Attorney Friedman will fight tirelessly to get you the best possible outcome. Attorney Friedman has successfully defended hundreds of DUI cases throughout the State of Connecticut. Attorney Friedman will use his 28 years of experience as a Greenwich DUI attorney to protect your rights and fight for the best possible outcome and give you the top-notch personalized customer service that you have come to expect. Take a moment to look over our numerous 5 star client reviews from dozens of satisfied customers.
Greenwich DUI ArrestsGreenwich DUI cases are all adjudicated at the Stamford G.A. # 1 Courthouse. If you are charged with DUI in Connecticut it will be filed as a violation of one of the subsections of Connecticut General Statutes Section 14-227. Your Greenwich DUI case commences upon an arrest for operation under the influence of alcohol drugs or both by either the Greenwich Police or the Connecticut State Police if the arrest occurs within the Town of Greenwich. Regardless of which agency initiates your Greenwich DUI arrest the case will be heard at the court located at the G.A. # 1 Courthouse located at 123 Hoyt Street in Stamford, Connecticut.
The Greenwich Police Department takes a lot of pride in its DUI enforcement efforts. They are noted for writing really extensive and well documented police reports for every DUI arrest. The Greenwich Police Department applies for federal grants every year to fund overtime for DUI patrols on the weekends. While uber and other forms of ridesharing have proliferated in recent years, the rate of DUI arrests in Greenwich, Connecticut has remained consistently high. The downtown area is has a lot of restaurants and bars that draw visitors from throughout the region. The Greenwich police are very aware of where the hot spots are and they target these areas for enhanced enforcement. The downtown area is a very concentrated portion of the Town of Greenwich which makes it much easier for the Greenwich police to closely monitor the area, particularly around the time that bars and restaurants are closing. It is not unusual for visitors to the downtown area on a weekend evening to see the Greenwich police pulling over suspected impaired drivers during roadside stops in the downtown district.
A lot of DUI enforcement in Greenwich occurs because Greenwich residents are very sociable and host a lot of gatherings where alcohol is served particularly on the weekend. Often the Greenwich Police will set up speed traps in the “backcountry” area and look for signs of impairment when they make stops for speeding enforcement. It should be noted that the exit 2 off ramp on I-95 South has a stop sign that is a well known spot for DUI arrests. Motorists pass that area headed to Port Chester, NY to continue the party after the bars close in Farirfield County.
DUI Arrests Can Involve Alcohol – Drugs or BothA lot of people think that DUI just involves people who drink alcohol. It is true that most DUI arrests do involve alcohol consumption. However, as medical marijuana is becoming more and more common in Connecticut, we are seeing more arrests for operation under the influence of marijuana. It is important to understand that you can be arrested for a violation or 14-227 even for operation of a motor vehicle while impaired by prescription medication that effects your ability to operate safely. This certainly includes medical marijuana, prescription painkillers, sleeping pills, anti-anxiety medications and methadone.
DUI InvestigationsA DUI stop often begins with a police officer’s observation that a traffic infraction has occurred or perhaps there has been erratic operation or an accident. In some instances, the police can find a driver sleeping in his or her car or passed out. The traffic violation, accident or other pretext gives the officer “reasonable suspicion” to initiate a traffic stop and detain you for a preliminary investigation. Once the police have pulled you over, they are going to be looking for the telltale signs that lead them to have probable cause that you were operating under the influence or alcohol or drugs.
As the officer is asking you for your license and registration they are looking at your coordination and reactions. Very often while you are looking to retrieve your documents, the police officer will engage you in a series of confusing and conflicting questions to throw your concentration off. “Where are you going?” “Do you know why I am pulling you over?” “Have you been drinking?” It is important to know that you have the absolute right to remain silent and refuse to answer these questions. I always suggest that you simply politely and respectfully inform the officer that you would like to have a lawyer present before you answer any questions, Over the course of the last 28 years defending DUI cases in the State of Connecticut it amazes me how many of my clients frankly admit to the police officer that yes “they have had a few drinks.” This is an admission that will be used against you and is an admission of an element of the case against you. I always remind my clients, let the police office do their job to build the case against you and don’t participate in building the case against yourself.
Field Sobriety TestAt this point if the officer has noticed any telltale signs that you may be under the influence of alcohol or drugs – such as the odor or alcohol on your breath, your admission to the consumption of alcohol and or drugs or lack of coordination - the officer may feel that they have enough reasonable suspicion to request that you participate in a field sobriety test. It is important to understand that these field sobriety tests are totally voluntary and that you do not have to participate in them. You have the absolute right to refuse to take a field sobriety test and you should refuse to participate. The field sobriety test is a negatively scoring test and everything you do wrong is counted against you and what ever you do to standard is ignored. It is impossible to get a passing grade on a field sobriety test due to the subjective nature of the tests themselves and the bias of the police officers administering the test.
Chemical TestThe nest stage in the arrest process is the “chemical test.” Connecticut is an implied consent state. This means that you will suffer a DMV sanction if you refuse a chemical test. The Greenwich police hardly ever do any test except for a breath test unless you are in the hospital receiving treatment for an accident. Generally, we advise all our clients to refuse to take any chemical test. However, before you have to make a decision on whether or not to take a chemical test the Greenwich police must allow you an opportunity to speak to a lawyer. It is important that you use this opportunity to contact us at our easy to remember phone number (203) 357-5555 which is answered 24 hours a day 7 days a week so that we can give you free case by case specific advice on whether or not to take a chemical test.
Online Publication of DUI Arrests in GreenwichThese days a DUI arrest is a very serious matter and has a lot of collateral consequences, from massive increased insurance premiums, possible jail time, fines and possible publication of your arrest in local newspapers. In Greenwich most DUI arrests will be published in the local publications “The Patch” and the “Greenwich Free Times”. This kind of unwanted adverse publicity can be of particular annoyance and harm to high net worth individuals who are working in sensitive positions of trust and power. Our office will work to get your DUI arrest records sealed in the Court and also work the scrub the internet of any and all reference to your arrest for DUI where possible. If your name has been posted on the internet from a Greenwich arrest give us a call for a free evaluation to find out the best way to have these annoying and embarrassing articles removed.
DMV Per Se License SuspensionIn a Greenwich DUI case, the first thing you have to take action on is fighting to protect your driver’s license. Your license will be suspended within 30 days unless you request an appeal. You should review your appeal options with our office as soon as possible. You only have 7 days within which to request an appeal of your driver’s license suspension so it is imperative if you have been arrested for a DUI that you immediately contact a Greenwich DUI attorney.
Contact an Experienced Greenwich DUI Lawyer Today!If you have been charged with DUI you should immediately contact a Greenwich DUI lawyer to go over the details of your case. With 28 year of experience in the defense of DUI charges in Greenwich and throughout Fairfield County, Attorney Allan F. Friedman can find the best way to achieve a favorable resolution of your DUI case and get any adverse newspaper or internet publications or your arrest removed. Our objective is to use every legal means possible to have the charges dismissed or thrown out, or significantly reduce the charges. We work on a flat fee basis and our rates are very reasonable. Call Attorney Friedman at (203) 357-5555 to schedule your free initial consultation and case evaluation – we are available 24/7 - 365 days a year. Or you can contact us online for a prompt response.
Our office is conveniently located one block from the Stamford Court house.
Greenwich DUI ResourcesWe are open Monday through Sunday 24 Hours a Day