The Crime:
Tennessee DUI law provides that an owner or passenger of a vehicle may be held criminally liable for the actions of another person who commits the offenses of DUI, vehicular homicide, or related Tennessee crimes. This means that an owner or passenger may be found guilty of a Tennessee DUI offense when the driver is found guilty of Tennessee Driving Under the Influence. This crime is most commonly referred to as “DUI By Consent.”
A passenger or owner of a vehicle may be found guilty of DUI under Tennessee law even if the passenger or owner never drives. As a result, two or more people in the same car may be arrested and charged with Driving Under the Influence, even if only one person drove or operated the vehicle. In certain circumstances, a person can be charged and convicted of DUI by Consent even if he or she is not present in the vehicle at the time of the driver’s arrest.
The Penalties:
If convicted of DUI by Consent, the passenger or owner is subject to the penalties of a DUI conviction. If the driver is a multiple offender, or if the passenger or owner has prior DUI convictions, unique issues may arise as to which penalties apply. If you are charged with DUI by Consent in Tennessee, the attorneys at Oberman & Rice are available to discuss your charge in detail.
Featured Posts
April 12, 2024
New DUI Law Alert–Work Release Requirement Update
The Tennessee Legislature passed several new laws that became effective on January 1, 2024. One DUI related law involves the Tennessee Work Release Program. Work release is a form of probation that may be used, in certain circumstances, after a person has […]
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April 08, 2024
Reinstating Your Tennessee Driver’s License
If the Tennessee Dept. of Safety and Homeland Security has suspended or revoked your driver’s license, you are not allowed to drive again until you have obtained a valid driver’s license. This means that you cannot reuse your old driver’s […]
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March 27, 2024
Tennessee Highway Patrol Traffic Enforcement and Sobriety Checkpoints
The Tennessee Highway Patrol has planned several Sobriety Checkpoints (also commonly referred to as a “DUI Roadblocks”) throughout this spring in East Tennessee. Motorists in Campbell County can expect a DUI Roadblock on March 29, 2024 on State Route 116 at […]
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Office
Oberman & Rice
550 Main Street
Suite 730
Knoxville, TN 37902
Phone Number
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(865) 540-1696 (fax)
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Lat: -83.914776
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