2026 Top Rated The RI DUI Guy - Chad F Bank
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Getting arrested for DUI is never easy, but getting arrested for DUI in Rhode Island is even worse. With some of the toughest, most penal DUI laws in the country, getting arrested for DUI in Rhode Island means that you need to immediately call Chad Bank, Esq., the most experienced Middletown DUI lawyer to handle […]
Rhode Island's penalty framework for repeat DUI offenses is layered and unforgiving. A second DUI within 5 years of a prior arrest carries mandatory jail — at least 10 days, with 48 consecutive hours minimum. A third DUI within the same 5-year window crosses into felony territory under RIGL § 31-27-2(d)(3), with mandatory state prison […]
If you have been charged with driving under the influence, you need to hire a Cumberland DUI lawyer as soon as you can. However, it’s important that you do not rely on the first one you can find, or the cheapest one available. There is a lot riding on your defense, and the Cumberland DUI […]
A DUI in Rhode Island unfolds across two parallel cases — a criminal case in District Court under RIGL § 31-27-2 and an administrative case at the Traffic Tribunal under § 31-27-2.1 (chemical test refusal). The two run on separate deadlines, with separate evidentiary standards, and require coordinated defense work to handle effectively. Understanding the […]
Call Chad Bank if you need an attorney for a first offense DUI! Rhode Island has some of the strictest DUI laws in the country, so even if you’ve been arrested for a first offense DUI, you could be looking at some serious penalties. That’s why, the minute you get arrested, you need to call […]
A DUI arrest hits college students harder than the statutory penalties suggest. The criminal case unfolds across the same timeline as any Rhode Island DUI — Traffic Tribunal in 10 days, arraignment in 30, motion practice for months. But the consequences extend into campus discipline, financial aid eligibility, internship and study-abroad opportunities, professional licensure pathways, […]
Lincoln RI Criminal Defense Lawyer Have you been accused of a criminal offense? Lincoln RI criminal defense lawyer Chad F. Bank can help you. He has over ten years of experience and will aggressively defend your case. Chad has helped many clients fight both felonies and misdemeanors and can also help you get offenses expunged. […]
Minor in Possession of Alcohol Defense Americans under the age of 21 are not allowed to possess alcohol. In Rhode Island minors also can’t purchase or consume alcohol. Fake IDs and DUIs will further complicate legal issues. Are you a minor that was caught with alcohol? Is your child facing minor in possession of alcohol […]
Most of what people "know" about Rhode Island DUI law is wrong. The myths circulate through bar conversations, internet forums, and outdated TV legal advice. Acting on a DUI myth in the first 48 hours after arrest can foreclose defense angles that would otherwise be available, lock in penalties that could have been avoided, and […]
Chad F. Bank's recognition by the American Institute of DUI Attorneys reflects the firm's depth in Rhode Island DUI defense — particularly in motion practice, calibration challenges, and refusal hearing strategy at the Traffic Tribunal. The Institute's recognition is one data point among several that defendants can use when evaluating Rhode Island DUI lawyers, alongside […]
Rhode Island DUI Attorney The Rhode Island State Police have released a statement discussing a particularly odd DUI arrest this past weekend. The report states that the police arrested a Warwick man for not only DUI, but also refusing to submit to a breathalyzer, and possession of a controlled substance which in this case was […]
RI DUI Lawyer - Chad Bank When many people think about DUI, they may think of someone flying down the interstate swerving and being a danger to traffic. But in Rhode Island like a lot of other states to be arrested for DUI you do not need to go any farther than starting your car. […]
Rhode Island DUI penalties have tightened materially since 2014, with the legislature amending § 31-27-2 and related provisions multiple times. The trend is unidirectional — toward stricter penalties, longer license suspensions, broader ignition interlock requirements, and tougher refusal consequences. For anyone facing a Rhode Island DUI charge today, the penalty package is meaningfully heavier than […]
Rhode Island DUI defense is shaped by deadlines as much as by evidence. The 10-day Traffic Tribunal hearing window starts at arrest. The temporary driving permit on the arrest summons typically expires 30 days later. Pretrial motion deadlines run through months two and three. Each window has its own consequences for the case if missed. […]
Fighting a Rhode Island DUI charge is a campaign across multiple fronts. The criminal court fight is one front. The Traffic Tribunal fight is another. The license consequence is a third — and it begins moving the day of the arrest, before either case is even scheduled. An RI DUI attorney coordinates all three to […]
Fighting a DUI in Rhode Island is not a single move — it is a sequence of decisions and motion filings that compound over the months between arrest and resolution. The decisions made in week one (10-day refusal hearing request, retention of counsel) determine the trajectory. The motions filed in months two and three (suppression, […]
Rhode Island DUI laws rank in the middle nationally — a 2018 WalletHub comparative study placed Rhode Island 34th strictest in the country. That ranking is often cited as evidence that Rhode Island goes "easy" on DUI offenders. The reality is more nuanced: Rhode Island's misdemeanor penalties are middling on a national scale, but the […]
When it comes to deciphering the law, verdicts often get caught up in the logistics of terminology. For example, can you get a DUI On A Golf Cart? After all, a golf cart is not a car and is not typically operated on the open road. However, it still is classified as a motor vehicle. […]
In Rhode Island and the rest of these United States, DUI stands for Driving Under the Influence while a DWI refers to Driving While Intoxicated. In certain states, the a DUI and a DWI are recognized as separate crimes. However, Rhode Island uses these two terms interchangeably along with operating while impaired (OWI), with no […]
Choosing the right Rhode Island DUI lawyer is the single most consequential decision a defendant makes in the first week after arrest. The deadlines run immediately, the case unfolds across two parallel tracks (Traffic Tribunal and District Court), and the early procedural moves either preserve or foreclose the defense angles available later. The lawyer hired […]
Rhode Island DUI Penalties Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in Rhode Island is defined by the state as: § 31-27-2 Driving under the influence of liquor or drugs. [Effective until January 1, 2015.]. – (a) Whoever drives or otherwise operates any vehicle in the state while under the influence of any intoxicating liquor, drugs, toluene, […]
Refusing the breathalyzer in Rhode Island triggers its own civil violation under RIGL § 31-27-2.1 — separate from the underlying DUI charge, prosecuted at the Traffic Tribunal rather than District Court, with its own license suspension and fine schedule. Refusing is sometimes the right tactical call and sometimes the wrong one. The decision is fact-specific […]
Hiring a Rhode Island DUI lawyer is a fast decision with long consequences. Most defendants make the call within 48 to 72 hours of arrest, often without much research, often based on a Google ad or a recommendation from a friend. The 10-day refusal hearing deadline runs immediately, the District Court arraignment is typically within […]