Frequently Asked Questions

These questions and answers offer helpful information when you are considering whether you should retain an attorney.

What is a criminal case?

What is a DUI?

I was injured by someone else's carelessness.  What should I do?

What is a criminal case?

A criminal case is prosecuted by the government in order to convict an individual or an entity for committing a local, state, or federal crime.

It is the prosecutor who controls the case, not the victim of the crime.  Also, in criminal cases:

• A criminal conviction mandates a punishment including a fine, jail time, or a combination of these.
• Government-paid attorneys (public defenders) represent people who cannot afford an attorney.
• A defendant's guilt is determined “beyond a reasonable doubt.”  The burden of proof is greater than for a civil case.
• Criminal defendants are usually tried by jury.

What is a DUI?

DUI or Driving Under the Influence as it is know in Tennessee, is also referred to as DWI or Driving While Intoxicated and other terms in other states.

The specificities of the statute vary by state, but are based on a blood-alcohol concentration (BAC), usually set at .08 for drivers over the age of twenty-one.  The impact of even one drink, however, may differ due to an individual’s height, weight, and gender, and can have a variable impact on the quality and safety of an individual’s operation of a vehicle because of these factors.

Drivers under the age of twenty-one, found with any amount of alcohol in the bloodstream, can have their license revoked for one year.  Minors with a BAC over .08 can be tried and sentenced as adults.

An initial DUI charge can lead to imprisonment, fines, and court costs levied against the offender; suspension or revocation of the person’s driver’s license; mandated driving school or substance abuse treatment programs; vehicle impoundment; community service, or other punishments.

Subsequent DUI violations will result in much more severe punishments.

 Back to Top

I was injured by someone else's carelessness.  What should I do?

Write down everything you can remember about how the injury occurred, including the names, addresses and phone numbers of potential witnesses, police officers, insurance company representatives (or company or worker compensation representatives if it was a work injury).

Talk to a Tennessee personal injury attorney before making any written or verbal statements to insurance company adjusters or representatives

Take steps to protect any evidence you may need to prove your injury, such as your damaged car, photographs of an accident or injury scene, clothing you were wearing, damaged personal belongings, and so forth.

Contact attorney Kit Rodgers today by phone or email for a solid defense or powerful offense.