2026 Top Rated The RI DUI Guy - Chad F Bank
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Understanding Rhode Island DUI laws starts with the core statute: R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-27-2. From there, several additional sections layer on — § 31-27-2.1 (chemical test refusal), § 31-27-2.2 (DUI manslaughter), § 31-27-2.6 (DUI with child passenger), and § 31-27-2.8 (ignition interlock). Each piece of the framework shapes a different aspect of how a […]
For centuries, the winter season has been a time for drinking. The tradition carries over to modern-day times. However, that can make the winter a particularly dangerous time of year. Find out everything that you should know about drinking alcohol in the winter. The truth might not be what you expect, The History of Drinking […]
We can all agree that a DUI is a serious crime. Many people associate DUIs with the hilarious videos that appear online of people miserably failing the field sobriety tests. Trying to hold one foot six inches off the ground and falling over. However, DUIs are no laughing matter. Today we are going to take […]
If you think that boating and drinking go hand-in-hand, you may be in for a rude awakening. Although it’s always been illegal in Rhode Island to drive a boat while drinking alcohol, the police are taking the offense more seriously. Known as BUIs, boating under the influence could land you time in jail. Before you […]
The legal landscape around breathalyzer refusal has shifted substantially over the past decade. The U.S. Supreme Court's Birchfield v. North Dakota (2016) ruling reshaped what states can criminalize when drivers decline chemical testing. Rhode Island courts have addressed advisement defects, chain-of-custody questions, and the line between roadside PBT and station chemical test in a series […]
Fighting a Rhode Island DUI is not a single defense — it is a sequence of decisions and motion filings that compound across the case. The decisions made in week one (refusal hearing, retention of counsel) set the trajectory. The motions filed in months two and three (suppression, calibration challenges) determine whether the case collapses […]
Rhode Island enforces a zero-tolerance BAC threshold of 0.02% for drivers under 21 — meaning even a single drink, or sometimes residual alcohol from a recent drink several hours earlier, can trigger a per se DUI violation. The penalty framework largely mirrors the standard adult framework, but the practical consequences extend further: campus disciplinary action, […]
A Rhode Island DUI defense attorney does more than show up at arraignment. The case unfolds across two parallel tracks (Traffic Tribunal and District Court) with separate deadlines on each. The 10-day Traffic Tribunal hearing window starts at arrest. Pretrial motion practice runs through months two and three. Plea negotiation happens at the leverage point […]
Rhode Island's ignition interlock law (RIGL § 31-27-2.8) requires installation of an approved ignition interlock device on the vehicles of certain DUI offenders before driving privileges are restored. The device measures breath alcohol before allowing the engine to start, and intermittently while the vehicle is in motion. For most defendants, the interlock requirement adds 1 […]
When most people think of drunk driving, they think of driving a car. However, there are other vehicles that can get you drunk driving charges. Sometimes, those vehicles are a little less than conventional. Here's a look at some of the strangest vehicles in which people were caught driving under the influence. Driving Under the […]
It seems like drinking culture has become a dominating force in more recent years. There is so much more of our lifestyles attached with drinking than there used to be. It seems more of a trend to meet for drinks, than coffee. Happy hours have become more popular. And if you mention that you don't […]
To most college students, the sight of a campus police officer does not inspire the same fear as a police officer. Many students doubt the power of campus police. However, they may have more power than you think. Find out what the campus authorities can and can't do. What authority does campus police actually have? […]
Men have a reputation for being bad drivers. However, women may be catching up to men when it comes to accidents relating to drinking and driving. Statistics show that, lately, women are the cause for more alcohol-involved deaths. Find out the truth behind drunk driving arrests. The Statistics Behind Drunk Driving Arrests It's impossible to […]
A Rhode Island DUI conviction has consequences that extend well beyond the criminal court — particularly for students. The campus disciplinary process operates separately from the criminal case. Financial aid, transcript notations, study abroad eligibility, and graduate school admissions all trigger off the conviction record. For students pursuing professional careers, the disclosure obligations attached to […]
What you say and do during a Rhode Island DUI stop has a direct effect on the strength of your defense weeks later. The officer is collecting evidence from the moment of pull-over — your driving pattern, your speech, your eye movements, your statements. Some of that evidence you cannot control. But the most damaging […]
DUI expungement in Rhode Island is not available. RIGL § 12-1.3-2 specifically excludes DUI convictions from the state's expungement statute. The conviction stays on the criminal record permanently — visible to background checks, professional licensing boards, employer screenings, and graduate school admissions for life. Understanding this rule shapes the entire defense strategy on a Rhode […]
Alcoholism A big problem in our country that does not get spoken much of us alcoholism. A staggering 17.6 million people suffer from alcoholism in America. That equates to one in every twelve adults. Most people do not fully understand alcoholism and have a very basic and simplistic idea of it in their mind. People assume […]
A DUI arrest as a University of Rhode Island student carries the standard Rhode Island DUI penalty package plus a separate set of campus-side consequences that can be larger than the criminal sentence itself. URI's student conduct code treats off-campus criminal conduct as grounds for disciplinary review. Financial aid, housing, athletics eligibility, and study-abroad privileges […]
A Rhode Island DUI conviction triggers a chain of insurance consequences that play out over the next three to seven years. Your insurer is notified. Your rate climbs 50% to 200%. You are reclassified into a high-risk underwriting tier. The DMV requires a SR-22 high-risk certificate on file before reinstating your license, and that SR-22 […]
Probable cause is the constitutional threshold that determines whether a Rhode Island DUI stop and arrest are valid. Without it, the entire case can collapse on a motion to suppress — the stop is invalidated, the field sobriety tests are excluded, the chemical test is excluded, and the prosecution loses its evidence. The probable cause […]
The Ways Drinking Affects Your Ability To Drive Drinking and driving put your life as well as all the other lives on the road at risk. In 2015, over 34,000 people died from traffic fatalities. About a third of traffic accidents result from impaired driving. Alcohol affects your mental and physical abilities necessary for driving. […]
Ever wondered why alcoholics are so forgetful? Alcohol has many adverse effects on the body, and today we are going to look at the connection between memory loss and alcohol. Where It All Began Most people enjoy having a drink, from time to time. Many enjoy a good red wine with their favorite Italian cuisine or […]
Looking Out For Signs Of Alcohol Abuse What is Alcoholism? Alcohol abuse ruins families, careers, and lives. People with alcohol addiction cannot stop drinking and do not care about how it affects them or the people around them. Therefore, if someone notices signs of alcohol abuse in a friend or loved one, they must take […]
Are you choosing a college and feeling a bit lost? If you haven't looked into Brown University yet, it's worth a closer look. Here are five reasons you should attend the highly-ranked school. 1. Their Open Curriculum Opens More Doors for Students Most colleges have core requirements, and students spend their first year (or two) […]
If you're a fan of professional football, you may have noticed that driving under the influence is a major problem. Many NFL players have had recent issues with drinking and driving and related charges. Here are 10 players that have been charged in the past two years: 1. Michael Floyd Now a wide receiver for the […]
Frequent sick days, workplace injuries, drunk driving — there are many effects of alcoholism. Recent studies have discovered that people working in certain jobs have a higher likelihood of alcohol abuse. Here, alcohol abuse occurs when someone consumes more than five drinks in one sitting. See the top six occupations where alcoholism occurs below. Mining […]
The short answer: most Rhode Island DUIs are misdemeanors, but a third DUI within five years is a felony under RIGL § 31-27-2(d)(3) — and any DUI causing a death is felony manslaughter under § 31-27-2.2. Knowing the felony threshold matters because the consequences scale dramatically once a case crosses into felony territory: state prison […]