Required

Before entitling to a replacement or refund, you must go through the notice requirement of your state.

Your Refund or Replacement

Ask the manufacturer for a replacement or refund only after confirming that your car is qualified as a lemon. You may have to go through arbitration if a valid arbitration program is incorporated into your written warranty, in order to get your replacement or refund.

The Purpose of National Impaired Driving Prevention Month

Since December is one the busiest months of the year full of winter holiday celebrations like Christmas and New Year’s Eve, there are a lot more social events and late night get-to-gathers where alcohol is available. Sadly, driving under the influence is quite common during holiday season. Impaired driving puts drivers, passengers, and pedestrians at risk, and each year it claims the lives of thousands of Americans. In December, we observe National Impaired Driving Prevention Month to create more awareness on the issue.

Some Important Facts About This Month

It is reported that every year, around 30 million people drive while intoxicated and around 10 million drivers go behind the wheel after taking illegal drugs.

Nearly 25 people a day were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes in 2010. Drinking and driving can be deadly, especially for teens.

Young adults (ages 21-34) are much more likely to die in a car crash after drinking alcohol.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every day, 28 people in the United States lose their lives in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver.

In 2014, of the 1,070 traffic deaths among children (ages 0-14), nearly 19% involved alcohol-impaired drivers.

Drugs other than alcohol are also a factor for traffic accidents.

Effective Preventive Measures

Prevention starts with our sense of personal responsibility. It is high time that drivers, irrespective of their age, start thinking about how they can practice safe driving and re-evaluate their driving habits.

Conducting school programs and educating teens on how important it is NOT to get in the car with a driver who’s under the influence would be an effective solution.

Electronically monitoring repeat DWI offenders also appears to be effective. Ignition interlocks in cars prevent operation of the vehicle by anyone with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) above the specified level.

If you come across a possibly drunken driver on the road, immediately contact the police! Your timely action might save someone’s life.

Families play an essential role in putting an end to impaired driving. We should all educate our children about the risks involved in consuming alcohol or illicit drugs and especially how dangerous this is while driving.

If your holiday plans involve drinking liquor, make sure to always plan ahead for a safe ride home.

Every year, a higher volume of vehicles flood the roads. People rush to see their loved ones for the holidays and the odds of getting into a driving accident increase during these periods. While most people are well informed, there are still many other people who are not aware about how this easily avoidable problem could affect their loved ones. It is our personal duty to help people understand how dangerous this habit actually is.

Organize a local awareness campaign to explain the risks involved and how drinking and driving can affect families. Surprise the attendees with customized giveaways. Silicone wristbands are perfect for such campaigns because they are original, durable, long-lasting and inspiring. You can get them in different colors, fonts, sizes and styles. Wristbands carry messages. Choose from “Think and Drive”, “Never Drink and Drive” or come up with something of your own.

Becoming a habitual traffic violator doesn’t happen overnight. But it also doesn’t happen only to bad drivers. Those who drive often for work, whether all day commuting or long-distance travel, are often faced with time crunches, leading them to drive a little faster than they would if they were not limited by time restrictions and deadlines. Realtors, contractors, salesmen, and more are all common victims of speeding and seatbelt tickets because they are often traveling from one obligation to another.

So whether a product of vocational lack of time, or simply an unmindful driver, 10 traffic offenses in a period of 10 years, with 1 being a major violation (i.e. DUI, reckless driving, driving while suspended, etc.), will eventually suspend you of your driving privileges and mark you as an official habitual traffic violator for at least 5 years.

Sounds harsh, doesn’t it?

But it’s not so bad if you live in a state that allows record sealing and expungement. If you qualify to have your driving records sealed from the public, it can help you get your license back, that job you’ve applied for, that promotion you’ve been working toward, or obtain a professional license that was inaccessible before.

Qualifications vary from state to state, and not all states even offer the option, but the most influential factors are time and severity of offenses. Talk to a criminal record expungement lawyer to see if you are eligible for record sealing in your state. In the meantime, continue reading to learn more about habitual traffic violator driving records and personal privacy.

While Awaiting Eligibility

After you are convicted as a habitual traffic violator, you must remain one for at least 5 years; however, you can petition to get a probationary drivers’ license after only 3 years. In order to qualify for a probationary license, one must have:

1. Never previously been granted a probationary license as a habitual traffic offender;
2. Never been guilty of more than 3 unrelated major traffic offenses in one 10-year period;
3. Never been guilty of a major traffic offense that resulted in bodily harm or death of another;
4. Never been guilty of violating the habitual traffic offender probation guidelines.

In some cases where the offender is a person who operated a vehicle for the purpose of business, such as a traveling salesmen or delivery person, the waiting period may not apply since their poor driving record may be partly a result of their frequent commuting. It is important to retain the services of an experienced criminal defense attorney to ensure you are receiving due justice in traffic court. 

If you run a fleet management company, you will have drivers who work for your company. In this case, it is the employers responsibility to make sure that their employees hold a valid UK driving licence. A Driving licence validation can help protect employers from having to pay unnecessary penalties.

The status of a driving licence may change many times for a number of reasons. In some cases a driver may not even know about the status change. After the first validation of a licence has been done, the next validation is automatically scheduled. However, the frequency of this licence checking process is usually based on a driver’s risk profile. If the licence gets disqualified during the validation process, then the employer will be notified immediately.

Third-party licence checking services conduct the driving licence validation process using the Access to Driver Data (ADD) service. ADD gives real-time driving licence information through a business-to-business interface. ADD includes all the necessary information needed such as driver’s name, date of birth, address, and other driving details such as entitlement, disqualifications, and penalties. ADD provides 24/7 real-time driving licence data. ADD gives you a quick response with accurate licence/driver information. If there is no information available, it returns a simple response saying driver’s information is not available.

What Is Driver and Vehicle Information Solution (Davis)?

Davis is an expanded brand, which includes some additional information about the driver and vehicle. It is a cloud-based solution, which enables customers to add or remove various optional modules. It mainly covers four areas: the vehicle, its driver, Policies/Guidelines and driver/vehicle related services. The modular structure of Davis allows customers to utilize either a single service or a mixture of several services. This mix-and-match approach is highly beneficial to a business in that it allows them to add or remove modules when they want. Davis helps organizations to meet the regulations needed to avoid them receiving any unnecessary penalties.

Significance of the Licence Card Data Reader

Another service provided by a third-party licence checking service is a Card Reader (CDR). It captures all the licence/driver data in a single pass. Both sides can be read simultaneously. It just requires the software to be installed on a local PC to drive the reader. Using CDR, forged data can be detected easily. CDR is very user-friendly, and requires minimal training. Once the data is read, it is directly uploaded into the software. The CDR helps to speed the process up as it can read large amount of data in a short time.

Benefits of Driving Licence Checking and Validation

Driving licence validation can offer a lot of advantages to your company, some of them are listed below:

1. Helps identify misinterpreted information and reduce the risk of forged documentation.
2. Saves you time, because e-consent is valid for three years.
3. Using the card data reader can validate international licences.
4. Companies can avoid potential penalties.
5. Business owners can have peace of mind. They can be confident about their employees driving licence and insurance information.
6. Improves travel/road safety for everyone, including company, customer, and the driver.

Real-time vehicle GPS Trackers have different laws that vary from state to state. Each state has a different law, so it is important to check with a lawyer to make sure that placement of the GPS won’t have any legal issues.

General laws

• It is generally legal to use a GPS Tracker if you or the organization own the vehicle that is being tracked, or if you are the owner of the asset.
• It is also usually legal if you are tracking your child that is under the age of 18.
• Usually, it is legal to track a car or asset for legal repossession in the event of a loan or default.
• It is usually illegal to use a tracking device if you are not the owner of the vehicle or if you are tracking a boyfriend or girlfriend in their own car.

Laws in the state of Florida

The state of Florida has tracking laws that can be different from other states.

Florida established a new statute that makes it illegal for somebody to place a tracking device unless you are the owner of the vehicle.

The exception to this law is a parent who is the sole guardian of a child, or if both parents consent to place a tracking device to monitor their child.

Another exception to this law is a person with a disability. This can include an Alzheimer’s patient or somebody suffering from dementia.

Using a GPS Tracker illegally in Florida is a second-degree misdemeanor. This can lead to an excessive fine or up to six months of jail time.

It is very important to verify your state laws prior to placing the tracking device. Each state has unique laws so even though it may be completely legal in one state, it can potentially lead to jail time in another state.

The general rule of thumb is that if the vehicle is in completely in your name, you should be permitted to place a GPS Tracking device to monitor the vehicle. However, if you are placing the GPS Tracker on somebody else vehicle, it is most likely illegal and can result in a fine or possibly even jail time.

Again, these laws are state specific so it is very important to consult a lawyer prior to purchasing a tracking device. The laws are also constantly changing in every specific state in the U.S., and it is important to check your state laws before purchasing and activating any GPS Tracker.

Chicago speed limits vary, and on most city roads it is 30 mph. however, the interstate highways, but for the congested areas accept a 55 mph speed limit. In Chicago at a red light turning right after stopping when there is no oncoming traffic is permitted, yet ensure there are no restrictions posted. In case of doubts, patiently wait for the green. Cameras are installed at most major city intersections to catch drivers running red lights and are the cause to other infractions. Chicago is filled with several one-way streets, particularly in and around, surrounding the Loop, so it is very essential to look for alert signs and also for other cars.

Likewise, the laws for drunk-driving in Illinois is quite strict. Anyone caught with.08 or more blood-alcohol content while driving will have automatically his or her license seized, besides will be issued a ticket. In fact, the home states authorities will also get notified. Drivers having Illinois driver’s licenses may have their licenses suspended on the first offense for three months.

Traveling to Chicago indicates following several rules and one is the passengers must wear seat belts and even children under the age eight may wear the strap in the child-safety seats. This city also does not permit using cellular phones handheld devices and is considered illegal while driving in the city. Of course these restrictions are not the same in the suburbs, it varies. There is a must for the headlights in case you are using the windshield wipers. In Illinois the radar detectors are legal.

Visiting Chicago is interesting, if you are ready to walk short distances. Most tourist attractions are close by that it can be covered by walking or you can use public transportation. But, if you wish to drive here, you must be prepared to accept the rules of Chicago. However Chicago is relatively easy to find your way around as it is logically laid out city. Although there is traffic jams in rush hours and is frustrating as in other large cities, yet you have to accept the fact that the traffic runs smoothly at most day times. Chicagoans are always ready for unexpected delays and one thing is definite that throughout the summer and spring months at least few downtown street or one major highway is sure to go under repair. That is the reason it is commonly told that Chicago has two seasons, construction and winter.

Driving in Chicago, make sure to take a spin along the stretch between the Museum Campus and North Avenue as it is truly stunning. However, do not miss out the posted driving rules. Be prepared always for some taxi occasionally to cut or made an unexpected turn without giving any signal. Generally, on seeing yellow light, the drivers here take speed and so hearing to honking is common, especially if you fail to make a mad dash prior to the light turning red. As expected, the parking price is at premium and street parking throughout downtown is limited for 2 hours, but get a ticket from nominated pay box and stick it to your dashboard.