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StevenEllmanLaw.com | 609-721-7324 | April 2026
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Each client I defend has a different story about what happened in their lives that led to a DUI charge. And as the respected author Tim O’Brien once wrote, the more difficult their situation, the more essential it is to tell their story. April is Stress Awareness Month, a good time to focus on the role stress often plays in the bad decisions that land my clients in DUI hell. Consider the client who was pulled over by a police officer and charged after refusing to take a field sobriety test. Details about his arrest were scarce, so I pressed him for more information. Why couldn’t you just step out of the car and perform the test? I asked. His answer was shocking. How Understanding Client Stress Strengthens DUI Defense Pressure Points
Another client was charged with DUI after officers discovered him asleep in his car beside the road. Only after learning about the stresses in this man’s life was I able to present evidence that while he may have appeared intoxicated, the evidence wasn’t conclusive. He had just finished working a 15-hour shift and also suffered from chronic insomnia. A good defense is often all about creating reasonable doubt. Battling DUI charges can be grueling for people who are already stressed-out. Tormented by anxiety, many want to rush the process and get it over with. But the longer their case drags on, the greater our chances of achieving success. Many lawyers will dump a case after 3–4 months and tell their client to take whatever plea deal is offered or even plead guilty. I’ll take that same case for a year and wrench the best deal from the prosecutor. I understand that this only piles more stress on these clients, but that’s far better than dealing with a conviction. My staff and I try to offer as much emotional support as we can. Even after 39 years as a defense attorney, I try to truly understand the stresses my clients face. That’s one reason we win dismissal of charges in more than 8 of 10 cases. If you or someone you care about is facing a DUI charge, we will offer the same level of personal attention. Don’t hesitate to contact us today.
He had just been shot.
Nobody ever asked this guy why he had refused. Nobody seemed to care. But I delved into the details: How many times were you shot? Do you have records of medical treatment for your gunshot wounds? Only by getting into the granular details that others brushed aside could I really tell my client’s story, fully and persuasively, to prosecutors or a judge. Some clients’ stress drives them to do things that seem indefensible. I took the case of a young woman who refused to pull over when a police officer tried to stop her. Even though she had a carload of people, she ran from the cops, tore down the road, and crashed into another car! “Oh my God, young woman, what were you thinking?” I wondered. Why did she run? She didn’t have any outstanding warrants. She faces “assault by auto” charges as a result, an indictable offense subject to jail time. There’s no doubt that what she did was outrageous, and I told the prosecutor so. But she’s just a young girl, and I looked hard for exonerating factors. “Okay, so you made a big mistake. Your judgment was poor. But what’s going on in your life? What evidence can I offer to prove to the prosecutor that you are worthy of keeping out of state prison? Are you recognizing your mistakes? Are you active in church? Have you taken steps to correct your behavior?”
–Steven Ellman
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‘That’s Not a Real Person’ Judges Halt AI-Generated Lawyer in New York Appeals Court
In a moment that felt plucked straight from a sci-fi courtroom drama, a New York appeals court was taken by surprise when an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated avatar tried to argue a legal case. The judges weren’t amused. What was meant to be a clever workaround quickly turned into an uncomfortable intersection of future tech and age-old court protocol. On March 26, 2025, 74-year-old plaintiff Jerome Dewald showed up at the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division for an employment dispute hearing. Instead of speaking for himself or having a lawyer at his side, Dewald played a prerecorded video, not of him, but of a lifelike digital avatar that began delivering his legal argument with polished confidence. The avatar, which looked like a well-dressed young man, began addressing the panel: “May it please the court …” before proceedings came to a halt.
The justices were visibly taken aback. Justice Sallie Manzanet-Daniels paused the presentation almost immediately and asked a shocking question: “Is that counsel for the case?” Dewald’s matter-of-fact reply, “I generated that. That’s not a real person,” prompted an immediate rebuke. The judge ordered the video stopped and made it clear she felt misled. “It would have been nice to know that when you made your application,” she said, underlining that courts operate on transparency and direct human responsibility. Dewald later explained he wasn’t trying to game the system or make a viral spectacle. He said he struggles with public speaking and thought a digital delivery might help him make his case more clearly. But judges made it clear that AI, at least for now, isn’t a substitute for a licensed attorney arguing in real time, nor a replacement for the human interaction that law depends on.
The incident sparked an online debate, ranging from amusement at the oddly comic visuals to serious questions about where the legal system draws the line between innovation and impropriety. One thing is certain: This awkward debut points to the urgent need for clear rules on AI in courtrooms as technology continues its relentless march forward.
THE LOGIC BEHIND A FLAT-FEE DUI DEFENSE ONE PRICE, FULL FIGHT
Mounting a strong defense on behalf of clients charged with DUI can be a lot of work, including corralling witnesses and gathering evidence through discovery. I was asked recently how much I actually spend defending a client. Sometimes, it’s a lot.
conviction, including state surcharges and auto-insurance premium increases, far exceeds the $5,000 flat fee we charge to defend them. Building Trust Clear pricing builds trust, setting the stage for the kind of honest communication with clients that helps us build a strong defense. It’s important for our clients to disclose exactly what happened that led to their arrest. We also want them to freely share details about their medical background, health conditions, and medications that might distort the results of breath or blood tests. Delivering Value Not every case requires paying for an expert witness or toxicology test. Many require a candid conversation with a patient prosecutor who listens and hasn’t prejudged the defendant. My strong, respectful relationships with prosecutors all over the state are, in effect, priceless because they lay the groundwork for those conversations.
Yet we typically charge only a flat fee. Here’s why.
Easing Stress Getting hit with a DUI is a stressful experience, and piling on anxiety about money only makes it worse. Vague, open-ended billing invites mistrust between attorney and client. Some clients come to us after quitting other lawyers who never
disclosed what they actually intended to do in return for their fees. Instead, clients got a boilerplate pitch: “I need half up-front, half in 30 days, wham, bam, I’ll do the best I can … but I can’t guarantee anything.” We spend up to an hour with prospective clients, explaining how the process works, how I would defend them, and potential outcomes. We also work to reach a payment agreement clients can afford. Some are able to finance legal fees up front and repay the loan in monthly installments. In time, most realize that the total cost of a potential DUI
At the end of the day, our philosophy on pricing is not only about the money. It’s about making a difference in people’s lives, generating goodwill, and spreading the word that our firm is worth hiring. If you are facing DUI charges, we hope you will trust us with your defense.
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REDUCING RISK Steps You Can Take to Stay Focused on the Road Getting behind the wheel of your car after a couple of drinks is a bad idea. But even if your ability to drive isn’t seriously impaired, many drivers make another major error of judgment: They fail to pay attention to the road. In recognition of April as Distracted Driving Awareness Month, this is a good time to count the ways drivers invite DUI charges by committing other driving mistakes. Simple offenses like rolling slowly through a stop sign, failing to signal a turn, or veering slightly out of your lane give police a reason to pull you over. And once they have done that, they have the right to charge you with any offense they suspect you of committing.
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WHAT OUR CLIENTS ARE SAYING “When I say Mr. Ellman is heaven-sent, I say this in the most humble way. Mr. Ellman’s dedication, honesty, and knowledge are what stood out to me during this entire process. Mr. Ellman remained compassionate, but most importantly, transparent throughout the entire situation. A huge thank-you to his office staff, especially Maria who from Day One was patient, empathetic, but most importantly, supportive. If I could give Mr. Ellman 10 stars, I promise you, that would not be enough! When I say Mr. Ellman did what everyone said was impossible, I am a LIVING witness that he can make it possible! I assure anyone that Mr. Ellman is the BEST attorney walking the face of the Earth. Thank you, thank you, and thank you!” – Heather “Mr. Ellman was extremely knowledgeable in DWI cases, kind, understanding, and patient. His staff were just like him, kind, understanding, patient, and up to speed with my case.” – Rose
Here are a few of the most common distracted driving offenses.
• Texting while driving. This behavior makes a crash 23 times more likely. New Jersey police can arrest you simply for holding your phone, even if you’re stopped at a red light. Turn your phone off before driving or put it away, in your purse or in the back seat. • Looking at a GPS or other navigation device. Figure out your route before you turn on the ignition. • Adjusting controls on a touch screen. Set music feeds or GPS controls before starting your drive. • Eating behind the wheel. If you must, skip the loaded tacos or greasy ribs and stick to easy-to-handle chicken nuggets or protein bars. • Running out of gas. One DUI defendant attracted the attention of police by parking on the shoulder after running out of gas. Check your gas gauge before driving. Distracted drivers cause nearly 3,300 deaths each year, federal data show. So, before you get behind the wheel next time, check yourself. Even small amounts of alcohol can impair your ability to pay attention to the road. And an officer’s testimony that you showed signs of impairment during a traffic stop, such as unsteady movement, can be grounds for a DUI conviction, even without evidence of an illegal blood alcohol concentration. If you’ve been arrested on DUI charges after a routine traffic stop, contact us today! We will investigate your case and mount the strongest possible defense on your behalf.
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715 Stokes Road, Suite 102 Medford, NJ 08055 StevenEllmanLaw.com 609-721-7324
Inside This Issue The Role of Stress in DUI Defense: Why It Matters page 1 Digital Attorney Makes an Unwelcome Appearance in State Case page 2 No Meter Running: Why We Charge a Flat Fee for DUI Defense page 2 Stay In Your Lane: Avoid the Behaviors That Distract Drivers page 3 What Our Clients Are Saying page 3 Building Healthier Teen Mindsets page 4
HELP TEENS QUIET THE PRESSURE
A Practical Guide for Parents If it feels like your teen is always on edge, you’re not imagining it. Grades post in real time, group chats never sleep, and they measure everything they do against what someone else shared online. Kids today carry a lot of pressure, and much of it comes from themselves.
struggles. Encourage them to follow only accounts that make them laugh or feel positive, and mute or unfollow those that leave them feeling inadequate. Setbacks are another place where pressure builds. As adults, most of us have
Self-bullying is a real problem. Many teens have an inner voice that jumps straight to negative extremes. One quiz goes badly or one awkward moment happens, and they turn it into a verdict of their worth. An honest self-review is healthy, but the trouble starts when every mistake turns into, “I’m terrible at everything.” As parents, we can help by calling out self-bullying when we see it and by modeling something different: owning our own slip-ups without tearing ourselves down. Social media brings a different kind of pressure. The average teen spends hours a day online, and the world they see in cyberspace is carefully crafted with edited photos and posts. Everyone online seems to be living their best lives. They get better grades, go on more dates, and get everything to go their way. The best thing adults can do is help pull the curtain back a bit. Let them know about fake photos, filters, and how people often post their successes while hiding their
learned that life is full of detours and things don’t always work out the way we’d like. But teens are still figuring this out. Bombing a test or getting rejected by a college can often feel like a disaster, rather than a single hard moment. We can help our teens build resilience by sitting down with them after a setback and talking through what actually happened and what they might do differently next time. We can never remove all the pressure our teens feel, nor should that be the goal. All we can do is help guide them through the rough bits and teach them to be kind to themselves and handle stress in a healthy way.
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