Scott Miller is My Choice for Ithaca City Court Judge

I've known Scott Miller even before he was Judge Scott Miller. In my opinion no one in Ithaca, NY is better suited to be Ithaca City Court Judge. He cares about doing a great job. That is why he reviews his cases in advance of court, asks questions, and takes an active involvement in the process. He is certainly not a rubber stamp judge by any stretch of the imagination.

Refused a Breath Test: How to Get Your License Back?

Lots of calls about how to get a license after a DWI refusal

I have spent way too many hours going over and over the same things with DWI refusal callers. I make these videos to bring some clarity to how the DWI refusal in criminal court is separate but yet so important to the licensure.

New York Refusals are not illegal but they do have consequences.


The New York DWI refusal is unlike any other state. In some states the refusal itself is a crime with separate penalties. Written into the New York legal statute is a very important piece of information. Two penalties with the breath test refusal: one year license revocation (New York) and consciousness of guilt instruction from judge to the jury. That is the reason for your refusal (they can infer) is you were conscious of your own guilt. And one other provision that many people know nothing about.

The New York DMV allows NO license UNTIL a plea to a VTL 1192 Offense

You will not get your license or license privileges back UNTIL your criminal case is completed, and has a plea to a VTL 1192 offense. The 1192 offenses are either:


DWAI alcohol VTL 1192 (1) Driving while impaired by alcohol

or

DWI alcohol (common law) VTL 1192 (3) Driving while intoxicated


This plea of guilty to one of these can be by three means:


1. bench trial with the judge (non-jury trial)

2. plea bargain with the prosecutor (either the DWAI or DWI)

3. jury trial

Trials with DWI refusal cases are generally better to defend because there is NO BAC number. 

The prosecution has NO blood or breath blood alcohol concentration to hang their case upon. So the whole case hinges on the police testimony (opinion) of law enforcement. In some cases with witnesses they can testify as well either to your sobriety or intoxication.

All DWI common law (opinion) cases are a matter of degree.

In other words what was the degree of your impairment by alcohol? Were you merely impaired or truly intoxicated by alcohol. That is the million dollar question.

California License with New York DWI

California and other out of state license holders have to be made aware of the challenges of dealing with a New York DWI. Administrative (license) penalties can be double. There are things you can do to lessen the problem.



California is notoriously slow when dealing with any car related matters. SOURCE: my son sold cars out there for many years. Getting a tag (plate) for your car is ridiculous (many, many months).



So first thing I tell anyone going through a New York DWI with a California license is, get your certified = official CA driving record as soon as possible. It has to be ordered by snail mail or you have to walk it through.



People who are residing in New York state should make this request because New York will not give you a conditional license (school, work, medical) without showing a fresh (recent) certified abstract showing nothing is wrong with your California driver's license.

New York Conditional Discharges The Three Myths

New York conditional discharges are the most common sentencing disposition so why are they so confusing. This video destroys the three main myths about CDs in New York.



The three most common myths about Conditional Discharges:

1. Conditional discharges do not dismiss any of your criminal or non-criminal charges.

The court outlines a set of conditions or obligations which must be performed. These will usually have dates assigned for completion. The judge may require proof that you went to classes, did community service, paid fines, got a drug/alcohol evaluation, went to therapy/treatment, or other condition.



The discharge is a release from your obligations with the court.

2. Conditional discharges do not seal any of the charges.

The public will be able to assess your records. They will show up on background checks. The only way to seal any criminal charges is by filing a sealing motion (after 10 years).

3. Conditional discharges are not forever.

The CD has a specific period of time, usually one to two years from the date of sentencing. This is a general stay out of trouble or do not get re-arrested for anything.



Conditional discharges can be attached to violation level and criminal level offenses.

New York DWI Breath Testing Victory: A Right to Discovery

The datamaster DMT breath test

New York state uses three machines for breath testing in Driving While Intoxicated cases. They are the Datatmaster, the Draeger, and the Intoxilyzer. The state police exclusively utilize the Draeger and have since time immemorial. Down in the city, and the five boroughs they use the Intoxilyzer units. What they all have in common with one another is The Simulator. What is a simulator? Why is it used with breath testing? Is it that important to the final breath test result?

But the bigger question: Does it matter whether DWI defense attorneys get simulator data? Is the recent victory to get all the information on each and every simulator going to helping the defense of DWI in New York?

New York Window Tint DWI Dismissed

This is a recent 2018 New York DWI that was dismissed by the judge. The initial stop was for  excessive window tint (too dark) but when the case went to court it fell apart. BTW In New York State the law is no more than 70% tint.

Breath Test Refusal Can't Be Used in DWI Trial

Requesting a Test After Two Hours of Arrest

One of the most damning things New York has is the jury instruction on breath test refusals. It allows the judge to tell the jury they can INFER a consciousness of the defendant's guilt (of DWI) if they refused to take a chemical test of blood or breath. Coming from a judge as an instruction on the law is a horrible hurdle on refusal DWIs. In the recent DWI case, the police waited till after two hours to request a test.


That doesn't make a chemical test of blood or breath inadmissible at trial BUT the refusal ...