Did you know you could get a driving under the influence (DUI) charge for operating a vehicle after using marijuana in Arizona? It doesn’t matter if you’re one of the thousands of people who now have a medical prescription for the drug.
In December 2016, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that the courts cannot convict medical marijuana users of driving under the influence (DUI) without proof of actual impairment. This was a major step forward for marijuana patients in the state, who had previously faced the burden of having to prove they were not impaired to defend against a DUI conviction.
It’s reasonable to assume you cannot get a driving under the influence (DUI) charge in Arizona if you aren’t driving. After all, the nature of the charge is in the name; if you aren’t driving, how could you possibly be “driving under the influence”?
Huge government surveillance programs have been the subject of many media stories and political debates in recent years, but Arizona residents may be unfamiliar with one of the latest forms of electronic surveillance used by federal law enforcement agencies. A report released recently by several civil rights groups reveals that government agents are now able to install malicious software on the computers of hundreds or even thousands of individuals suspected of being involved in illegal activity without first obtaining search warrants.
If you have been charged with a DUI for the first time, you may be surprised when the prosecutors offer you a plea deal. This lets prosecutors avoid the effort and expense of going to trial. As a defendant, you should not rely on a prosecutor’s explanation or assume that he or she has your best interests in mind.
