Phoenix DUI Law Blog

Implications of Legalization of Recreational Marijuana on Arizona DUIs
James Novak

In January, several Arizona dispensaries began selling marijuana to legal adults who do not have a medical marijuana card. The move came after voters approved Arizona marijuana sales. Motorists must understand that despite the legalization of recreational marijuana, they may still be arrested and charged with an Arizona DUI. Notwithstanding the presumed increase of Arizonans…

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Can an Arizona DUI Conviction Affect a Child Custody Determination?
James Novak

When thinking about the possible consequences of an Arizona DUI conviction, the most commonly feared repercussions involve infringements on your freedom, such as jail time, probation, or the suspension of your driver’s licenses. However, Arizona DUI offenses carry a host of other collateral consequences that can also have a significant impact on your life. One…

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Arizona DUI Charges Based on a Driver’s “Physical Control” Over a Vehicle
James Novak

Arizona law recognizes driving under the influence (DUI) as a violent crime, and violations of the law may result in hefty penalties and incarceration. For example, recently, a court issued an opinion stemming from an Arizona defendant’s appeal of his DUI conviction. The case arose after police responded to a welfare check of the defendant…

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The “Actual Physical Control” Element of an Arizona DUI Case
James Novak

Everyone knows that drunk driving is against the law. However, the elements of a DUI offense are not always straightforward. One of the most misunderstood elements of an Arizona drunk driving offense is the requirement that the prosecution proves a defendant was in “actual physical control” of the vehicle. A recent state appellate decision discusses…

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Court Affirms Defendant’s DUI Conviction in Recent Arizona Drunk Driving Case
James Novak

Earlier this month, a state appellate court issued an opinion in an Arizona DUI case, affirming the defendant’s conviction. The case illustrates the challenges of successfully litigating an appeal, as well as the importance of vigorously defending against all allegations at trial. The Facts of the Case According to the court’s opinion, a group of…

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Court Rejects Defendant’s Claim the Prosecution Failed to Preserve Important Evidence in Recent Arizona DUI Case
James Novak

Earlier this month, a state appellate court issued an opinion in an Arizona DUI case involving the defendant’s claim that the prosecution failed to preserve evidence that would have shown police violated his rights. However, ultimately, the court concluded that the video, at best, could provide “potentially useful” evidence, but could not show that he…

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Court Rejects Defendant’s Claims of Prosecutorial Misconduct in Recent Arizona DUI Case
James Novak

The role of an Arizona DUI defense attorney is to defend his or her client at every step of the case. Initially, this means conducting a thorough investigation into the case, diligently reviewing the state’s evidence, and creating a compelling defense. Once the trial starts, however, a defense attorney’s role expands, requiring they keep an…

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Arizona Finds Witness Statements Were Improperly Admitted, but Affirms Defendant’s DUI Conviction
James Novak

Last month, a state appellate court issued a written opinion in an Arizona drunk driving case, discussing the defendant’s challenges to certain statements admitted at trial. Ultimately, the court held that, while the statements should not have been admitted, the defendant failed to show that admission of the statements constituted a “fundamental error.” The Facts…

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Court Rejects Motion to Suppress Identification in Recent Arizona DUI Accident Case
James Novak

Late last month, a state appellate court issued a written opinion in an Arizona DUI accident case discussing the defendant’s motion to suppress an identification made by witnesses to the accident. Ultimately, the court determined that the witnesses’ identification was not unduly suggestive, and even if it was, the defendant could not show that he…

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Recent Entries

The Importance of Handwriting in an Arizona Criminal Case A person’s handwriting can come back to haunt them, and evidence in the trial court’s record of the defendant’s handwriting can end up helping the...

When Can an Officer Reasonably Prolong a Traffic Stop in Arizona? In Arizona, an officer that sees an individual commit a traffic violation can reasonably initiate a traffic stop. The traffic stop must only last the...

What Are the Differences Between DUI, Extreme DUI, and Aggravated DUI in Arizona? In Arizona, as in every state, there are consequences for driving under the influence (DUI). What many people don’t know, however, is that there are...

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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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