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- ABOUT
- VIDEOS
- TOPICS
- JOBS & TALENT
- TESTIMONIALS
- COMMUNITY
- EVENTS
- NOMINATIONS & LISTS
- SPONSORSHIP
Regardless of the season, it is important to be cognizant of alcohol consumption and to make a plan to keep yourself out of a quandary. Jeff Meadows suggests making a plan before you go out for the evening.
" Take an Uber or hire a neighborhood kid to drive you around; they make some extra cash and you stay safe," he says. "I promise the cost of transportation will be much more affordable than having to hire an attorney to fight an OVI charge."
If you do find yourself in a predicament after making a poor decision and are now facing an OVI charge, how do you decide the best option to handle your case? With more than 15 years of experience working OVI cases, Meadows has established a reputation for being one of the best OVI attorneys in the region.
"There is no one in Southwestern Ohio who has tried more OVI cases than I have over the last 15 years," Meadows says. "I will most likely try more OVI cases in a year than most attorneys will try in 10 years or even in their whole careers."
Meadows built his business focusing specifically on OVI cases be- cause it allows him to be a defense attorney, but unlike most criminal defense cases, he defends individuals who are basically good people who made a bad choice.
"There are a lot of hard working people who end up with an OVI," Meadows says. "They care about their driving record and are looking for the best possible result. These are the people I want to help."
Meadows has worked with more than 2,000 clients and 80% of his clients have had favorable outcomes. Favorable outcomes could mean a not guilty verdict or a reduced charge to reckless operation. It could also mean being sentenced as a first-time offender instead of a second-time offender.
What exactly do these favorable outcomes mean?
"Being convicted of a reckless operation caries a lot of the same
consequences as an OVI in terms of the three-day alcohol class, license suspension and fines," Meadows says. "But you do not have an OVI on your record. A reckless operation (conviction) will likely be treated more favorably than an OVI by insurance companies.
" There can also be a psychological benefit. People often feel shame due to an OVI conviction. Another benefit of receiving a reckless operation conviction versus an OVI conviction, the reckless operation will not enhance any subsequent convictions for an OVI. For example, if you receive two OVI charges within a six-year period, there is a minimum 10-day mandatory jail stay.
"An OVI conviction can also have a negative impact on a person’s career," Meadows says. "For example, a person with a commercial driver’s license can be affected substantially different depending on whether they are charged with a reckless operation versus an OVI.
A reckless operation charge is not an immediate disqualifier. If you receive an OVI while in the military, it can keep you from being promoted, get you demoted or worse. There are a number of other jobs and industries that an OVI charge can negatively impact."
So as we move past the holiday season and look forward to the awakening of spring with its own celebratory fun, make sure you have a good plan in place. There is no shame in partaking of green beer, just make sure you’re making your own good luck with good driving decisions.