Vermont DUI Attorneys – Defense Services
Defending DUIs in Vermont is part of our daily practice at Burke Law. In order to convict you of driving under the influence, the State is required to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you were intoxicated at the time you were operating your vehicle. The State typically has two types of evidence against you. The first is your performance on field sobriety tests. The second is your blood alcohol content (BAC) as measured either by a breath or blood sample. There are several ways to challenge the admissibility and accuracy of the State’s evidence. An experienced Burke Law DUI attorney can uncover where the State will have problems using this evidence against you to get you the best possible outcome for your case.
At Burke Law we represent many out of state residents facing DUI charges in Vermont. Vermont’s tourist industry brings out of state residents to sample craft beer, ski, hike and relax. Unfortunately, without sufficient public transportation options in place, it is easy for visitors or part-time Vermont residents to find Read more…
An affirmative defense to a criminal charge is a fact or set of facts other than those alleged by the plaintiff or prosecutor which, if proven by the defendant, defeats or mitigates the legal consequences of the defendant’s otherwise unlawful conduct. Vermont law allows for affirmative defenses in DUI cases. Read more…
Vermont is a tourist state. At Burke Law, many of the Vermont DUIs we defend involve operators with out of state driver’s licenses. If you are charged with DUI in Vermont and have an out of state driver’s license it is important to understand how the consequences of conviction could Read more…
Most DUIs in Vermont have two components: a DUI civil and a DUI criminal. Both cases are handled at the same court, before the same judge, at the same time. Each case will have a distinct docket number and each case has different potential consequences. A civil DUI impacts your Read more…
If you are convicted of DUI in Vermont the consequences of a conviction may vary based on whether you have ever been convicted of DUI in the past (in any state), whether or not you have a commercial driver’s license (CDL), whether or not you refused an evidentiary test, and Read more…
Knowing your rights can help you protect infringement of your liberty in any type of Vermont criminal case, including DUI. When talking about individual rights and police interaction I find it helpful to imagine a ladder. You start at the bottom of the ladder, beneath the first rung as you Read more…
Why did I receive a DUI civil in Vermont? DUI civil offenses are issued when (1) a person submits to an evidentiary breath test and the results are over .08 BAC or (2) when a person refuses an evidentiary breath test. I am often met with confused looks when I Read more…
Clients often ask me, “what is the worst penalty that can happen to me if I am convicted of a DUI in Vermont?” The answer is that the worst that can happen to a criminal defendant facing a DUI in Vermont is the statutory maximum penalty. The DUI penalties in Read more…
Whether or not someone can be charged with a DUI if they are below the “legal limit” is a question I am often asked at social gatherings. When I answer that drivers in Vermont can be charged with DUI even when their BACs are below .08, I am met with Read more…
Can I get a DUI in a parking lot in Vermont? Yes. You can be charged with a DUI in Vermont even if you are in a parking lot. Vermont’s DUI law prohibits operating under the influence of alcohol on a public highway. Public highways include most parking lots if Read more…