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On the Morning of Trial, a DUI is Reduced to a Reckless Driving with Adjudication Withheld

March 2017

This morning, we resolved a DUI case just before the prospective jurors were called into the courtroom. Weeks ago, the State had offered to reduce the case of our client to a Reckless Driving charge. But they wanted the court to adjudicate our client guilty. The adjudication would prevent our client from getting his record sealed. That would mean that anyone could look up his case and see that his original charge was DUI. We didn't want that.

The State Attorney's Office agreed just before trial to reduce the charge to Reckless Driving and to allow a withheld adjudication. Otherwise, we would have gone to trial.

Our client had shown a lot of patience as we prepared the case for trial held out for a withheld adjudication. 

Practice area(s): DUI / DWI

Court: Sarasota County Court

Tom Hudson

Known nationwide as a leading DUI defense lawyer, Tom has tried over 350 jury trials, including numerous death penalty cases. He now limits his criminal practice to DUI defense. His civil practice is devoted to getting fair compensation for the victims of negligence. Tom has attained multiple verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 million, and is a Life Member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. In 2008, Tom Hudson passed the National Board Certification Test for DUI Attorneys in Honolulu, Hawaii. NOTE: The State of Florida does not yet recognize DUI defense as a Specialty.

Why We're Different

Board Certification as a DUI Specialist by the National College for DUI Defense. Formal NHTSA Certification as an Instructor of the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests given by police in DUI cases. Formal training as a NHTSA Drug Recognition Evaluator. ("Drug Evaluation & Classification") Formal training to operate the Intoxilyzer 8000, Florida's official breath test instrument. Extensive experience in teaching other attorneys how to handle DUI cases. Hundreds of jury trials both as defense lawyer and as prosecutor.

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