If you have been charged with DUI/DWI/OUI anywhere in Massachusetts, you should know your rights and retained an experienced and skilled defense lawyer to evaluate your case. Penalties for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) are very serious and can include jail time, fines, outpatient and in-patient treatment programs, and a lengthy driver's license suspension. Even when you eventually are eligible to get your driver's license back, you could end up paying thousands of dollars in high-risk insurance premiums. If you are convicted of a second OUI offense, you face a 60-day mandatory minimum jail sentence or a 14-day in-patient treatment program.

Massachusetts' Drunk Driving Laws - Melanie's Law

Like most states, "drunk-driving" laws in Massachusetts change frequently. DUI/OUI/DWI arrests are up in Massachusetts since the passage of "Melanie's Law," which substantially increased the penalties for DUI or OUI convictions. The consequences for refusing a Breathalyzer test increased as well, with more severe license suspensions and increased penalties for offenders with past DUI convictions. Following the passage of "Melanie's Law," Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly called upon Attorney Yannetti to discuss the effect of the new law from a criminal defense perspective. Read Melanie's Law Could Lead to More OUI Trials Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, Nov. 7, 2005.

Contact me before subjecting yourself to tough penalties. I am experienced DUI/OUI defense lawyer David Yannetti. I will be happy to discuss your rights with you, and to tell you how I can help you.

DUI / OUI - Drunk Driving Charges: What's Involved

As a former prosecutor, I know that the police gather evidence for potential DUI/OUI cases in several different ways.  Before ever pulling you over, a police officer will want to witness your driving, and report back to the court if you were weaving, or speeding or driving in some other unsafe manner.  Once you are pulled over, the officer will be watching you like a hawk.  Any delay in having your license and registration ready could be reported as a "fumbling for a driver's license."  If you have been seated in your car while driving for awhile, and hold onto the car door while getting out, the officer may report that you needed to lean on the door for support because you appeared "unsteady" on your feet.  The officer will likely shine a light into your eyes and report that your eyes appeared "bloodshot and glassy."  These elements of a police report are quite common, and standard-fare in a typical OUI police report.  Attorney Yannetti has handled hundreds of DUI/OUI/DWI cases in his eighteen years practicing criminal law.  He is well versed in cross-examining police officers to blunt the impact of such testimony.

Challenging the Evidence in a DUI/OUI Case

Even if you have "failed" a Breathalyzer test, there are ways to fight a DUI charge in court. There are certain regulations with which the police must be comply before administering a Breathalyzer test. Attorney Yannetti has researched and thoroughly understands those regulations, so he will be able to advise you regarding the validity of the test that you took.  Attorney Yannetti has successfully filed motions to suppress breathalyzer test results.  He has also successfully challenged motor vehicle stops themselves, via motions to dismiss DUI cases entirely. Attorney Yannetti has regularly taken DUI cases to trial and secured "not guilty" verdicts for clients.  While of course each case is different and no attorney can guarantee any particular result for a client, Attorney Yannetti has the proper experience to handle every aspect of DUI/OUI/DWI/drunk-driving defense.  Whether the scenario involved an accident, a Breathalyzer test failure and/or incriminating statements made to law enforcement, you should still get the proper advice from an experienced and competent attorney before resolving your OUI case.  Attorney Yannetti's trial skills are unsurpassed when it comes to defending his client's DUI cases.

In addition to aggressive defense in DUI cases, I also provide comprehensive defense representation to clients charged with:

• Vehicular Homicide for causing an accident while driving drunk which results in death
• Vehicular Assault in connection with a drunk driving accident resulting in serious injury
• Child Endangerment while driving drunk
• OUI / DUI while license is suspended for drunk driving
• Other alcohol-related motor vehicle offenses

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To learn more about drunk driving laws and criminal defense strategies, visit our DUI Information Center.