Drugged Driving DUI Defense Lawyers in Arizona
& Certified Criminal Law Specialists
Free Consultation 24/7 & Payment Plans
Drugged Driving DUI Defense Lawyers in Arizona
& Certified Criminal Law Specialists
Free Consultation 24/7 & Payment Plans
Get Help from Former DUI Judge & Drugged Driving DUI Defense Lawyer Mark Weingart in Tempe & Phoenix, AZ
In Arizona, driving under the influence of drugs can result in a DUI conviction. You may be charged with a DUI if you operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of an illegal substance such as narcotics. In fact, even if you are taking a legal, prescribed drug, you can still be charged with a DUI if you are impaired at the time of your driving. Some of the penalties include:
Unlike a DUI for alcohol, a chemical test for drugs in a person’s system can’t tell if a driver was impaired by a drug. Instead, law enforcement officers are trained to become “Drug Recognition Experts” (DRE’s) who supposedly can tell, through observation and field sobriety tests, whether a person is impaired by drugs. Our DUI lawyers have in-depth training and the knowledge to challenge these so-called drug recognition experts.
Get Help from Former DUI Judge & Drugged Driving DUI Defense Lawyer Mark Weingart in Tempe & Phoenix, AZ
In Arizona, driving under the influence of drugs can result in a DUI conviction. You may be charged with a DUI if you operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of an illegal substance such as narcotics. In fact, even if you are taking a legal, prescribed drug, you can still be charged with a DUI if you are impaired at the time of your driving. Some of the penalties include:
Unlike a DUI for alcohol, a chemical test for drugs in a person’s system can’t tell if a driver was impaired by a drug. Instead, law enforcement officers are trained to become “Drug Recognition Experts” (DRE’s) who supposedly can tell, through observation and field sobriety tests, whether a person is impaired by drugs. Our DUI lawyers have in-depth training and the knowledge to challenge these so-called drug recognition experts.
Drug Recognition Experts in Tempe and Phoenix, Arizona
In Arizona, some police officers are attempting to offer their “expert” opinion as DRE’s regarding whether a driver is under the influence of narcotics. There are 12 steps to a DRE’s Drug Evaluation Process:
- Breath Alcohol Test – A sample of breath is taken from the driver to determine the concentration of alcohol.
- Interview of Arresting Officer – The DRE consults with the investigating officer to determine the circumstances surrounding the driver’s apprehension.
- Preliminary Examination – During an initial examination, the DRE asks the driver questions regarding the driver’s medical and physical limitations.
- Eye Examination – The DRE conducts tests for Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) and Vertical Gaze Nystagmus (VGN).
- Divided Attention Tests – The DRE has the driver perform the One Leg Stand test with both legs, the Walk and Turn test, a Modified Romberg Balance test, and the Finger-to-Nose test.
- Examination of Vital Signs – The DRE records the driver’s blood pressure, pulse, and body temperature.
- Dark Room Examination – The DRE examines the driver’s pupils in near total darkness, under direct light, and in normal room light. The DRE also examines the driver’s oral and nasal cavities.
- Examination of Muscle Tone – The DRE examines the flexion and the extension of the driver’s muscles to see if there is any flaccidity or rigidity.
- Examination of Injection Sites – The DRE examines common injection sites to determine if the driver is using injected substances.
- Driver’s Statements / Other Observations – The DRE tries to solicit information from the driver which will corroborate any signs and symptoms that the DRE has observed.
- DRE’s Opinion – The DRE makes a determination of the class or classes of drugs that is influencing the driver based on a matrix of the symptomology associated with known classes of drugs.
- Toxicological Examination – Blood, saliva or urine is obtained from the driver and is analyzed to determine what class of substances are present that corroborates the DRE’s opinion.
Challenging the Reliability of Drug Recognition Experts
The reliability of DRE’s has been as widely criticized and has been challenged by defense attorneys in many states. For example, one of the things that DRE’s look for is dilated pupils. There are numerous medical reasons why one’s pupils may become dilated which include sexual arousal, excitement, and performing complex cognitive tasks. Ironically, most people who get pulled over even for a simple traffic ticket experience a bit of fight or flight response to flashing blue lights. Just the sheer fact of being pulled over can cause enough excitement, and consequently the release of enough adrenaline, to cause your pupils to become dilated. No matter what the circumstances may be, our DUI attorneys are prepared to challenge any opinion presented against our clients by any “Drug Recognition Expert” including using our own experts in various fields of medicine to challenge the reliability of the DRE’s training, testing, and opinion.
Contact Our Arizona Aggravated DUI Defense Attorneys 24/7
- Criminal Law Specialists who routinely defend second-offense cases statewide.
- Local experience with county prosecutors, MVD procedures, and court-specific alternatives.
- Forensic network to audit breath/blood testing and expose lab errors or calibration lapses.
- Strategy to reduce or reclassify (super/extreme → regular; second → first where equities support it).
- 24/7 availability and payment plans to move fast before MVD deadlines hit.
Free, confidential case review today. Your decisions in the first 15 days can shape the entire outcome.
Call Our Criminal Defense Attorneys 24/7
If you’ve been charged with an aggravated DUI in Arizona, you must act quickly. You only have 15 days to request an MVD hearing before your driver’s license is automatically suspended.
Our team is available 24/7 to protect your rights, your record, and your ability to drive.
Don’t wait. Contact us NOW for your FREE consultation.
About Your Free DUI Defense Consultation
Meet with one of our DUI lawyers, and we will review your rights. We’ll answer all of your questions, and we’ll explain exactly how we can successfully defend you regarding issues such as:
Free Guide — “How to Survive a DUI Charge in Arizona”
Based on over 40 years of experience defending DUIs, Mark wrote this book to explain the laws and your rights in Arizona concerning a DUI in easy-to-understand terms. If you’ve been charged with a DUI or want to know your legal rights if you are stopped for a DUI, this book is a MUST READ.
What’s in the Free DUI Book
Free Guide — “How to Survive a DUI Charge in Arizona”
Based on over 40 years of experience defending DUIs, Mark wrote this book to explain the laws and your rights in Arizona concerning a DUI in easy-to-understand terms. If you’ve been charged with a DUI or want to know your legal rights if you are stopped for a DUI, this book is a MUST READ.
What’s in the Free DUI Book
Why Clients Trust The Weingart Firm
Arizona enforces some of the strictest DUI laws in the country, which is why experience and reputation matter.
At The Weingart Firm, our team of certified criminal law specialists brings decades of experience defending aggravated and felony DUI cases across Phoenix, Tempe, and throughout Arizona.
We’ve handled thousands of cases and know what it takes to protect your rights and your record.
