Recent News

April 6, 2007

"Drugged driving per se" offered

The new drugged driving law makes it illegal to drive with prohibited amounts of certain drugs in one’s blood and urine, and for the first time, per se limits for certain drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, LSD, heroin and amphetamines. The new law will provide additional ammunition for law enforcement officers to remove impaired drivers from the road and will enable prosecutors to prosecute a higher number of offenders, some of which may have gone unpunished before the law was enacted.

The Criminal Law committee produced the seminar "Drugged Driving Per Se" to inform attorneys about the new legislation and present the perspectives of the health department, the prosecution, the defense, the judiciary and the scientist regarding this new law. A video replay of this offering will be held Tuesday, April 17 from 1:30 to 4:45 p.m. for 3.0 hours of CLE credit, including 0.5 substance abuse.

Dean Ward, Chief of the Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Testing for the Ohio Department of Health, gives attendees the opportunity to hear directly from the person in the executive branch of government most responsible for - and most knowledgeable about - the implementation of the new drugged driving per se law. The judicial perspective is presented by Judge Carrie E. Glaeden of Franklin Municipal Court as she discusses the training judges have received regarding the new law and shares her experiences with these types of cases.

Dr. Alfred E. Staubus, a well-known expert witness in the field of DUI, presents the scientific perspective as he discusses the pharmacokinetics issues, including the ranges of detectable levels of drugs/metabolites in blood and urine over time as well as the drug recognition expert program and correlation of drug impairment with detectable levels in blood or urine. Daniel J. Cable, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney for Franklin County, shares the prosecution’s perspective, and Jon J. Saia, Saia & Piatt, gives the defense’s perspective.

Register online at www.cbalaw.org or phone 614/221.4112 for event 3665-2. The cost is $85 prepaid/$95 day of for members, $125 prepaid/$135 day of for non-members and $55 prepaid/$65 day of for paralegals.