Benton County is the home of Oregon State University and home to nearly 100,000 residents. From Corvallis to Philomath, it’s a small county of only 679 square miles. Benton County is located in the Willamette Valley, and the Willamette River flows right through downtown Corvallis. Benton County is neighbored by Linn County, Polk County, Lincoln County, and Lane County.
Benton County’s seat is Corvallis, where the Benton County Circuit Court meets. Benton County has a program for those with a first-time DUI and a Benton County Drug Treatment Court. Your DUI lawyer will negotiate on your behalf. Drug Treatment Court is a collaborative effort that provides an opportunity to address substance abuse issues in a supervised environment. Individuals who successfully complete Drug Treatment Court are diverted from jail or prison.
DUII Defense
I started practicing in 1988. Back then, police stopped people for drunk driving and asked how far they were from home or let a friend drive them home. Not today. Today, you are arrested. DUII is a common crime. Regular people are arrested for DUII every day. DUII is also a serious crime. It comes with booking and court appearances. It involves a potential DMV and court license suspension. It often comes with related traffic crimes. It also brings a host of unintended negative collateral consequences, including your ability to drive to work. The key is to understand the process and prepare to deal with it immediately. My job is to explain what you’re up against and then guide you through the process.
As a Benton County Deputy DA, I prosecuted DUII for 7 years. I was the District Attorney DUII “point-man” prosecuting almost all DUIIs in Benton County for 2 years. I’ve defended DUII as a specialty for the past 16 years. I’ve tried DUIIs in Benton, Linn, Lincoln, and Marion counties for the past 23 years. I’ve prosecuted and defended well over 1500 cases over the past 23 years.
Our first meeting is free. I’ll explain “DUII 101” to you at our first meeting. We’ll talk about your options and odds in simple language. I’ll tell you when to seek diversion and whether to settle or try your case. In most cases, I will do this for one fixed fee.
DMV License Suspension
In a DUII arrest, the officer usually confiscates your driver license. You get a legal-sized yellow piece of paper that’s good for the next 30 days. If you don’t request a DMV hearing in writing within 10 days of arrest, your license will automatically be suspended for 90 days to one year. The length of suspension is based on your record, class of license, and DMV rules.
Related Traffic Crimes
DUII often comes with related traffic crimes including reckless driving, reckless endangering, hit and run, criminal mischief, and attempt to elude. Related traffic crimes are misdemeanors or felonies, depending on the facts and the amount of any damage. Related traffic crime convictions all carry further license suspensions. They all carry potential lifetime criminal non-expungeability. DUII related traffic crimes should be negotiated as part of a package deal. Our goal is a global settlement that avoids license suspension by dismissing, reducing, or relabeling. Our goal is to avoid a lifetime criminal record.
“Drunk driving started with the Model T and accelerated with the Model A.”
– Henry Ford