To watch the news these days, you would think that DUI’s among celebrities was in vogue. Don’t get me wrong, as long as there have been celebrities in society, there have been brushes with the law and/or drunk driving; it’s just that in today’s YouTube world of instant information, its getting harder and harder to keep these types of indiscretions from becoming headline news.

In fact so en vogue is this latest rash of DUI’s, that one could easily compile a list of recent transgressors almost exclusively out of Hollywood A-listers, leaving lesser known celebrities to find more exotic ways of getting their names into the tabloid. Here then is a list of some of the better known celebrities with DUI convictions over the past two years.

Mel Gibson: 
Known as much for his ability to party as for his magnificent movies, Mel Gibson has more than one DUI to his credit, his latest arrest coming in late July of 2006, when he was stopped for speeding and found to have an open container in his vehicle. To compound the problem, Gibson made anti-Semitic remarks during his arrest, an added flair that provided the press with more than run of the mill fodder, and which left the Aussie star serving three years probation. An admitted abuser of alcohol who at times suffers from bouts of depression, Gibson’s brilliance may always be tempered with the occasional brush with the law.

Lindsey Lohan: 
Lindsay Lohan, Hollywood’s reining bad girl, attempted to correct a sliding career this year by posing nude in a magazine. It is the kind of flawed thinking often gets this ultimate party girl in trouble. Of late, this former Disney actress could pass as the proverbial poster girl for DUI’s, having the unique distinction of being busted twice for DUI within a two month period, picking up the charges in May and July of 2007. Compounding the problem, Lohan was also found possessing cocaine during each incident. Perhaps recent stays in rehab will help change the current course of this perennial bad girl.

Paris Hilton: 
A Hollywood A-lister with dubious merit, Hilton was arrested in 2006 for driving under the influence. She followed up that performance by adding charges of reckless driving, and driving with a suspended license latter on. The compilation of charges landed Hilton in jail, though she never came close to serving even half of her sentence, as the L.A. County Sheriff reassigned the Hilton to home confinement. Still, to be fair, Paris Hilton’s booking photograph is among the better ones; a dubious honor for a dubious celebrity.

Nicole Richie: 
Not to be outdone by her partner in crime (Paris Hilton), Nicole Richie’s own DUI, ended with the star of “The Simple Life,” serving 82 minutes of a 4 day jail term in 2007. This was not Nicole’s sole brush with the law, as she had previously been charged with possession of heroine and driving with a suspended license. For what it’s worth, Richie’s booking photo was also not up to the standard set by the dubious Miss Hilton.

Bill Murray: 
Bill Murray is a celebrity that made his mark on this list in his own unique fashion; the man who entertained us with his wonderful impromptu antics in Stripes, Candy Shack and Ghostbusters, is also the man who received a DUI for driving a golf cart through the streets of Stockholm Sweden. It was a story that the Hollywood funnyman later recounted in an interview on “Late Night with David Letterman,” much to the amusement of his fans.

Kiefer Sutherland: 
Add Kiefer Sutherland’s name to the growing list of celebrities with DUI conviction who have done some jail time over the last two years. Sutherland’s second DUI in three years landed the star of 24 in jail for a whopping 48 days in late 2007. Along with the time he served, Kiefer had to pay a $25,000 fine. If nothing else, Sutherland’s bad boy image is still in tact.

Alcohol begins to takes its course on the human body virtually the instant it’s ingested, however the effects are not “felt” until it reaches the brain. At this point in the process, the brain is literally infiltrated by alcohol. A membrane called the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a network of capillaries in the human brain designed to block chemicals from getting into the rest of the brain and the body. Alcohol however, gets through due to its small molecular structure (among other small molecule bad-for-you agents like nicotine and caffeine). So, the brain gets bombarded with an agent it’s not designed to be exposed to, let alone filter, and then what? Well. Here’s what:

The frontal lobes are the area of the brain responsible for judgment and impulse control, as well as social and sexual behavior, and ability to reason. When intoxicated, a person’s judgment can stray from typical rationality. Behavior is skewed so much so, that a person who is intoxicated can be found participating in activities (sexual, social, or otherwise) they would not ordinarily choose to be involved in. Loud, boisterous demeanor that is often associated with alcohol use occurs in the frontal lobe as the brain abandons its ability to reason and loses its inhibitions.

The temporal lobe, an auditory processing center in which parts of language, speech, sounds, and vision are computed, is where we begin to see the most obvious effects of alcohol on the brain. The intoxicated brain loses its command over verbal communication, slurring speech in attempted conversation. The ability of the intoxicated person to hear and comprehend his own thoughts and speech as well as those of others, becomes obstructed, changing his position in a social setting. The hippocampus is a part of the brain found in the temporal lobe. Though its exact function is not clear, it is thought that the hippocampus contributes to the creation of memories. The alcohol’s contribution to the hippocampus hinders the formation of new memories, although does not seem to have a proven effect on those already created. This explains how a college student may remember his home address from a year before, but not recall the details the next day from the night before spent heavily drinking.

These levels of brain function (or lack thereof) when intoxicated depend entirely on the concentration of alcohol in the blood. The body can get rid of a very small percentage of the alcohol through sweat, tears and breath, but this leaves the rest to be metabolized by the liver. The liver can only metabolize a certain percentage alcohol in one hour’s time, regardless of the consumption amount. This rate of metabolism directly affects the blood alcohol content (BAC), which directly affects how “drunk” the subject will get. Several factors contribute to this including gender, weight, food consumption, and age. Women, for example, have less water in their bodies than men, thus the concentration of alcohol in a woman’s blood may be more than a man who drank the same kind and number of drinks. The legal BAC limit for driving a vehicle in the United States is .08%. It is a percentage, so this scale changes from person to person.

The damaging affects alcohol inflicts on the brain - impaired judgment, blurred vision, irrational behavior - could translate into disaster when coupled with driving. Impaired judgment and poor vision slow reaction time and decision-making, both crucial components to maintaining safe vehicle operation. Irrational thinking and obnoxious behavior could result in speeding, erratic driving, and road rage. Drunk driving causes accidents that result in injuries, car damage and loss, and even death. These incidents are responsible for killing thousands per year, not to mention the costs for court fees, insurance, and medical bills of the injured.
There is considerable damage being done - to our brains, to our cars, to our people - all in the name of alcohol. The thing is, it’s 100% preventable…

What Information To Prepare Before Meeting With An Arizona DUI Lawyer

A DUI can end up costing you your freedom, your license, quite a bit of money and even your job.  If you have been issued a citation for a DUI in Arizona, you need to find a good Arizona DUI lawyer whose practice mostly consists of defending DUI cases, who keeps you informed of your case and who has vast experience in this field.  When you meet with your DUI lawyer, you are going to want to have as much information about your case as possible to help with the defense. The information to prepare includes the following:

The Citation

Your lawyer is going to want to look at the citation to see what you were charged with and why. They will want to see the reason that you were stopped. Were you stopped for driving erratically?  If you were stopped for no reason, the DUI lawyer may argue that stopping you and forcing you to take a breathalyzer test is a violation of your civil rights.   It will be very important for the lawyer to have a copy of your citation so that he or she knows what they are up against and how you are being charged.

Accident Reports

If you were involved in an accident that resulted in a DUI charge against you, the lawyer will want to know the extent of the damage to the other vehicle and to your own. They will also want to know if anyone else involved in the accident was issued a citation. This can be important to your case.  However, your DUI lawyer will most likely not defend you when it comes to a civil suit that can evolve from such an accident. This is often up to your insurance company. Depending on their area of practice, they may file a personal injury lawsuit against the other party in the accident if it appears that it was not your fault. The civil lawsuit has nothing to do with the criminal lawsuit and will be tried in a separate court.  A DUI is a criminal offense and will be tried in either traffic court or criminal court.

Employment Information

Your Arizona DUI lawyer is going to want to get your license back for you so that you can continue to drive, at least back and forth to work. They will need to know where you work and how far you have to commute in order to get the judge to issue a hardship license. This is often one of the first things that the Arizona DUI lawyer does after entering your plea. The hardship license is available if this is your first offense and can only be used for you to drive back and forth to work. Depending on the severity of your charge, however, you may or may not be eligible for the hardship license.

Medical Conditions

If you have medical conditions that may have been contributory to you getting arrested for a DUI, you need to give this information to your attorney. There are many medications that can mimic the effects of alcohol. If you are on such medication, your lawyer may argue that the medication was the reason why you did not pass the breathalyzer test. For most DUIs, a breathalyzer test is given right on the road that requires you to breathe into a device that will measure how much alcohol you have consumed. This is not exact, however, and only a blood test will state for sure if you were drinking alcohol or under the influence of drugs or medication.  Any medical conditions that you have should be documented and brought to your Arizona DUI lawyer as it is quite possible certain conditions can be used in your defense.

An Account of What Happened

You will want to write down an account of what happened and all that you can remember from the night in question. Your lawyer will want to know exactly where you started out and where you were going when you got pulled over for a DUI. Try to think of everything that you can remember about that night including the officer or officers who pulled you over, what they said to you and what tests you submitted to. If you were taken to a hospital because of an accident, you need to tell your lawyer that you were in the hospital as most likely a blood test was taken to determine the amount of alcohol in your blood. Anything that was unusual or seemed to be inappropriate on that night should be written down in this account and presented to your DUI lawyer.

Any Past Arrests

If you have had prior trouble with the law, let you lawyer know about it. Even if it does not relate to a DUI, if you have a past criminal history, you need to tell your lawyer as this information is something that the prosecutor in your case will have. You want to arm your lawyer with as much knowledge as you can so that he or she can work your defense.  If you have never before been arrested for any criminal conduct, this will most likely work in your favor.

A DUI can be a frightening experience and can also be very costly if you do not have the right attorney. By giving your Arizona DUI lawyer as much information as possible when you meet with them, you are giving them the tools that they need to defend your case.  They may suggest that you plead guilty to a lesser charge, such as reckless driving.  Or they may decide to fight your case on the grounds that there is no proof that you were drunk, that inappropriate action was taken by the police officers in your arrest or that there was a violation of your civil rights.

A good Arizona DUI lawyer will know the best defense to use on your case, but will have to review as much information as possible in order to come up with a defense for you. This is why it is so important that you give your lawyer information that may be pertinent to your case.   The relationship between a client and lawyer is privileged so you do not have to worry about anything that you say to your lawyer being repeated elsewhere.  Do not hold anything back for this may impede your defense. Be open and honest with your lawyer and provide them with the information that they need so that they can defend you against your DUI charge.

How Can An Arizona DUI Attorney Help You?

Getting arrested for a DUI is scary, as well as permanently damaging if it goes on your record.  There is no better time to employ an Arizona DUI attorney than when the threat of a DUI is looming.  You may think that a lawyer is unnecessary or out of your budget, but with an array of offices and available payment plans, there really is no reason why you shouldn’t get some help on your side.  After all, this is their specialty, and it’s your life!

Arizona DUI attorneys are available because there is a need for them.  Unfortunately, the public simply isn’t learning that it’s unsafe and unwise to drive while under the influence.  A lot of people think its okay to have only one drink, perhaps with coworkers after a hard day, but they risk the chance of getting pulled over for a traffic offense only to have the officer smell alcohol on their breath.  There is a No Tolerance policy for drinking and driving at this day and age; even if you consider yourself to be a responsible drinker and/or driver.  With the increasing number of deaths related to drunk driving, it’s not a surprise that driving under the influence is now a deadly serious topic that has the justice system cracking down hard.

DUIs, if convicted, will become a part of your permanent criminal record.  A DUI can be either a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on factors like whether your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) is above legal limit or if you have a child in the car.  It’s also possible to get more than one DUI charge in a single sitting due to multiple circumstances like having drugs in your system.  Sentencing will depend on the nature of the offense, but can include: suspension or revocation of your driver’s license, fines, jail time, and possibly the installation of a breathalyzer, or Ignition Interlock Device, in your vehicle in order for it to operate.  Add to this the fact that your insurance will also go up and be visible to insurance agents for no less than 39 months, and getting an attorney starts to look pretty good!

An Arizona DUI attorney can help you in many ways. Not only do they know the law extensively, but they can help keep you from being manipulated by those who know you don’t have a clue, such as the prosecuting attorney and law enforcement officials.  You alone cannot debate sentencing with the judge, but your lawyer can.  If there are loopholes or plea bargains that can be made, you can pretty much bet that the system isn’t going to tell you about them, but your lawyer will.

Law offices can either specialize in DUIs or have attorneys available with specific knowledge on DUI cases.  These offices, like Phillips & Associates or the Jaffe Law Firm, offer payment plans that are conducive to your case and try to cater to your income level.  Consultations are usually always free of charge.  Before hiring them they will review the facts with you, discuss potential sentencing, fines, and/or issues that could initiate a dismissal of your case or reduction in sentence, explain the law to you, and come up with a plan of action.  If hired, they file all necessary paperwork with the courts, appear with you (and for you if you can’t appear) in court, present to you all options available, examine police reports, negotiate with judges and prosecutors, provide advocacy and support, and answer any and all questions you may have during your case and often after it has ended.  Trying to do all of this on your own would be mind-boggling and stressful.  Not only that, if you committed an error while representing yourself, you only have yourself to blame if you end up behind bars or with a sentence that is heavier than expected.

In order to secure your future and hire an Arizona DUI attorney, you may have to let go of some cash in order to stay out of hot water.  Not everyone charged with a DUI is a criminal or repeat offender.  There are lots of law-abiding people out there who went out for one drink and wound up getting caught for something else.  These people have families, jobs, and bills, and a DUI conviction would no less than ruin their life—maybe not permanently but definitely for a while.  Single mothers cannot afford to be in jail; one-car families cannot afford to have their vehicle impounded (which will happen upon arrest); and families with one provider cannot afford to have their money dipped into too deeply for fines.  Lawyers can help with all of these things.

Of course, not everyone can afford a lawyer.  It’s no secret that they don’t come cheap, no matter how valuable their services are.  If this is the case with you, keep in mind that you can request a public defender, also known as a court-appointed attorney, if you are facing imprisonment upon conviction.  A public defender is available to defendants as per the 6th Amendment and hired by the government to represent those that are too poor to obtain an Arizona DUI attorney.  This does not mean that fees for the use of a public defender will not be incurred, but they will be considerably less than a private lawyer.

The fact remains that no one should drink and drive.  There is too much risk and not enough reward.  When you drink and drive, you don’t only put yourself in jeopardy, but everyone on the road and any passengers you may have.  Don’t be the one responsible for taking someone else’s life, or your own.  However, if you do find yourself facing a DUI charge, weigh the options and you’ll most likely discover its best to tackle this one with an Arizona DUI attorney.