Valentine’s Day may not be on your radar just yet, but it’s only a few weeks away. If you want to impress your partner with your forethought and ability to plan an amazing night out, you really should start thinking about making plans.

Whether you decide on an intimate dinner for two or a loud, raucous night on the town, one thing that surely won’t impress your significant other is your earning a driving under the influence charge. There is no quicker way to ruin your night than being pulled over — and possibly arrested — by the police. The good news is that you can avoid it. Here’s how:

1. Stay In

Who says you have to make a big splash in downtown Philly for the evening? It may be far more romantic to cook a dinner for two at home, share a bottle of wine and settle in for a great movie.… Read More

The New Year has begun and you made a decision to start it off right. You’ve made a resolution to stop drinking. Whether you’ve done it because you were drinking a bit too much or simply to become a healthier version of you, it’s a resolution that can be hard to stick with. Here are some tips to help you out.

1. Dry January

Participate in dry January. Giving yourself a goal of not drinking for 30 days is far more attainable than saying you won’t drink forever. Once you hit the 30 day mark, studies show that you have developed new habits and will find it easier to say no to a drink in the future.

Even if you find yourself accepting a drink and falling off the wagon so-to-speak, you can get right back on. Don’t think of yourself as a failure because you didn’t make it to 30 days.… Read More

A magistrate in Pennsylvania is accused of drunk driving and plans to apply for the state’s program for first-time offenders. According to reports, the 29-year-old district judge will apply to the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program. The program gives first-time offenders the chance to avoid jail time and have their records wiped clear of the DUI charges.

The Program’s Purpose

People make mistakes and many believe that a single bad decision should not ruin a person’s life. Such is the purpose of the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program. When an offender successfully completes the program, they avoid jail and are given the opportunity to clear their record of the current charges. The program not only works to benefit the offender, but the already overloaded dockets as well. When a person applies to and is accepted in the program, they avoid trials and other court proceedings.

Admission Into the Program

Admission into the program is not guaranteed.… Read More

Tiger Woods typically makes the news because of his play on the green. This time, he’s made headlines due to choices he made before getting behind the wheel of his vehicle. Last month, Woods was arrested and charged with being under the influence of prescription drugs while sleeping behind the wheel.

According to reports, officers located Woods stopped in the right lane of a street, car running, flat tires and other damage, and Woods was sleeping. When officers woke him up, Woods did not know where he was. He was asked to perform field sobriety tests and he refused. Officers administered a breathalyzer and results showed that the pro golfer had no alcohol in his system.

While Woods’ arrest is disheartening to his fans and others, there are three lessons that we can all learn.

1. Driving Under the Influence Doesn’t Always Mean “Drunk”

There are laws in the books in every state against drugged driving.… Read More

A judge in the Berks County magisterial district was recently arrested for driving under the influence and careless driving. Reading police say they received a call complaining about a car swerving into oncoming traffic while it was driving down Kutztown Road and North Ninth Street, both within city limits. When the police pulled her over, they noticed she was likely intoxicated.

The responding officers said they could smell alcohol on her breath. When they conducted field sobriety tests, they determined she may have been driving under the influence. As such, they arrested the judge and took her to the Penn State St. Joseph Medical Center. There, a blood test revealed her blood alcohol content was .188 percent. The legal limit in Pennsylvania is 0.08 percent.

Before the DUI

Before the judge got behind the wheel, she was allegedly drinking at a bar in Muhlenberg Township. At one point in the night, she placed her head on the bar to rest.… Read More

Did you go out with the thousands of others in Philadelphia on St. Patrick’s Day? If you were one of the lucky ones, you made it home without incident. If you weren’t, you found yourself busted for driving under the influence. There were undoubtedly a million thoughts running through your head once you were able to get home and now that you are safely sitting on your own couch, you are wondering what to do next. Here are five things you can do right now.

1. Take Notes

Write down everything that you remember; details are important in a DUI case. What time were you pulled over? Where were you stopped? Write down what the officer asked and how you replied. Make note of any tests that you were administered. Don’t share your notes with anyone but the attorney you hire.

2. Go Private

Deleting information from your social media accounts can result in a tampering with evidence charge in some cases.… Read More

Conviction or not, one of the first emotions people feel when they are arrested and charged with DUI is fear. The fear is generally of the unknown. What is going to happen? What comes next? What will friends and family think? Is everyone going to find out? All of these questions run through a person’s mind, and they tend to run through the mind in a sort of jumble. There is little doubt that being arrested for any crime is stressful, especially if a person has never been on the wrong side of the law before.

In the days following an arrest, emotions become less sharp and other questions begin to surface. It is not unusual for people to begin looking toward both the immediate and distant future. People begin to wonder what will happen to life as they know it if they are convicted. One of the biggest concerns is their ability to maintain their job.… Read More

Being arrested for driving under the influence is undoubtedly stressful. Your mind races with questions and concerns, and you aren’t exactly sure what to do next. There are steps to take after a DUI arrest that can better prepare you for what lies ahead. Read on to discover what you should do after your arrest.

2. Emotionally Prepare Yourself

What’s done is done. Now you have to take a deep breath and prepare yourself. Many people who are arrested for DUI experience feelings of embarrassment, desperation and shame. The thought of telling family members and even co-workers about your arrest can cause anxiety. These feelings are not unusual. In fact, they are experienced by almost everyone who is arrested. Now is the time to get ready for the emotions you will be dealing with.

2. Know That You Aren’t Alone

It may feel like you are the only person in the world dealing with your issues, but you aren’t.… Read More

A Philadelphia man has found himself under arrest and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after he drove his car into a home in the Oxford Circle area.

According to authorities, the accident occurred just after 7:00 p.m., when a man driving a 2012 black Nissan was traveling at a high rate of speed.

The 33-year-old driver lost control of his vehicle and landed on the lawn of a property in the 6400 block of Algon Avenue before it struck the house.

Law enforcement officials indicate that the driver, whose identity has not been released, suffered bruises to his arms and legs. The home suffered structural damage from the accident. A woman who was home at the time of the crash suffered no injury.

Police arrested the man on the charge of DUI.

There are serious penalties if you are convicted of DUI or DWI in the state of Pennsylvania.… Read More

Driving under the influence in Pennsylvania can have a high cost in terms of potential harm to human lives, but it also carries with a quite literal penalties and costs if you are arrested. People worried about getting a DUI or who have just gotten their first one may wonder exactly what the damage is in terms of dollars and cents.

On paper, laying out such numbers would seem easy, but in real life the costs are much more wide-ranging. Some even estimate that the first time costs to be in excess of five figures when factoring in costs like court fees and increased insurance premiums.

These prohibitive costs illustrate why not driving under the influence is so important and also why hiring a Pennsylvania DUI lawyer could pay off if you can get your charges reduced or dropped.

Fines and fees for a first-time DUI offense in Pennsylvania

Looking just at the laws on the books, Pennsylvania has a $300 minimum fine for first-time DUI offenders.… Read More