Portland Criminal Defense and Personal Injury Attorneys

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Effective January 1, 2017,
Gilroy & Napoli, LLC and Short Law Group, P.C. have merged to form Gilroy Napoli Short Law Group LLP.

Oregon DUII law may be expanded to drivers impaired by over-the-counter medication. The new Bill, House Bill 2491, “expands offense of driving while under influence of intoxicants to include any substance that adversely affects person’s physical or mental faculties to noticeable or perceptible degree,” according to the Bill submitted earlier this week.

The new law would expand the definition of an ‘intoxicant’ to cover commonly abused drugs, such as Nyquil and Robitussin.

Chuck Hayes, chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Committee on DUII, spoke in support of House Bill 2491 to the House Judiciary Committee on Monday and why explained why Oregon should adopt this change.

“Right now if a driver is stopped on the highway for bad driving and there is some probable cause that person is under the influence, then if that (non-controlled substance) is the only substance that is causing the impairment,” explained Hayes. “Then that person cannot be convicted because it does not fall within our definition of an intoxicant presently in the state of Oregon”

Hayes, a former Oregon State Police Officer, recounted three confrontations with impaired drivers on Oregon roads, who turned out to be impaired by non-controlled substances. Each driver eventually cleared the limited Oregon DUII laws. Hayes also pointed out to the committee that 40 of the 50 states now have DUI statutes in place that include intoxication from non-controlled substances. Hayes says this legislative trend is in response to the escalation in abuse of these readily available drugs, especially by young drivers.

Hayes’ examples included two drivers who were charged with a DUII in Portland and another in Albany, Oregon. These drivers displayed common characteristics of impaired driving, including slurred speech and lethargy. None of the drivers were even capable of performing standard sobriety tests. However, each driver registered a .00 BAC, and their DUII charges were dropped.

Other states, including Washington, have realized multiple benefits from expanding the definition of ‘intoxicant’ in their DUI law. Law makers in Washington state, which adopted a similar amendment to their DUI law in 1997, say they have benefit from safer roads, and the opportunity to help citizens with addictions to these drugs through court-ordered counseling programs. These states can also raise awareness, through PSAs and other initiatives, of the abuse of these drugs by demonstrating they can cause impairment equal to excessive alcohol abuse.

Hayes anticipates criticism from those who believe the new law will overreach and convict innocent drivers who suffer from unintended impairment from prescription or over-the-counter drugs.

Hayes defends the expansion of the Oregon DUI law by pointing out that all of these drugs come with clearly labeled warnings and instructions to avoid intoxication. He outlines one incident where a driver who had forgotten his anti-depressant medication in Portland after leaving town, returned, and compensated by ingesting five days worth of his medication, even though the medication bottle adorned a warning against this kind of use. The driver ended up weaving between traffic lanes on I-5 before being stopped by police and charged with a DUII that was later dropped.

“It comes back to responsible use and awareness,” Hayes concluded.

Gilroy & Napoli are DUII Attorneys in Lake Oswego, Oregon. They do not claim support or disapproval of the proposed law, but only strive to educate the public of developing news related to DUII law in Oregon. If you are charged with a DUI in Oregon, contact Gilroy & Napoli for more information on defending your DUI.

Gilroy & Napoli Reviews

"I used John Gilroy with Gilroy & Napoli to represent me in a very complex and multi-faceted case. I travelled from Hawaii to deal with my case and made a point to interview several different firms. I felt instantly comfortable with John and his staff and never felt judged or looked down upon. Since I live across the Pacific Ocean and am not in state to deal with this legal matter, finding the right lawyer and firm was essential. My requirements were the following: knowledge of the law, loads of experience, amicable connections, excellent communication, likability, cost and ability to think outside the box. John Gilroy far exceeded my expectations on all accounts. His resume, experience and knowledge of the legal system are outstanding and his contacts and connections saved me both time and money. The amount I saved from his thinking outside of the box and directing me clearly on what to do covered more than his fees; I ended up saving money by using Gilroy and Napoli. He's also a very nice guy. This may not seem important; however, having a lawyer who has a good reputation among his peers and colleagues is necessary. Many lawyers will reference that they know everyone in the system, but he genuinely does. His professional history outlines it and my experience proves it. I highly recommend John Gilroy and Gilroy & Napoli."

"Needing a criminal attorney is a very scary and humbling thing. The best decision I made in this process was choosing John Gilroy to represent me"

"Things are very different from the laws in our home state. My wife found Jeff and John through Google and it was the best find ever. Jeff met with us and explained how the laws are administered, what to expect worst case and what he thought would be the outcome; (we came out better than expected). More importantly, he promised no surprises: and he delivered. The entire office was extremely professional, instilling the confidence we needed in a time when calm and reason are called for. Jeff Napoli is by far the most competent attorney I have witnessed and he knows the law. Jeff is very highly respected in the Washington County legal environment and for good reason. Thank you Jeff and thanks to the entire office."

"To anyone reading this take the time and make the call. It will change your life. Before talking to Mr. Napoli, I felt like I was all alone with no one in my corner. The staff at Gilroy & Napoli are so attentive to specific needs, I never felt alone. The strong and powerful feeling you need to fight your battle is there. Please call them. Let them hear your story. Don't be afraid. It was by far one of the most important calls I have ever made and will never ever be more thankful for their hard work."

"From the beginning John was straightforward, knowledgeable, and concerning. John helped me understand the process, and through his knowledge and experience was able to help me make complicated decisions. Considering that a measure 11 conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years 10 months in prison, the fact that John was able negotiate a significantly less sentence and a class of felony that would be expungeable was a good outcome considering the above mentioned possibility. After my release I sought John's representation again to have the felony expunged from my record, and again he delivered. Thank you John, I cannot say that enough!"

"I was scared and trembling. I didn't even know the difference between and misdemeanor and a felony, but I knew our family needed immediate legal help. I was greeted by the calm, kind and friendly voice of John Gilroy. He gave me information, advice and answered all my questions. I soon found that John was a family man who wanted nothing but the best for us. He took charge, worked hard and kept us informed every step of the way. John is well known and respected and he knows what needs to be done and how to do it.Of course you never want to make the call to an attorney, but if you have to, make it to a friend...Gilroy and Napoli."

“I used John Gilroy with Gilroy & Napoli to represent me in a very complex and multi-faceted case. I . . . .

I used John Gilroy with Gilroy & Napoli to represent me in a very complex and multi-faceted case. I travelled from Hawaii to deal with my case and made a point to interview several different firms. I felt instantly comfortable with John and his staff and never felt judged or looked down upon. Since I live across the Pacific Ocean and am not in state to deal with this legal matter, finding the right lawyer and firm was essential. My requirements were the following: knowledge of the law, loads of experience, amicable connections, excellent communication, likability, cost and ability to think outside the box. John Gilroy far exceeded my expectations on all accounts. His resume, experience and knowledge of the legal system are outstanding and his contacts and connections saved me both time and money. The amount I saved from his thinking outside of the box and directing me clearly on what to do covered more than his fees; I ended up saving money by using Gilroy and Napoli. He's also a very nice guy. This may not seem important; however, having a lawyer who has a good reputation among his peers and colleagues is necessary. Many lawyers will reference that they know everyone in the system, but he genuinely does. His professional history outlines it and my experience proves it. I highly recommend John Gilroy and Gilroy & Napoli.”

“Needing a criminal attorney is a very scary and humbling thing. The best decision I made in this pro. . . .

Needing a criminal attorney is a very scary and humbling thing. The best decision I made in this process was choosing John Gilroy to represent me”

“Things are very different from the laws in our home state. My wife found Jeff and John through Googl. . . .

Things are very different from the laws in our home state. My wife found Jeff and John through Google and it was the best find ever. Jeff met with us and explained how the laws are administered, what to expect worst case and what he thought would be the outcome; (we came out better than expected). More importantly, he promised no surprises: and he delivered. The entire office was extremely professional, instilling the confidence we needed in a time when calm and reason are called for. Jeff Napoli is by far the most competent attorney I have witnessed and he knows the law. Jeff is very highly respected in the Washington County legal environment and for good reason. Thank you Jeff and thanks to the entire office.”

“To anyone reading this take the time and make the call. It will change your life. Before talking to . . . .

To anyone reading this take the time and make the call. It will change your life. Before talking to Mr. Napoli, I felt like I was all alone with no one in my corner. The staff at Gilroy & Napoli are so attentive to specific needs, I never felt alone. The strong and powerful feeling you need to fight your battle is there. Please call them. Let them hear your story. Don't be afraid. It was by far one of the most important calls I have ever made and will never ever be more thankful for their hard work.”

“From the beginning John was straightforward, knowledgeable, and concerning. John helped me understan. . . .

From the beginning John was straightforward, knowledgeable, and concerning. John helped me understand the process, and through his knowledge and experience was able to help me make complicated decisions. Considering that a measure 11 conviction carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years 10 months in prison, the fact that John was able negotiate a significantly less sentence and a class of felony that would be expungeable was a good outcome considering the above mentioned possibility. After my release I sought John's representation again to have the felony expunged from my record, and again he delivered. Thank you John, I cannot say that enough!”

“I was scared and trembling. I didn't even know the difference between and misdemeanor and a felony, . . . .

I was scared and trembling. I didn't even know the difference between and misdemeanor and a felony, but I knew our family needed immediate legal help. I was greeted by the calm, kind and friendly voice of John Gilroy. He gave me information, advice and answered all my questions. I soon found that John was a family man who wanted nothing but the best for us. He took charge, worked hard and kept us informed every step of the way. John is well known and respected and he knows what needs to be done and how to do it.Of course you never want to make the call to an attorney, but if you have to, make it to a friend...Gilroy and Napoli.”

Gilroy Napoli Short LLP

12755 SW 69th Ave #201
Portland, OR 97223
Phone:
503-620-9887

Fax:
503-620-4884

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Gilroy Napoli Short LLP is a full-service law firm providing exceptional legal representation to clients in Oregon and the greater Portland metro area.