Opinion ID: 2265839
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Arrest and plea bargain

Text: On September 1, 2001, Alaska's DUI law changed, lowering  from 0.10 to 0.08  the blood alcohol percentage required for a driver to be considered under the influence. [1] On that same day James Stewart was arrested at 12:40 a.m. [2] Various tests showed his blood alcohol percentage to be between 0.080 and 0.91. These levels were under the .10 presumption in the old law but exceeded the.08 presumption in the new law. Because new laws become effective at 12:01 a.m. Alaska Standard Time, Stewart's 12:40 a.m. arrest proceeded under the new DUI law. [3] Stewart was charged with a DUI. He faced a heightened charge because he had a prior DUI conviction and another conviction for refusing to take a blood alcohol test. [4] Attorney Steve Elliott represented Stewart and negotiated a plea bargain under which Stewart pleaded no contest in November 2001 to the reduced charge of a misdemeanor DUI, carrying a one-year sentence and a $1,000 fine. He received an additional year and 15 days due to revocation of probation in an earlier robbery conviction.