Gordon Thompson
The Scottsdale Police Department has reopened its jail to allow DUI defendants to serve one or two day sentences in their jail. The Jail will accept sentences imposed by most courts and not just the Scottsdale Municipal Court. The current jail capacity is limited to 8 defendants per day. The current cost is $250 plus…
On July 22, 2020, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors approved a home detention program for defendants who are sentenced to jail on cases prosecuted in the Maricopa County Justice Courts. Under Arizona law a defendant may serve a misdemeanor DUI sentence on home detention or with continuous alcohol monitoring instead of jail if the…
UPDATE: Passed 7/22/20, see my blog post. Arizona law allows permits municipalities and counties to establish home detention programs for defendants convicted in their courts of DUI and other misdemeanor criminal offenses. The laws require defendants to serve the first 20% of the sentence in jail, and the balance on home detention or on what…
Does Arizona law require a driver to be sentenced to a mandatory minimum of 4 months in the Department of Corrections for a 1st offense, non-accident, regular DUI occurring on a city street, when aggravating factors such as a minor child in the vehicle or the driver’s having a suspended license are not present, and…
In 2019 the Arizona Legislature passed a new law which now requires those convicted of Arizona DUI Alcohol to complete alcohol counseling prior to fully reinstating their Arizona driver’s license or privilege to drive. The law, 2019 Arizona Session Laws, Chap. 309, implements this requirement by stating that if an interlock is required by conviction,…
Over the course of more than three decades as a criminal defense attorney, I have made it my business to learn and anticipate possible issues and problems that people facing criminal charges, and particularly DUI charges, might have. This is certainly true during the case, but I believe it is my duty also to help…
This Arizona DUI Information Guide by Individual Court is intended to provide you with the same practical information DUI Attorneys use to get the best possible result for their clients when someone is charged with a misdemeanor DUI. The Guide describes the nuts and bolts of the process from arrest through sentencing and the consequences…
Under current Arizona law (as of 7/6/18) in addition to other MVD licensing sanctions, a driver found guilty of an Arizona DUI is subject to discretionary driver improvement actions imposed by the MVD. The current practice of the MVD is to impose discretionary actions based on the points assessment system. DUI is an 8-point…
Current Arizona law (as of 6/28/18) prohibits the holder of a commercial driver’s license (CDL) from doing the defensive driving program (DDP) to remove an alleged traffic offense from their driver’s record. 2018 Arizona Session Laws Chap. 322, amends 28 A.R.S. § 3392, to permit a CDL driver who is otherwise eligible to complete DDP…
Under current Arizona law a police officer is required to impound a motor vehicle in several circumstances including when the driver’s driving privilege is suspended or revoked for any reason. If a vehicle is impounded it can be a major problem for the owner because the vehicle be can held for 30 days and…