The US statistics reveal that more than 25% of all traffic-related fatalities are caused by drivers under alcohol influence, causing about thirty road users to lose their lives every day. Driving under the influence is a misdemeanor or felony (depending on your state), attracting penalties harsher than a suspended license.
Indeed, a DUI should not be taken lightly, and visit this site which explains why you need drastic steps to deal with the situation. If you’ve ever been arrested and charged with a normal DUI or DUI manslaughter, you may be familiar with its consequences. However, these steps will be essential when you need to help yourself or another person who’s been charged.
Seek legal counsel immediately
This is the most critical step to take after you’ve been arrested and charged with a DUI. Criminal Defense Lawyers are skilled in handling matters of this nature, making it essential to leverage their services. They will help you obtain the necessary police reports and explain the content and implications in a manner that a non-legal mind will understand. They also possess an incredible knowledge of gathering and analyzing evidence to present the best defense possible. Their extensive knowledge of the law puts a DUI Lawyer in the best possible position to help you with the least penalty for your DUI, which is a felony charge.
Request a DMV Hearing
The department of motor vehicles is a government agency at the state level responsible for licensing and registration of drivers and vehicles, respectively. On many occasions, persons arrested for DUI may have their driving license seized by the arresting officer after a breath test or a refusal to get checked. However, because your license has most likely been taken away from you, you need to request a DMV hearing.
You have only seven days (from the day of arrest) to contact the DMV, making it necessary to do so earlier. The agency will also issue you a provisional driving permit to last for sixty days. In some instances, the temporary driving permit will last until your hearing date.
Get a copy of the police report
When you get arrested for a DUI, the officer responsible will provide a written arrest report that includes other information you provide them with. Unfortunately, there have been instances where an officer deliberately or erroneously includes biased information or omits vital details in the written report. That explains why it is critical to have an eyewitness account or an accurate record of how things happened.
Write down or record your account
Are you aware that winning or losing your DUI case depends on the details, regardless of how insignificant they may seem to you? Writing down or recording your side of events before, during, and after the arrest is significant to your case development. Remember that criminal defense lawyers will need unadulterated details of your story to build a solid case.
Therefore, it’s best not to include sloppy and false details to prevent complications. Your best bet is to remain true to the events as they happened without altering the facts. For example, you should write down the following as part of your account:
Breath test details (if you allowed it)
Description of conversation with the arresting officer
When and where you were stopped.
Prepare for your court appearance
Preparing for your court appearance is more than just showing up in person. Before the designated day, your defense lawyer will brief you on what to expect and how to present your case. Additionally, with your legal counsel, you need to plan whether to plead guilty or not. Do not forget to go along with every relevant document required of you at the court.
Keep in mind that you have more work to prove your case when you plan to plead not guilty. That undoubtedly includes more prep work. Indeed, once you have your defense attorney, it wouldn’t be your full responsibility to prepare. As legal professionals, they will know how to begin the preparations, which includes the following:
Witness account(s)
Additional vivid recollections from you
Proof of what you drunk or were intoxicated with.
It’s best to do all you can to prove your case together with your defense attorney, especially if there’s a good reason. DUI is not a charge you can toy with because it can impact your employability and get on your record for life. Moreover, not many employers would like to hire employees with a criminal record. Even in the worst cases, you could lose your driving license for years. Hopefully, you’ll take these steps to build a solid defense and clear your record.
Your kids going to college is one of the bittersweet moments of any parents’ life. While you might be more proud than you could ever imagine, you’re also worried about how they will cope in the big world all by themselves. Of course, there are thighs you can do before they go to college that will prepare them, and this includes everything from knowing how to stand out to how to stay sensible.
Know How to Stand Out
You can help your child prepare for college before they even get accepted to any specific school. For many, this could be what gives them the edge over other applicants, and services such as college consulting will allow them to stand out from the crowd and hit the ground running once they arrive. If you or your partner never went to college, these services can be vital for helping your teen understand what’s expected of them and how to make sure they can handle the work (and the freedom) that often trips unprepared college students up.
Learn Some Independence and Responsibility
Going off to college is often a child’s first taste of freedom, which can go one of two ways. Either they take their freedom for granted, or they understand how to have fun and stay on course. Before they pack their life away and move into a campus dorm, you can encourage them to get a summer job to teach them responsibility and earn some money so that they have some financial independence, as well as an idea of what a career could be, for the semester and beyond.
Encourage Them to Socialize
Back in the day, college students showed up at their dorm and introduced themselves to their roommate for the first time. But, this is not the case any longer. Social media will give your teen the chance to chat with other freshmen starting at the same time. Some colleges will use Facebook or other platforms to put people in touch with one another so they can learn a little about other students, giving them a fledgling network of fellow students (who could become friends) before they even arrive.
Remind Them You’re Just a Phone Call Away
You might be freaking out about your child heading off to college, and although they are putting on a brave face, they might be equally as terrified. They might get cold feet on the day of the big move, so you must be strong and remind them that you’re just a phone call away. You won’t be able to solve all of their problems, but you can offer advice whenever they need you, and this can be enough to encourage them to follow through with their college career and feel confident.
Life’s Next Step
While not everyone will (or should) go to college, there is a significant portion of the teen population that will, and they will have the time of their lives. But, as it is the first taste of freedom for many, there’s a risk of struggling to maintain a routine. By helping them prepare for college, you can send them off ready to succeed, and set them up for life, too.
Divorces are a common experience throughout the world and stand at 2.7 per 1000 people in the USA. Nowadays, no one ever gets surprised when they hear a friend or an acquaintance is getting divorced.
However, it’s a confusing season full of anger, resentment, and pain when it happens to you. You never really know how to handle the conflicting emotions and still live everyday life.
When you have kids, it gets even more confusing because you have to think about their well-being and comfort before your needs. Studies show that you might not fully find the happiness you are looking for through divorce, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try to find yourself if you feel trapped or unfulfilled in marriage. Divorce can be a complicated process full of many legal disputes, so seeking help from professionals like Bethesda divorce lawyers can be necessary.
Before going ahead with the divorce, here are some things to think about critically
The Property Division
One of the issues that make divorce complicated is the division of property. If you have acquired a lot of property as a family, you can decide to share equally. However, when you disagree, legal assistance from an experienced attorney for divorcemay be necessary.
Note that you’re not entitled to share if you had properties before the marriage but only what you have acquired together.
When both of you are interested in particular properties and cannot agree on division, the court chooses the best person to acquire them. Still, it considers other aspects such as the comfort of the children, each partner’s financial stability, and whether there was domestic abuse in the relationship. In some cases, property liquidation may be the only solution. In situations like these, finding a good phoenix az divorce attorney or wherever you live will help ensure a smoother, less stressful process for you and your family.
If you’re the primary caregiver, some assets such as your home might end up in your name because the court process prioritizes the children’s stability, but this decision is not always definite.
Other things to consider are the division of money in bank accounts and business assets you have acquired together. Another common issue is dividing retirement accounts in a divorce.
To make the process peaceful, fast, and satisfactory, look at the stability of the children without making the divorce a battle to win against the other partner. It’s always best, faster, and cheaper to have an out-of-court settlement.
The Welfare of the Children
Understand that you are the one getting divorced, and your children still love you and your partner equally. It’s a devastating moment for them because they wouldn’t want to take sides or lose any of you.
Most children going through divorce confess that they would want their parents to stay together, love, and be happy as a family if they had a choice.
As parents, understanding that as much as you’re getting divorced, you’ll still have to raise the children together and come up with a plan that will work for everyone without affecting the welfare of the children.
As you go your separate ways, consider the stability of the children and settle for solutions that favor them. You’ll have to figure out how to break the news to them but make it clear that you both love them and will always be a family- they can see any parent anytime they want.
However, you’ll have to agree on who’ll be the primary caregiver and how/when the other parent can access them. At the start, try to maintain a regular schedule where the kids can freely access both parents. It can be helpful to contact Denver Divorce Lawyers, or lawyers closer to your area, who are able to draw up a legal custody agreement to prevent conflict over these decisions. Additionally, they can do a deeper search into what will be best for the children and prevent thee findings to a court.
This will make them feel secure and not get adversely affected by the divorce. However, it’s best to protect the children when there’s domestic and substance abuse from one of the parents.
To make the divorce less painful for the kids, it’s best when you let them stay in your home and don’t change their school or home environment. A drastic change where the children don’t see one of the parents or move abroad and start a new life can adversely affect them emotionally and psychologically.
Many kids often think that they are the cause of their parent’s separation and divorce and will carry the guilt with them. However, when their schedule doesn’t change, they quickly adapt to the new life and even enjoy having two homes.
Your Emotions
As earlier mentioned, divorce doesn’t always guarantee happiness, safety, or contentment. Even if you’re the one pushing for the divorce, you’ll still have to deal with sadness, loneliness, anxiety, and emptiness. When you’re used to a particular way of life, it takes time to adjust. When not sure of the future, it can lead to anxiety, confusion, and depression.
Even when you want to get away from your partner, there are still some old feelings that will crop up now and then, making you doubt your actions. Critically think whether you want a divorce or instead work through your differences.
However, if you’re in an abusive relationship, your partner is cheating, or there’s no fulfillment, starting a new life is the best decision for you. You need to build a supportive community around you that can build you up and help you set clear boundaries. In addition, they will help you find yourself again, your hobbies, and your sense of identity. It might take a while before you fully get the past behind you, but with the right people around you, it will be easier.
Let Go of Anger and Resentment
Anger is a familiar feeling when going through a divorce. When you feel wronged, you’ll quickly resent your partner or be angry. Understand that the more you’re mad at your partner, the more you think about them and get depressed, affecting your physical and emotional health.
Learn how to let go of anger and if you find it hard, get counseling and learn how to forgive and move on. Forgiving enables you to live a happier life opening up better opportunities in your future. Also, you’ll be able to find love faster without trust or forgiveness issues cropping up.
Don’t Hurriedly Get a Divorce
If you’re angry at your partner, the best action is to separate. If you are the primary caregiver, request them to move out of the house for some time as you both process your feelings. A divorce is a huge decision and takes a toll on the entire family. It should be the final decision after you’ve exhausted every other reconciliation effort. Who knows, you both might find it better to stay separated but not yet be willing to get a divorce. If that is the case, get a legal separation attorney involved. This is a highly emotional time, and the wisest decision to make is to get everything down in black and white. With clear boundaries and rules, there will be no misrepresentation. You both might still have feelings for each other, or you came to the epiphany that financially, it’s going to be more viable to “stick” together in name. Whatever the revelation is, divorce is previously mentioned, must be the utmost last step. Or you can even use it as an easing mechanism for the kids. Making them used to the idea of spending their week at the one parent and weekends at the other. Acclimate them into the “maybe ” new way their life will be before pulling out the final say.
If you still feel that divorce is the best decision after some time, go ahead with the decision. When the dust has settled, take time to understand why the relationship didn’t work out, learn from the mistakes, and pinpoint what you’ll do differently to make future relationships work.
Don’t Start the Divorce to Get Even at Your Partner
There is never any winner in any divorce case, and you should never get into a divorce expecting to win or beat your spouse in court. The court looks at many issues, including child custody, property division, support, and safety issues.
Rarely will any spouse get everything they have requested in court proceedings, making it hard for anyone to come out of a divorce as a true winner or loser. Divorce courts try to make the process fair to everyone involved, especially the children.
It’s Okay to Rethink Your Decision
Have you patched things with your spouse and feel that you should give them another chance? It’s okay to withdraw the divorce case and start all over again. Many states let you pull out of a divorce case at any stage of the settlement before the judge officially makes a ruling.
Even after the divorce, you can get married again and start a new life. First, however, think through the decision, consider the issues that led to the divorce, go for counseling together, and make sure that your choices do not destabilize your children’s life. If you finally get divorced, take time to process your feelings. Pay more attention to your emotional health, and don’t get emotionally connected again until you’re sure you can handle a stable relationship. Starting a relationship immediately after a divorce can be too draining.
An at-home dad on a mission to keep it real when it comes to food, fun, and raising a healthy, happy family.
