DWI: Not Guilty
October 2014
Karon was charged with Driving While Impaired in Charlotte, North Carolina. Karon's case presented a unique scenario that was very interesting to defend. Our client suffered extreme anxiety, for which he took several prescription drugs. As a result of an auto accident, Karon was charged with DWI. The arresting officer took him to a local hospital and requested a Registered Nurse (RN) to administer a blood draw.
Given the complexities of Karon's case, and some unrelated charges, I prepared our client for every possible scenario. We discussed in detail the various possible outcomes of his case. We took the proper steps to put Karon in the best possible position regardless of how his case proceeded.
I prepared our client's trial strategy to force the State to meet its burden of proof. The arresting officer is experienced. He conducted a detailed investigation. However, a careful analysis of his documentation revealed critical errors that proved fatal to the State's case. The State has the burden to prove "impairment" in a DWI case. In this case, the arresting officer was not qualified to provide the proper opinion regarding my client's impairment or lack thereof. He further failed to request the assistance of an officer (a drug recognition expert) who was qualified to provide such an opinion. While the District Attorney attempted to cure this issue at trial, I made the appropriate arguments on behalf of Karon successfully. The Court ultimately found Karon not guilty of Driving While Impaired.
While the argument ultimately was not necessary, I had prepared a secondary argument for our client based upon irregularities with his bond and the failure to release Karon in a timely manner. This illustrates that I review all the relevant documentation to ensure we proceed correctly for each client.
I was very pleased with this result. This case presented some interesting facts, and we were ultimately able to protect out client's rights.
Christopher Shumate
Mr. Chris Shumate is a native of Gastonia, North Carolina, and worked various jobs while pursuing his undergraduate and Juris Doctor education, including several heavy manual labor and skilled trade positions. In his practice, Mr. Shumate often encounters circumstances where these prior experiences are helpful in representing you. Upon graduating law school from the University of South Carolina, Mr. Shumate joined one of the Carolinas' larger defense firms, where he represented a diverse set of employers and insurance companies in civil cases and workers' compensation claims across the Carolinas. Chris utilized this experience to obtain a working knowledge of the insurance industry, and build personal contacts used today in representing you. Mr. Shumate ultimately decided he wanted to focus his law practice on assisting those who have been injured, and doing so with the focus on a personal relationship that is uncommon in the bigger firms.
Mr. Shumate's also has a passion for assisting those facing the challenges of the criminal legal system. By representing individuals in a variety of criminal and traffic matters, Mr. Shumate works to achieve the best possible result for each client regardless of the charges levied by the prosecution. Chris has tirelessly pursued his mission of helping people from all walks of life throughout the Carolinas with a variety of legal matters.
If you are interested in learning more about Chris Shumate and The Shumate Law Offices, please contact us at 704.371.5059. We look forward to assisting you to achieve a positive result in your legal concern.
Education
J.D., University of South Carolina
B.S., University of South Carolina
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
N.C. State BarS.C. State BarU.S. District Court Western District of North Carolina
Professional & Bar Association Memberships
N.C. Bar Association
S.C. Bar Association
Mecklenburg County Bar
N.C. Academy Of Trial Lawyers
American Association For Justice
