Recently, the Arizona Court of Appeals, Division One, issued an opinion regarding an Arizona statute requiring cars to stop at a red light. The opinion went beyond the traffic implications of this statute, delving into the question of what happens when an individual violates the statute and ends up causing…
Articles Posted in Traffic Stop
Why It’s Important to Understand DUI Stops, Even if You Weren’t Drinking
Nobody likes getting pulled over by the police, even when you haven’t done anything wrong. However, it’s easy to assume that, if you haven’t been drinking, you have nothing to worry about. That isn’t the case, as a recent Arizona appellate opinion illustrates. According to the court’s opinion, the defendant…
Court Affirms Six-Year Sentence for Drug Possession Following DUI Investigation
Recently, a state appellate court issued a hard-to-swallow opinion in an Arizona drug possession case. The case illustrates police officers’ power when conducting a traffic stop, especially while investigating DUI charges. The Facts of the Case According to the court’s opinion, two women were leaving a casino by car. A…
The Importance of Credibility in an Arizona DUI Case
One of the most important issues in many Arizona DUI cases is the credibility of the witnesses who take the stand. While some cases involve only police officer witnesses, other times the defendant decides to testify in their own defense or presents a defense witness. When the testimony of two…
Court Grants Prosecution’s Motion to Preclude Evidence in Recent Arizona DUI Case
Recently, a state appellate court issued an opinion in an Arizona DUI case, affirming the prosecution’s motion to preclude any evidence that led to the defendant’s stop. Ultimately, the court concluded that the lower court was proper to grant the prosecution’s motion, and affirmed the defendant’s conviction. The Facts of…
Court Grants Defendant’s Motion to Suppress in Arizona DUI Case Based on Dashcam Footage, Appellate Court Affirms
Earlier this month, a state appellate court issued an opinion affirming a trial court’s decision to grant a defendant’s motion to suppress in an Arizona DUI case. The case required the court to review the state’s claim that reasonable suspicion supported the traffic stop. After viewing dashcam footage from the…
Credibility in Arizona DUI Cases
One of the most important roles of a judge or jury overseeing an Arizona DUI case is to weigh a witnesses’ credibility. Not every witness is completely accurate in their recollection of the events they testify about. It may be that a witnesses’ memory is imperfect, or that they are…
Arizona DUI Arrests Over Memorial Day Weekend Show Year-Over-Year Increase
Law enforcement officers frequently focus their DUI enforcement efforts on long weekends and holidays under the assumption that people are more likely to drink and drive when they are out celebrating with friends and family. According to a recent news report, there were a total of 503 Arizona DUI arrests…
When Can an Officer Pull a Motorist Over Based on a Belief of Intoxication?
While getting pulled over may seem random – and indeed, sometimes it is – police officers are not permitted to pull motorists over for no reason. In fact, when a traffic stop is challenged, police officers must be able to articulate the reasons they relied upon for stopping a motorist.…
Court Discusses When Police Can Legally Stop a Motorist for Swerving in Recent Arizona DUI Case
Earlier this year, a state appellate court issued a written opinion in an Arizona DUI case, discussing when a police officer has cause to pull a motorist over for swerving. Ultimately, the court concluded that the defendant’s driving did warrant the officer’s traffic stop, and thus affirmed the denial of…