Phoenix DUI Law Blog

Arizona Court Vacates Defendant’s Manslaughter Conviction Following DUI Accident Based on Insufficient Jury Instructions
James Novak

In a recent case coming out of an Arizona court, the defendant appealed his conviction for manslaughter. Originally, the defendant was found guilty when he hit a pedestrian while driving his car above the neighborhood’s posted speed limit. The pedestrian died, the defendant was charged, and a jury eventually found the defendant guilty of manslaughter.…

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Arizona Defendant Successfully Appeals Manslaughter Conviction
James Novak

In a recent case coming out of an Arizona court, the defendant successfully appealed his convictions following a car accident at least partially caused by his speeding. The defendant was originally charged with and convicted of manslaughter, aggravated assault, and criminal damage. Because of his appeal and the facts surrounding the accident, the higher court…

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Arizona Court of Appeals Affirms Defendant’s Second DUI Conviction.
James Novak

The State of Arizona takes DUI and related offenses extremely seriously. First-time offenders are often required to serve jail time, and subsequent offenders can face substantial prison sentences. With each successive DUI, the punishment becomes exponentially more severe, making it extremely important for persons accused of DUI to obtain competent legal counsel. The Arizona Court…

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Arizona Court Denies Defendant’s Motion to Suppress Blood Draw After Deadly Crash
James Novak

In a recent case coming out of a criminal court in Arizona, the defendant appealed his convictions for negligent homicide, endangerment, criminal damage, and aggravated assault. Facing several different guilty convictions, the defendant made multiple arguments on appeal, one of which was that the trial court should not have denied his original motion to suppress…

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Why It’s Important to Understand DUI Stops, Even if You Weren’t Drinking
James Novak

Nobody likes getting pulled over by the police, even when you haven’t done anything wrong. However, it’s easy to assume that, if you haven’t been drinking, you have nothing to worry about. That isn’t the case, as a recent Arizona appellate opinion illustrates. According to the court’s opinion, the defendant was riding as a passenger…

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Arizona Court Denies Defendant’s Appeal in DUI Case After He Fails to Appear in Court
James Novak

In a recent Arizona DUI case, the defendant’s appeal of his guilty verdict was denied. The defendant appealed in part because he was not present at his trial, and he asked the court to reverse the verdict given his absence. The higher court denied the appeal, finding it was the defendant’s own decision to skip…

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Arizona Court Denies Defendant’s DUI Appeal, Finding No Error in Trial Procedures
James Novak

In a recent opinion from an Arizona court, the defendant’s appeal of his convictions and sentences was denied. The defendant was originally convicted of four counts of aggravated driving or actual physical control while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or drugs, which are class 4 felonies. In an attempt to fight these convictions, the…

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Arizona Court Denies Defendant’s Multiple Arguments in DUI Case
James Novak

In a recent opinion involving a DUI, an Arizona court denied the defendant’s appeal. The defendant had been pulled over for reckless driving on the highway, and he was charged with a DUI and with resisting arrest. Despite the defendant’s four different arguments on appeal, the court affirmed the defendant’s original guilty verdict. The Facts…

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Posted in: Dui
Defenses to Arizona Prescription Drug DUI Charges
James Novak

Many state and national campaigns attempt to combat driving under the influence; however, they primarily focus on alcohol and illicit drug use. As such, many people are unaware that Arizona law permits prosecuting individuals for driving under the influence (DUI) involving legal prescription medications. The cases generally focus on the person’s impairment rather than the…

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Recent Entries

How Aggravating Factors Can Turn Serious Charges into Life-Altering Consequences In Arizona, what might start as a straightforward criminal charge can quickly escalate into something far more serious when prosecutors tack on...

Arizona Court Weighs in on Defendant’s Challenge to Juror Impartiality In the recent case of State v. Schalk, the Arizona Court of Appeals upheld the convictions of David Schalk for kidnapping and aggravated assault...

Can a Police Officer Ask for Your Name While Detaining You? If an officer detains you because he suspects you have committed a crime, you have certain rights under the law. These interactions can be...

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About James E. Novak

James E. Novak participates in several legal organizations including The Arizona Attorneys For Criminal Justice, The Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and others.

Client Reviews

 I was facing criminal charges with three priors in my history. Mr Novak was very helpful and got me a lighter sentence than I probably deserved. He is a great attorney and I would highly recommend him.

- A.T.

James worked tirelessly behind the scenes with the prosecution, to decrease my son’s charges to a more reasonable penalty. I could not have asked for a better, more professional attorney. He treated my son with the utmost respect and walked him through every step of a very difficult situation.

- S. G.

Attorney Novak did an outstanding job defending my son. Due to his extensive professional background within the court system, he was successfully able to defend my son during a very difficult time for my family. I highly recommend Attorney James Novak for your legal needs.

- T. G.

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