Posted on December 14, 2007 by Glen Neeley

Utah DUI Attorney

The question that was presented to me the other day was, "Why should I hire a Utah DUI Attorney, rather than an attorney that does all sorts of cases?"  I responded, with a question, "If you needed brain surgery, would you go to a general practitioner?"  Defending DUI has become a specialty that takes years of training and experience to properly defend a person properly.  To be a Utah DUI Attorney does not necessarily mean the attorney's practice is exclusively devoted to defending DUIs.  However, it should be pretty close.  A Utah DUI Attorney can be identified because he has certificates on his wall showing you that he has been to national seminars.  The Utah DUI Attorney will have a bookshelf in his office chalk full of how to defend DUIs in Utah.  The Utah DUI Attorney will not talk to you about plea bargain as your first option when you walk through the door.  The Utah DUI Attorney will not be cheap because he will do more work on the DUI case than the general practitioner. 

In shopping for a DUI lawyer, many people shop for the cheapest Utah DUI Attorney they can find.  The problem is that those people almost always regret it.  The biggest complaint I hear from people about their Utah DUI attorney is not that they lost my case.  The biggest complaint is that "my attorney didn't do anything.  He was the cheapest I could afford, but he would not take my case to trial." 

On a side note, when looking for a Utah DUI Attorney, make sure you ask the question to the attorney you are interviewing, "are you going to handle my case, or is there someone else that will handle the case like and associate."

Here are some key points in looking for a Utah DUI Attorney:
  • How many times does the attorney go to trial?
  • What type of seminars has the attorney attended in the last two years?
  • Has the attorney been certified in conducting Field Sobriety Tests?
  • Has the attorney completed any special training on the breath test instruments?
  • What does the attorney's study and what books are on his shelf in his office?
  • What does the attorney charge?
  • What do other attorney's say about the attorney?
  • What percentage of his practice is focused on DUIs?
Again, don't let a general practitioner do brain surgery.  If you need help with a personal injury, look for an attorney that specializes in personal injury.  If you need help with a divorce, look for an attorney that focuses on family law.  If you need help with a DUI, look for a Utah DUI Attorney.  It just makes good sense.
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Posted on August 24, 2007 by Glen Neeley

Utah DUI Fatalities are the highest in the Country

Utah had the biggest increase of alcohol-related deaths in 2006 and the UHP doesn't like that.  The UHP blames it on misleading statistics.  Imagine that, the statistics are misleading. 

"But before there is a public outcry, Utah Highway Patrol trooper Preston Raban said Utahns should know the statistics are a bit misleading."

Consider the following:
  • Whether alcohol caused the accident or not, if alcohol is smelled, it is reported as "alcohol related fatality."
  • If the person who was at fault in the accident was not impaired by alcohol in any way, but the other person smelled of alcohol, it is considered a "alcohol related fatality."
It's just like the college professors used to say..."there are lies, damn lies, and statistics."
Utah DUI deaths jump, but figure is misleading
By Pat Reavy
Deseret Morning News
Published: Aug. 21, 2007 12:14 a.m. MDT
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A report released Monday says Utah had the biggest increase in the United States last year in alcohol-related traffic deaths.

But before there is a public outcry, Utah Highway Patrol trooper Preston Raban said Utahns should know the statistics are a bit misleading.

"This is something we've dealt with every year with these reports. Because our numbers are so low, any increase is going to be a significant percentage," he said.

Raban said it is true that the number of people who died in alcohol-related accidents in Utah rose from 2005 to 2006 — by 18.

In 2005, there were 282 fatalities on Utah's roads, with 38 of them being alcohol-related. In 2006, there were 287 accidents, and 56 included alcohol as a factor.

"We are still the lowest in the nation when it comes to alcohol-related deaths, and Iowa is still second," he said.

The report by the U.S. Transportation Department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said alcohol-related fatalities rose 64 percent in Utah between 2005 and 2006, and 30 percent in Iowa. But because the actual numbers are so low, Raban said any increase will make the percentage jump look enormous.

The Transportation Department launched an $11 million media campaign Monday to combat the drunken-driving problem.
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