criminal defense FAQs

The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year, and brings not only drunk drivers, but widespread opportunity for a range of traffic violations.

Law enforcement is well aware of this increase and makes a significant number of arrests each year starting on Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day. How many people does this affect? In 2013, Texas DPS cited almost 390 DWI arrests, just over 700 child seat belt citations, over 800 lack of insurance citations and issued almost 6,850 speeding violations during the Thanksgiving period alone.

As experienced DWI and traffic attorneys, Corso Law Group understands the challenges of holiday travel. A combination of holiday stress, alcohol use, adverse weather conditions and increased law enforcement on the roads results in more arrests, accidents and traffic violations during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s celebrations than any other time of year.

Thanksgiving

Increased travel during the Turkey holiday creates high-risk situations for drivers on the roads. Last year, AAA predicted 46.3 million people would be driving on the roads nationwide, averaging a travel distance of at least 50 miles from their homes.

Additional drivers can lead to a higher number of accidents and sometimes, deaths. Based upon previous data and research, The National Safety Council estimated 418 traffic fatalities during the 2014 holiday.  As for alcohol-related crashes, 40 percent of highway deaths were due to drunk driving during the holiday period according to MADD. In Texas specifically, more car crash fatalities occurred on Thanksgiving than any other holiday with a total of 55 deaths.

Christmas

Shortly after Thanksgiving, yet another period of celebration arrives – Christmas. While most of us regard the holidays as a fun time, studies have found that not everyone is stress-free during this holiday. According to a survey completed by State Farm, 32 percent of drivers in the U.S. showed greater signs of either road rage or aggression during the holidays.

Drinking also increases during Christmas and the days following. From just the few days spanning between Christmas to New Year’s Eve, studies show a 12 percent increase nationally in traffic related deaths involving a drunk driver than for the entire month of December.

New Year’s Day

The New Year is often celebrated with parties and alcohol, which can lead to dangerous roads when people don’t take the proper precautions and plan ahead. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, New Year’s Day presented the highest percentage of alcohol-related deaths with 42 percent of traffic deaths having to do with drinking and driving. The first day of the year is technically even worse for drunk driving accidents than New Year’s Eve.

New Year’s Day is also listed as the number one day for holiday car theft, with Christmas ranking last.

Holidays are a busy time of the year, especially falling on weekends where alcohol-related accidents are more common. With an increased amount of law enforcement out during the holidays, DWIs and other traffic violations are more likely to happen. At Corso Law Group, we deal with these types of cases every day, helping our clients fight for their rights. If the holidays have you in a difficult position, we’re here to help.

When facing a legal situation where a criminal defense attorney is necessary, we understand that it can be confusing and difficult.

Preparing yourself before hand and knowing the full extent of the situation is an important factor. Here are a variety of frequently asked questions I receive from potential clients and people I speak to concerning criminal defense cases

1) How do I know if I need to hire a lawyer?

If you have been charged with a crime, you need to hire a lawyer. It doesn’t matter if the charge is for a misdemeanor or a felony, the expertise and advice of an attorney is the smartest route to take. In regards to criminal charges, a criminal defense attorney can help you to asses the situation you’re in, decide upon the most effective and efficient path to take and provide advice and tools in regards to your protection of the law.

2) How does bail work?

Your bail is a specific amount of money deposited to the court in order to secure that you will attend your court hearing. Typically, the posted bail amount is done so by a bail bond company. More importantly, a criminal defense lawyer can help their client significantly during this time period. Your attorney may have the ability to lower or waive the bail fee through negotiating with the bail bondsman on your behalf.

3) Should I be in contact with the police to try and explain my side of the story?

Absolutely not. Although we understand you just want to get across your point, it’s always safe to not say anything because legally anything you say to a police officer can be used against you in court or in a future arrest. It is always best when being questioned that you direct all questions to your attorney.

4) How much does hiring a criminal defense attorney cost?

It depends upon the law firm and your attorney. At Corso Law Group, we pride ourselves on being fair in all aspects of our careers and maintaining our focus on what the client needs. Before deciding on a firm and paying important costs, our advice is that you make sure your criminal defense attorney is not without these crucial traits.

5) How long does a criminal defense case take?

While the length of a criminal case depends on the internal matters, typically they can take anywhere from a few months to much longer. We understand that this is a difficult time for our clients, and although these are not processes that can be rushed, they are definitely processes that require great detail and focus. It is always beneficial to the client that each step is taken properly in order to create a successful outcome.

6) What is a preliminary hearing?

The preliminary hearing is described as the “trail before the trial”. This is where your attorney will be able to analyze and fully examine the case.  If your criminal defense lawyer handles the preliminary hearing successfully, it can result in a significantly positive outcome.

Please note: Attorney Christopher P. Corso is solely licensed to practice law in the state of Arizona. A criminal defense attorney solely licensed to practice law in the state of Texas will handle your Texas legal matter.