Court Monitoring for Drunk Driving Cases in Tennessee

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) initiated its court monitoring program in 2006. Volunteers attend the judicial proceedings for drunk driving cases to make sure that the law is being enforced and prosecuted. Volunteers attend the judicial proceedings for drink driving cases and they document every step of the judicial process. Court monitoring is currently going on in 13 states, and MADD plans to expand the program to additional states as volunteers and funding become available. Tennessee is one of the 13 states that MADD volunteers are monitoring. Volunteers report on conviction rates, disposition of cases, what sanctions are imposed and the average age of offenders.

Tennessee has unusually high rates of conviction of original drunk driving charges, with 89 to 90 percent in the jurisdictions monitored this year, and compared to Missouri and Louisiana, which have conviction rates on original drunk driving charges of between 33.87 and 36.51 percent in the first half of 2017. Among the cases monitored in 2017, jail time was imposed in 10 percent of cases, community service in 9 percent and Victim Impact panels and court fees in 13 percent of cases.

MADD’s Court Monitoring Volunteers receive training in how to prepare for court, they learn about the criminal process, the key figures in the courtroom and their roles and the different types of court systems. They maintain neutrality as they gather track and report on what they see and hear.

While the national numbers for drunk driving crashes and fatalities are increasing, Tennessee was one of 13 states that saw a decrease in the number of alcohol-related traffic fatalities. In 2016 there were 223 drunk driving traffic fatalities, which was 21% of the total number of traffic fatalities in Tennessee. Those numbers are down from the 251 alcohol-related traffic fatalities in 2015, which has 26% of the total number of traffic fatalities. The 28 fewer drunk driving deaths was an 11.2% reduction.

Drunk driving penalties in Tennessee

For the first offense, a person convicted of drunk driving in Tennessee will face jail time from 48 hours to 11 months, fines from $350 to $1,500, suspended license for up to one year and the requirement to use an Ignition Interlock Device (IID). In addition to these penalties, a DUI conviction will cause insurance premiums to increase significantly and in some cases the policy can be cancelled following a DUI arrest or conviction. A DUI conviction will make it difficult to qualify for housing, obtain health insurance, maintain a professional license, obtain future employment or be accepted to colleges, universities and vocational training programs. A DUI conviction also restricts a person’s ability to travel outside of the United States or acquire or maintain a firearm.

If you have been charged with a DUI in Tennessee, you will need the aggressive representation of an experienced, Franklin DUI attorney from the Law Offices of Adrian Altshuler & Associates. You are encouraged to call 615-977-9370 or contact us to schedule a consultation. From our offices in Franklin, Columbia and Brentwood, we serve clients throughout Tennessee.