Reader’s Question:

I heard that my brother was required by court to have a course on victim impact panel because of his DUI case in Carson City, Nevada. What does this mean and is it possible for him to take this course online?

Princess
Carson City, NV

A Victim Impact Panel intends to show how DUI cases impact people. It would also give an outlet to victims of DUI for sharing their stories. Moreover, it could also help others in the community, which includes those who are DUI offenders, to gain a greater understanding of how serious the consequences of drinking and driving can be. This course mainly consists of video presentation which is designed to help show the impact of DUI’s on different people’s lives. After each of the videos, a series of questions should be to demonstrate participation and understanding of the presentations. The video presentations are personal stories shared by those impacted by DUI accidents.

If your brother was required by court to have a course on victim impact panel because of his DUI case in Carson City, Nevada, he would have to ask the court if he can take the course online. Most courts in the State of Nevada accept an online course, but we can’t say for all courts. The court may have referred him to a certain online course but he can contact his DUI lawyer or the court for further verification.

Tags: DUI, DUI lawyer, DUI penalties

Reader’s Question:

My sister has been recently arrested for DUI here in Paradise, Nevada but I haven’t gotten the chance to talk to her about it so I didn’t know the exact details of her case. But what if she was not read her Miranda rights, what can we do about that?

Edison

Paradise, NV

Your sister’s Miranda rights would only apply if a police officer tried to question her when she was under arrest or in custody. Once she had become the focus of the investigation, the officer should have read her Miranda rights prior to asking her any incriminating questions or interrogating her.

If the police officer in Paradise, Nevada asked your sister when she should have been read her Miranda rights, the only consequence is that those questions and answers would be suppressed in court (which means that her statements will be thrown out and cannot be used against her and the jury will never hear them). But if she testifies differently than what she told the police officer at the scene, her prior statements could be admissible in court in an attempt to impeach her testimony. Accordingly, a police officer could violate your sister’s rights and potentially still be able to use those statements against her. This would illustrate the need to hire a qualified DUI lawyer because your sister’s freedom is on the line.

Tags: drunk driving laws, DUI, DUI lawyer

READER QUESTION:

Does an AV rated Nevada DUI attorney cost more?

Allison

THANKS FOR YOUR QUESTION, ALLISON.

Well, an AV rated Nevada DUI attorney does typically cost more, but you have to think about this in terms of value and not just in sheer cost. Since these lawyers have been rated by their colleagues to be some of the best practictioners in their fields, that adds a new quality that you should take in mind when considering a lawyer based on price.

While in some cases you may be able to get a less qualified lawyer, when you have a complicated DUI case you should really consider hiring an AV rated Nevada DUI attorney. Yes, they cost more, but there are ways to work around this for many people. You can pay a certain amount every month, and you can also negotiate fees.

When deciding on hiring a lawyer, you should have all of the fees assessed before hand and make sure to ask questions when something seems to be missing. Get a fee agreement in writing, and also be sure that you know about hidden costs like filing fees. You should budget these along with the costs for tickets, higher insurance, and so on.

–Fashun.

The Nevada DWI attorney cost is something that you should talk about when you go to your first consultation. In your consultation, there are many things which you can find out. For one, you need to determine how your lawyer is paid. Some are paid a certain rate an hour, and this can be the cheapest way if you have a simple case, but the more difficult it gets the higher your price goes because the more time has to be dedicated to it. Otherwise, they could ask you to pay a single rate for everything, which doesn’t change. Compare prices and go with the best one, while considering other factors as well.

In your consultation, your attorney (or possible attorney) can explain to you what the charges against you mean, and where you could possibly end up. After becoming more knowledgeable of all of this, you will know whether for sure you really need a DWI lawyer or not. If not, then with the information you received in the consultation, you could go on to represent yourself.