Month: October 2015
TN license revocation can create hard-to-escape debt whirlpool
There are plenty of situations that can lead to a person having a driver’s license revoked. As we noted in a post in January, a first-time charge of driving under the influence can result in steep fines and significant jail time. And then there’s the separate process under which the Tennessee Department of Safety revokes your
The magic numbers of DUI
Many police officers are very professional and work hard to perform their job well. But, in the real world, some are better than others. When a driver is stopped in Chattanooga on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol, the officer can carefully note the condition of the driver, their behavior, their competency in
The standard, after all, is reasonable doubt
When the police arrest a driver and charge them with a DUI, the unstated premise that many people accept is that they must be guilty. After all, they were arrested and the police would not arrest someone who is not guilty? Right? Sadly, this is not always the case. Sometimes the police make mistakes. Sometimes
The danger of exceptions to the Fourth Amendment
The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is clear. It states that the people have a right to be “secure” from unreasonable searches and seizures. It says this right “shall not be violated.” The word “shall” is important. Shall in English is known as an “imperative,” and in law, anytime shall is used, it means
Twice daily breath tests help drivers remain sober
Different states have tried differing methods of dealing with drunk driving. Tennessee, like many states, relies on incarceration and fines as a primary means of deterring drunk driving. This system has been modestly effective at deterring some people from intoxicated driving, but it has its limits. As headlines that tout some drivers’ multiple arrests make clear, throwing