DUI Category Archives — Tennessee Trial Lawyers Blog Published by Nashville Trial Lawyers — Tennessee Litigation Attorneys

Tennessee Implied Consent Law

February 6, 2023 | by Freeman & Fuson

Under TCA 55-10-406 any person driving a motor vehicle in Tennessee is deemed to have given implied consent to a breath test, a blood test, or both to determine the person’s alcohol or drug content of their blood. A refusal to submit to one of these tests is a civil rather than criminal offense. Therefore, drivers cannot be punished with jail time but will face mandatory suspension periods of their driver’s license.

The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals clarified that “consent” under the implied consent statute is not voluntary consent to search but consent to certain consequences if permission to search is withheld from a driver. State v. Henry, 539 S.W.3d 223, 246 (Tenn. Crim. App. 2017).

Breath and blood tests are treated differently in Tennessee, so there are different standards and procedures prior to administering one of these tests.

The Fight is Not Over: Post-Conviction Relief Part III

March 20, 2017 | by Freeman & Fuson

Time is of the Essence

Aside from very limited exceptions enumerated within the post-conviction statute and discussed below, a person in custody under a sentence of a court of this state (Tennessee) must petition for post-conviction relief under this part within one (1) year of the date of the final action of the highest state appellate court to which an appeal is taken or, if no appeal is taken, within one (1) year of the date on which the judgment became final, or consideration of the petition shall be barred. The statute of limitations shall not be tolled for any reason, including any tolling or saving provision otherwise available at law or equity. Time is of the essence of the right to file a petition for post-conviction relief or motion to reopen established by this chapter, and the one-year limitations period is an element of the right to file the action and is a condition upon its exercise. Tenn. Code Ann. 40-30-102(a).

Exceptions to the 1 year Requirement

Body Cameras in Nashville: Costly But Necessary

March 20, 2017 | by Freeman & Fuson

Metro Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson recently proposed a $50.1 million plan to purchase body cameras for all 1,440 of the city’s police officers and to install new dash cameras on 880 department vehicles. Although Mayor Barry has been a staunch supporter of body cameras, she raised concerns at the hearing on March 16, 2017. Her concerns were centered on the cost of this proposal in light of similar programs implemented in other states that were far less costly. Despite Mayor Barry’s concerns, Chief Anderson appears to be of the mindset that if the department is going to do it, it better be done right, and the cameras must be working at all times in order to insure public confidence.

Police body cameras, which provide video footage of arrests and encounters between police and civilians, are considered one way to reduce the potential for police misconduct. These cameras could also aid persons who are criminally charged in presenting a defense in addition to rebutting an officer’s testimony. On the flip side, the State could benefit from the video footage if it is relevant to the case and use it against the defendant at trial. For example, in a driving under the influence (DUI) case, the reason why the driver was stopped often becomes an issue. Common reasons for a traffic stop include following too closely, swerving over a traffic line, failure to come to a complete stop at a stop sign or running a red light. These “stop” issues, which fall under the probable cause standard, could be simplified by the video footage. In addition, incidents involving police officers using force or a citizen resisting arrest could also be clarified by video that will be preserved under this proposed plan.

To date, this proposed plan and its funding is essentially a work in progress, and we will keep you apprised of its progress and implementation. When and if the body and vehicle camera program is implemented, it will be a game changer in future criminal cases.

The Fight is Not Over: Post-Conviction Relief Part I

February 13, 2017 | by Freeman & Fuson

If you have been convicted of a crime and your appeal has been denied, the fight is not over. At trial and on appeal, you have the right to effective assistance of counsel in your case. A denial of the Sixth Amendment right to the effective assistance of counsel is simultaneously a denial of the right to be heard by counsel, as provided under Article 1, section 9 of the Constitution of Tennessee. Baxter v. Rose, 523 S.W.2d. 930(Tenn. 1975). Tennessee provides an avenue for relief within Tennessee Code Annotated section 40-30-101 et. seq. If you are victorious, your conviction could be set aside and a new trial granted.

In a post-conviction relief proceeding when the effectiveness and competency of one’s counsel is challenged, the petitioner must show that his counsel’s work was not “within the range of competence demanded of attorney’s in criminal cases,” Baxter v. Rose, 523 S.W.2d. 930, at 936 (Tenn. 1975); Tidwell v. State, 922 S.W.2d. 497, at 500 (Tenn. 1996), and that his case was prejudiced as a result of counsel’s ineffectiveness. Strickland v. Washington, 466 U.S. 668, 687-697, 104 S.Ct. 2052, 2064-2069, 80 L. Ed. 2d. 674 (1984).

Deficient Performance

Surviving CMA Fest: 8 Tips From A Criminal Defense Attorney

June 9, 2016 | by Freeman & Fuson

Nashville is set to host its summer tradition of CMA Fest, which will welcome over one hundred and fifty thousand country music fans to the downtown area. With such a concentration of people to the downtown area, the Nashville Metropolitan Police will also be out in large numbers.

As native Nashvillians, we know this event can be a great time to enjoy the best country music in the world. However, your weekend can get ruined in no time with one wrong decision. As criminal defense attorneys, we get a lot of calls after CMA Fest has ended from people who are arrested or cited and are being forced to make an unplanned trip back to the Music City.

To help you avoid getting in trouble at CMA Fest and having to make this unexpected trip back to Nashville, we have compiled a list of 8 tips to help you have a safe and incident free 2016 CMA Fest.

For Bonnaroo Goers: Small Infractions Can Lead To Big Charges

June 11, 2014 | by Freeman & Fuson

Every year around this time our firm gets a flood of calls from people who receive criminal charges while on their way to or while leaving Bonnaroo. They have ranged from simple possession and paraphernalia to felony drug charges. Regardless, each call starts out the same, “I was pulled over for…..”, which leads to their car getting searched and ultimately them leaving with a court date they had not planned for. So in preparation for this annual event, we at Freeman & Fuson have compiled a list of the top 5 reasons we have seen for Bonnaroo patrons getting pulled over and the counties they seem to occur in the most.

1. Speeding (TCA §55-8-152) – This may seem obvious, but many people who are on their way to Bonnaroo are in a rush to get there. Speeding is an easy way to get your car pulled over and give the officer a chance to make contact. The easy advice is to set your cruise control and keep a look out for the posted limits.

2. Following too Closely (TCA §55-8-124) – Getting pulled over for following to close to the car in front of you may be the most subjective reason on the list, but it is one we have seen each Bonnaroo season with more frequency. Make sure you keep plenty of distance between you and the car in front so that this is not even an option for an officer to pull you over.

Anchor Down: Tennessee Laws On Boating Under the Influence

April 14, 2014 | by Freeman & Fuson

With Summer right around the corner there’s no doubt many of you will be looking to hit the waterways. With that in mind, it may be a good time to remind everyone of the drinking and boating laws in Tennessee. Boating under the Influence is covered under Tenn. Code Ann. § 69-9-217 and states:

It is unlawful for any person to operate a vessel subject to registration on public waters of the state while under the influence of any intoxicant, marijuana, narcotic drug or drug producing stimulating effects on the central nervous system or while have blood alcohol content of .08% or more..

Boating under the influence is not limited to just boats that have a motor, but includes any type of watercraft that is required to be registered under Tennessee law. Boating under the Influence as a first time offense is considered a Class A Misdemeanor and can carry the following penalties:

Forced Blood Testing in Tennessee: Tenn. Code Ann. 55-10-406 (f) amended January 1, 2012

May 8, 2012 | by Freeman & Fuson

House Bill 0715 amended Tenn. Code Ann. 55-10-406 (f) Tennessee Blood Testing and Implied Consent Law to add additional ways the State of Tennessee can take your blood without your consent for the purpose of determining blood alcohol content. These new laws became effective January 1, 2012. http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/107/Bill/HB0715.pdf.

Originally, according to Tenn. Code Ann. 55-10-406 (f), if a law enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that the driver of a motor vehicle involved in an accident resulting in the injury or death of another has committed a violation of § 39-13-213(a)(2), § 39-13-218, or § 55-10-401 the officer shall cause the driver to be tested for the purpose of determining the alcohol or drug content of the driver’s blood.

In addition to the original section (f), amended sections (2) and (3) state that if a police officer in Tennessee has probable cause that you have been drinking and driving, and one of the following factors exist, the officer “shall” cause the driver to be tested for the purpose of determining the alcohol o1 drug content of the driver’s blood:

DUI and Prescription Meds: Not What the Doctor Ordered

February 14, 2010 | by Freeman & Fuson

Well, simply put, you can get charged and even convicted of driving under the influence (DUI) without having a drop of alcohol in your system. And even worse, you may not even realize that the prescription medication is causing the same type of side effects that police commonly confuse with being under the influence of alcohol. And if you take your medication and have a glass of wine with dinner, you may be in for a rude awakening.

Almost everyone reading this has taken prescription medication. All medication directs the manner it should be taken, however often times people do not realize the true side effects of the medication. Also, some medications cause different side effects when mixed with other medications. Things like glassy eyes, slurred speech, unsteadiness on feet, and other side effects are common buzz words for police when they think someone is under the influence. People taking pain killers like lortab driving around “under the unfluence” completely unaware of risks. Although these are narcotics and most doctors advise you to stay off the road when taking them, other medications for things like blood pressure and anxiety are not so obvious. And when confronted by a police officer whose job is to seek out people driving under the influence, one can quickly find themselves in the cross hairs of a DUI taskforce cop following a pen and walking a line.

Folks, I have represented several people charged with DUI who did not take a sip of alcohol. Don’t let it happen to you.

SEATBELTS: Not just for safety anymore…

January 26, 2009 | by Freeman & Fuson

I want you to think about your seatbelt for one minute. Clearly it could save your life, but it could also help you avoid a DUI. One thing I want everyone to be aware of are the police officers looking for people without their seatbelt after hours. Although it is very unlikely that you would ever be pulled over for “driving without your seatbelt” during the daytime, it is the perfect tool for police officers to begin their DUI investigation of people driving after hours. If you are pulled over and have not had anything to drink, the officer will likely give you a warning and send you on your way. If you smell like alcohol or have the typical indicators of intoxication, you could be looking at a charge of DUI and a night in jail.

Simply put: Wear your seatbelts! This simple two second action could help you avoid a DUI. It could also save your life!

Your friend and attorney,