     EXCELLENT

The Impact of a DUI During a Child Custody Battle

Driving Under the Influence and Child Custody battles are never two things anyone wants to have to endure, especially when they are co occurring simultaneously. When enduring a child custody situation, each parent will find they are under a high level of scrutiny. As a result, a DUI charge can have a big impact on the outcome of a child custody dispute. If in the process of dealing with both of these issues at the same time, it will be important for a person to consult with a practiced family law attorney.

Is Substance Abuse an Issue?

Being charged with a DUI may have no impact on how you parent your child or the attachment they may have with you. Regardless of this, a DUI on your record will not paint you in the most positive light when the judge is determining where the child will reside. Everyone has lapses in judgment, making DUIs one of the most common types of criminal charges a person may receive. Despite this, when in a child custody dispute, it may raise questions for the judge or opposing counsel. They may even ask to take a deeper look at your substance abuse to determine if there is a deeper problem. If the other party has concerns, they should raise awareness of this to the courts.

It’s important to note that if the child(ren) were in the car at the time the DUI charge occurred, it could have a greater impact on the type of access a parent have to their child. A judge could even order that children can only be seen during visits that are supervised by someone.

Signs of Alcohol Abuse

There are some telltale signs that a person has a drinking problem. It may make sense to take this into consideration if you have concern that your ex spouse has a drinking problem.

Lying about how much they drink
Hiding their drinking
Regularly drinking too much or not being able to stop
Unable to quit drinking
Isolating themselves from friends and family

Substance abuse can have a serious impact on parenting:

Creates chaos in the home
Inconsistent parenting can be confusing to children, sending them mixed messages
May put them at risk of violence
Leave them feeling fearful or like it’s their fault
Cause them to be parentified due to taking care of their parent or other children in the home.

Whether it was you or your ex spouse who picked up the charge, it’s highly likely that receiving a DUI will have an impact on your case in some way. Consulting with a family law attorney or child custody lawyer in Arizona or your local area, will be helpful in figuring out how to manage the situation amidst child custody conflicts.

Thanks to our contributors from Hildebrand Law for their insight into the impact of DUI during a child custody battle.

Client Reviews

    
 
 
       Posted on Google  
   
   Anonymous 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I was facing a charge of Reckless Driving for speeding on I66 at midnight. This is considered a Class 1 Misdemeanor in the state of Virginia. Having something like Reckless Driving on your record is on par with having a DUI. This charge also carries a chance for jail time (up to a year).

I was incredibly scared because I had never faced such a charge. And looking into Virginia Law, my speed exceeded 90mph, which is quite serious.

I retained Dave Albo to help me with this case. Since my record was clean, Dave had advised I do the following before my trial.

* Take a DMV Driver's Improvement Course

* Take a Behavior Modification Course

* Do 100 hours of community service

* Print my DMV Record one week before the trial

On the day of my trial, Dave got my Reckless Driving charge REDUCED to a regular Speeding charge. This was the absolute best case scenario for me.

No criminal record.
No jail time.
No suspension of license.

I did receive 6 demerit points and had to pay a fine of $250 (plus court fees). But that's a slap on the wrist, compared to what I could have been facing.

Thank you Dave Albo for helping me through this ordeal!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Tom 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Dave albo it's a fantastic lawyer.
He has helped me twice now with great results both times with minor traffic tickets.
I would recommend him to anybody including my family. He has great ethics and honesty which is what I look for in a lawyer .
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   kendall carpenter 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Dave was my attorney recently for a car accident where I needed someone to represent me in court. After exchanging all necessary information he reassured me when the court date came that there wouldn’t be anything to worry about. On the day of court a couple problems arose and Dave was able to rectify them quickly, told me everything I need to say if needed and when it was all over he got my violation reduced significantly. I hope to never go to court again but if I do I will being calling Dave again.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Amanda Stallard 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Retaining the services of Mr. Albo for traffic court was probably the best decision I made. He is very responsive to emails, knowledgeable, and punctual. He provided excellent advice that eased the panic of having to go to the court house and stand before a judge. I am very happy with the outcome of my visit to traffic court and highly recommend Dave Albo.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Mark West 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Mr Albo was very professional and I was pleased with the outcome.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   M 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. David was incredible to work with from clear communication and next steps. To showing up to traffic court early to walk over all steps, making case in court as experienced/intelligent/well spoken lawyer. Lastly, he even followed after case in writing to confirm the outcome outlining everything that happened in lamen terms (in my case the best outcome we could ask for). I’m so appreciative to David.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   mitquinn88 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Absolutely top notch representation. Can't thank Dave enough for his knowledge and expertise.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   G R 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Thanks to Dave Albo for a fantastic job representing me and ensuring the best possible outcome for my case.  I highly recommend him - you will be in good hands for sure.  From start to finish he provided expert counsel and kept me well informed.  He  simply could not have done a better job.
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Hope Carrigan 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I am THRILLED with the outcome of my case, all thanks to Attorney Albo's superb expertise, excellent advice & sharp negotiating skills! I am extremely relieved and  grateful; I highly recommend retaining his services. Well beyond worth it!!
  
 
      Posted on Google  
   
   Doug Damron 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Dave did a great job representing me for my traffic court infraction! I wanted the best and his name came up as I searched for an attorney. Highly recommend him on all levels including a successful outcome to my case.