Practice Areas / Criminal Law

Criminal Law Generally

Kermit L. Dunahoo, the supervising attorney, has practiced criminal law in Iowa for over 20 years. Previously, he was an Assistant Polk County Attorney, an area prosecutor and head of the criminal appeals division with the Iowa Attorney General's office, a professor of criminal law and juvenile law at the College of William and Mary Law School in Williamsburg, Virginia, and a criminal law consultant for the American Bar Association. He has written over two dozen law books and articles on Iowa criminal law, drunk driving defense, and controlled substances, and has lectured at approximately two dozen continuing legal education seminars. He is a member of the Iowa Criminal Defense Attorneys Association.

[See DLF Website Forms Nos. 18-22]

Drunk Driving Defense

Mr. Dunahoo has concentrated on drunk driving defense over the past 20 years of his law practice, after supervising the drunk driving docket as an Assistant Polk County Attorney.

He is a member of the National DUI (Drunk Driving) Defense College, and has attended four out-of-state national-scope seminars on drunk driving defense. He holds a certificate of completion of a 20-hour national training course in Atlanta, Georgia, on standardized field sobriety testing used by all Iowa peace officers in investigating and processing suspected drunk drivers.

He is the co-author of DEFENDING DRUNK DRIVING CASES IN IOWA, several other related continuing legal seminar books, and IOWA LAYMAN'S GUIDE FOR AVOIDING ARREST AND CONVICTION FOR DRUNK DRIVING/OWI.

[See DLF Website Form No. 21]

Traffic Tickets

It is advisable to consult with an attorney before paying certain traffic tickets because of the possibility of that ticket leading to a driver's license suspension by DOT or, even worse, a barment order by the DOT for certain multiple moving violations. It may be possible, in certain circumstances, to plea bargain with the county attorney or city attorney regarding the pending traffic ticket in order to avoid a possible suspension.

Some of the tickets you especially need to be concerned with are:

(1) speeding tickets in excess of 25 m.p.h. over the posted speed limit;
(2) a third moving violation in the past one year;
(3) reckless driving and hit-and-run tickets; and
(4) any moving violation while on DOT probation (which lasts for one year after reinstatement of your driver's license following completion of a previous suspension period).

[See DLF Website Form No. 10]

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Memberships and offices in legal fraternities and legal societies, technical and professional licenses, and memberships in scientific, technical and professional associations and societies of law or field of practice does not mean that a lawyer is a specialist or expert in a field of law, nor does it mean that such lawyer is necessarily any more expert or competent than any other lawyer. All potential clients are urged to make their own independent investigation and evaluation of any lawyer being considered. This notice is required by rule of the Supreme Court of Iowa." 

DISCLAIMER:
This web site has been prepared by Dunahoo Law Firm for informational purposes only and nothing contained herein should be considered as legal advice. Viewing of information contained on this web site and communication with Dunahoo Law Firm via this web site shall not create an attorney-client relationship and one should not rely on information herein without seeking the advice of legal counsel.