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OUI News and Press Releases: 

Latest Press Coverage:

Nov 2012:  Attorney Matson is quoted in the Patriot Legder again on the SJC report concernern allegations of "judge shopping".

Oct 2012:  We relaunched our blog about DUI and criminal justice issues in Massachusetts.

Aug 2012:  Now that we've had a case in the Nantucket District Court, The Law Offices of Russell J Matson, PC has represented clients in every district court in Massachusetts!

July 2012:

The CWOF loophole that wasn't a loophole is now closed. On July 8, the Governor signed a new budget bill into law that included a change to the wording in the OUI statute. The registry is saying they will still honor the law for convictions that occured prior to the bill's passage, so that is at least some good news.

June 2012:

We have a press release on our successes with license restorations. We are waiting for news on the Massachusetts House passing a bill that may update the law under Souza.

May 2012:

We are getting lots of calls from people wondering if the recent court decsion on treating cwofs as priors affects their situation. Here is a quick Souza v RMV fact sheet that covers the basics. there will be more news and info on this happening very quickly.

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Russell Matson is quoted in another Ledger story on the new ruling on Registry license suspensions and the so-called Melanie's law loophole.

April 2012:

Russell Matson is quoted in a Patriot Ledger article on sentencing in Drunk Driving with Child Endangerment cases.

Sept 2011: Labor Day Weekend is here! Stay safe and watch out for DUI Roadblocks.

June 2011:

April 2011:

February 2011:

December 2010:

Lots of news about extra holiday drunk driving patrols in Arlington, Attleboro, and many towns around Massachusetts that don't start with A. Be safe and be careful.

November 2010:

Russ is quoted extensively in SoCo Maagazine, in an article on DUI and Your Rights.

Russell Matson was on Fox 25 Boston news at 10 debating Massachusetts breath test refusal laws:

Sept 2010: Labor day weekend DUI patrols in Revere.

August 2010:

The end of summer is fast approaching! Labor day weekend means new announcements of additional DUI patrols by local and state police, like these in Revere and Milford. The Massachusetts Executive Offices of Public Safety uses federal funds to support extra drunk driving enforcement across the state.

It would be intersesting to find out how much of this funding is actually used for patrols, and how much is used in publicity campaigns like the "Over the Limit. Under Arrest" tv ads and billboards.

The article on the $10,000 Milford drunk driving enforcement grant also adds a few interesting local and national statistics on drunk driving enforcement:

• Cost of National Labor Day Drunk Driving Campaign: $38 Million, funding 11,000 law enforcement agencies.
• There were 124 motor vehicle fatalities in Massachusetts in 2008 that were considered alcohol related.

More drunk driving enforcement press from Rhode Island.

May 2010:

A news article from the Wellesley Patch about a drunk driving checkpoint. Though most analysis have shown sobriety checkpoints to not be a particularly successful use of police manpower in stopping drunk drivers, this news report indicates they arrested 10 people for DUI in a four hour period, which sounds like a significant number.

Summer driving season is here, and DUI roadblocks ("sobriety checkpoints) are planned for Norfolk county, and other areas soon.

December 09:

Enhanced holiday season drunk driving patrols are already in effect across the state, including Dedham and Arlington.

November 09:

More noise about possible 1st offense OUI ignition interlocks in Mass.

Russell Matson speaks on a panel entitled "Representing the OUI Client", sponsored by the Massachusetts Bar Association.

September 09:

Mass legislature considers drunk driving law enhancements in cases of vehicular homicide, include:

• required breath test/BAC measurements in cases of vehicular homicide.
• changing the legally window for breath test results from 2 hours to 3 hours.
• authorizing warrantless arrests for reckless or negligent vehicular homicides
• making any vehicular homicide a felony offense, instead of a misdemeanor.

Labor Day Weekend DUI Roadblocks & Enhanced patrols announced in Burlington and Manchester. Look for enhanced DUI enforcement statewide over the holiday weekend.

A Western Massachusetts Attorney is pursuing challenges to breath test machine infallibility. Previous source code challenges have been tried in New Jersey, Minnesota, and other states.

August 2009: Labor Day Massachusetts DUI Roadblocks already announced in Dennis/Barnstable County for the period of 8/14 through Monday 9/7.  Also in Plympton / Plymouth County. Expect more patrols and roadblocks for the Labor Day Holiday.

June 2009: DUI Roadblocks announced in Essex County for this weekend, 6/26-27. Expect even more of this during the July 4th weekend. Likely to see a boost in OUI charges Monday at the Haverhill District Court.

May 2009:  Massachusetts State police deploy BAT mobiles (Blood Alcohol Testing) mobile breathalyzer labs for roadside sobriety checkpoints aka roadblocks. The 2 B.A.T. mobiles allow state police to process suspected drunk drivers on the spot. The 2 systems were paid for with a federal grant.

April 2009: We recently had several clients on the same day at the Dorchester District Court who were all stopped at the same DUI roadblock. We are offering a client discount for multiple representations in the same court on the same day, such as happens with police sobriety checkpoints or DUI roadblocks. [more]

Jan 11, 2009: Attorney Russ Matson is quoted in the Cape Cod Times in a long article on hardship licenses in Massachusetts.

Jan 5, 2009: Attorney Russ Matson to speak at a panel discussion on Massachusetts OUI defense, as part of the Massachusetts Bar Association's Continuing Legal Education series. The panel is on Feb 4th. [more]

Nov 1, 2008: Russell Matson has appeared in nearly every district court in Massachusetts, defending OUI charges for his clients. [district court appearances press release]

July 28, 2008: I'm quoted in this morning's Patriot Ledger in an article about the 3rd anniversary of Melanie's Law. The never use the best quotes I give them, such as my emphasis that people convicted of serious multiple offense drunk driving charges don't really face harsher penalties now under Melanie's law than they did before. It mostly affects first and second offenders especially, with the strict alcohol ignition interlock requirements.

July 2008: Russ is back from another NCDD Summer session, energized, with a few new ideas and techniques in OUI trials.

June 2008: Russell Matson is quoted in the new issue of Boston Business Journal on lawyers who podcast. Check out Russ' OUI podcasts. Subjects include on how to fight an OUI, and protect your license, and how to decide whether to fight or plead guilty.

May, 2008 Attorney Russ Matson has been added to the Editorial Advisory Board for a new national DUI defense book, DUI Trial Tools. To be published in late 2008 by James Publishing, it will be an expert level book for trial lawyers nationwide who fight DUI charges.

March 11, 2008: I am quoted in Today's Boston Herald on a supposed loophole in Melanie's law. In fact, the loophole has nothing at all to do with Melanie's law, or Massachusetts drunk driving laws. It's simply a fact that you can't be charged with a multiple offense of a crime just because you have 2 separate, unrelated charges that haven't been resolved before the court. It wouldn't make any sense otherwise.

5/1/07: I'm quoted in Exhibit A News on Melanie's Law. The stats quoted look made up to me.

4/30/07: I'm quoted in the Mass Lawyers Weekly article on the SJC ruling on breath test admissions. On 4/19 the Mass SJC rejected a legal challenge that would have required expert testimony in breath test cases.

(Here is the SJC opinion on the breath test admission matter, Commonwealth v. Colturi.)

I have a Reader's View piece in the Patriot Leger on Friday, 4/6/07.

Recent Speaking Engagements:

On 4/26/07, Attorney Russell Matson spoke at a Seminar on Representing the OUI Client put on by the Massachusetts Bar Association.  The event, targeted to lawyers and law students, was sponsored by the Massachusetts School of Law. [ Representing the OUI Client press release]

Update: Matson's response to the seminar.

Attorney Russell Matson is Quoted on Drunk Driving Cases in the News

May 2007: I added a detailed page on Ignition Interlock vendors and installers. If you need a device installed in your car, here's where to go after you get your paperwork from the Registry.

March 2007: I wrote a letter to the editor in response to an editorial in the Patriot Ledger.

3/10: I'm quoted here in the Ledger. The article is Why aren’t more drunken drivers locked up? Tougher penalties bring more aggressive defenses, challenges to tests - and fewer convictions.

Jan 2007: I'm quoted in Mass Lawyers Weekly on the increasing opportunities to get breath test results thrown out in court. If you failed a breath test, it doesn't mean your case can't be won!

Jan 2007: Some thoughts on Why I Defend DUI cases.

Dated 12/5/2006: I was on Fox 25 News in a piece on the Ignition Interlock Device laws.

I am quoted in the newest issue (Dec 06) of Men's Health Magazine on Hardship Licenses.

Dated 11/27/06: I am a guest lecturer for the Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) on the subject of driver's license issues as they relate to OUI charges.

Dated 7/1/06: Thoughts on the Interlock Law.

Dated 5/5/06: Attorney Matson comments on the Patrick Kennedy case.

Dated 4/1/06: More attempts to use breath test devices at school proms.

Dated 12/31/05: My Op/Ed piece was in today's Quincy Patriot Ledger. Check out a copy of my article entitled "Melanie's Law Punishes the Accused Before a Guilty Verdict". 

Dated 12/27/05: I was quoted in an article in the East Bay Newspapers/ Swansea News. 

Dated 10/27/05: More Attorney Matson Melanie's Bill comments

Dated 9/25/05: Attorney Matson comments on proposed Melanie's Law - proposed changes to Massachusetts Drunk Driving Laws

Dated 7/28/05: Attorney Matson is quoted in the Boston Herald - The ambulance chasers: Victims' kin rip drunks' lawyers

Dated 5/1/05 - Registry of Motor Vehicles Changes OUI License Suspension Rules

Dated 10/27/04 - Rip Torn DUI Arrest

Dated 8/23/04 - State Representative Paul Kujawski DUI Arrest

Dated 11/7/00 - George Bush DUI arrest

Attorney Russell Matson is a recognized authority on Drunk Driving Law in Massachusetts and related areas of criminal law, motor vehicle law, the Registry of Motor Vehicles, and hardship licenses. He has been quoted by many news organizations, including legal publications like Mass Lawyer's Weekly, and Exhibit A News, and large mainstream news outlets such as Boston's Channel 5 News, The Boston Herald, The Patriot Ledger, and AAA Horizons, as well as other magazines including Men's Health and Maxim.

Attorney Matson enjoys talking to the press and providing provocative quotes, emphasizing his zealousness in defending his clients. He enjoys the adversarial nature of our criminal justice system, and is a tireless advocate for the individual against the state.

For press inquiries, please contact Russ Matson at (781)380-7730.

For more information about the consequences or defense of DUI cases, call Russell Matson at (781)380-7730, or refer to his web site, madrunk.pdxids.com

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