With Three Decades of Experience, Attorney Michael Kramer Has Worked Extensively in Criminal Defense

Michael: I’m Michael Kramer. I’ve been practicing for close to 35 years. I’ve always practiced criminal defense work from the defense standpoint. I’ve never been a prosecutor; I never had the desire to prosecute. It just doesn’t sit with me. I’d much rather defend people who have problems and straighten out their lives.

I clerked for a federal judge immediately after attending GW Law School, and the judge just happened to handle criminal cases. So for two years I participated in criminal trials from a judge’s standpoint. I then went into private practice immediately upon leaving the judge’s chambers and practiced down in Washington, DC under the federal system for approximately 10 years where I handled mostly high level drug cases.

Attorney Kramer Has Defended a High Volume of New York State DWI Charges

I then moved to New York and joined a friend of mine in White Plains, New York and started broadening my practice in terms of what I handled, and naturally gravitated to defending people with DWI charges.

Attorney Kramer’s Practice Comprises the Entire Westchester County Area

It became a sub-specialty of mine through happenstance and through word of mouth, and I feel relatively confident saying I don’t think there’s an attorney in Westchester County over the past 20 years or so that has handled more DWIs than me. This includes all surrounding areas, not only in Westchester County.

But because DWI is such a specific specialty and because it’s so important to know the particular policies of the court system that you’re in, my geographical area is the area that I practice in, which is Westchester County.

Interviewer: What are some of the cities and places in Westchester County that you’ve practiced and defended in?

Attorney Kramer Is Very Familiar with Westchester County’s Local Cities and Villages’ Judicial System

Michael: Well, Westchester County is made up of cities, towns and villages, each one having their own local court and each one having their own local police who make DWI arrests.

So the policy of each particular police agency and the competency of each police agency are different. That’s why it’s important to know what particular court you’re dealing with, what town, what village, and what city. It’s covered by the Westchester County District Attorney’s office, which covers all of these local courts as well.

Do Certain Areas in Westchester County Have Higher Incidences of DWI Arrests?

Interviewer: Are there any local “hotspots” where you tend to have more DWI cases than others?

Michael: There certainly is. There are courts that usually have the highest vehicle and traffic offenses, that is, the police are making the most traffic stops. Those usually lead to DWI arrests. This includes courts in Bedford, New York; Yonkers, New York; the town of Southeast up in Putnam County; New Rochelle; Mount Vernon; Mamaroneck. These are courts that cover areas where there are major highways and major volume of traffic, and therefore they naturally handle the highest volume of DWI cases.

Is There a Certain Demographic in the Population Who Are Likely to Be Arrested for DWI?

Interviewer: And is there a typical defendant for a DWI? Is there a typical person that is arrested for DWI in your experience?

Michael: Well, I wouldn’t say they are typical. I’ve had clients from all ages and all professions including judges, other attorneys, doctors, college professors as well as teenagers as well as people with alcohol problems. It doesn’t necessarily mean you have an alcohol problem.

DWI Arrests Do Not Discriminate; However, There Is a Common Pattern That Leads to an Arrest

Many people have the lifestyle. They go out with their wife or better half and sit down for dinner at a restaurant and have a couple of glasses of wine and head home and think there’s nothing wrong with them, and usually there isn’t anything wrong with them until you’re stopped for a vehicle and traffic offense and you are asked that all-important question, have you been drinking, sir?

And if you happen to answer honestly, that you have, that sets into motion a whole chain of events that causes a police officer to investigate further. The officer may perform more kinds of ambiguous tests on the side of the road that, depending upon the officer’s judgment, may cause him to believe that you’re impaired or not, which could result in an arrest.

Refusing to Comply with a Breath Test Will Lead to an Arrest for DWI, Regardless if the Driver Is Impaired or Not

And if you just happen to say I don’t have faith in any kind of breath test, I’m going to refuse, you’re going to get charged with a DWI regardless of whether you are impaired or not.

Interviewer: When people come to you, what are some of the back story that they mention as to what caused their DWI arrest?

Michael: Well, it’s similar to what I just described. It’s usually people who have no other way of getting home from a social event. There are people who have drinking problems. People just using bad judgment and are good, honest people who just happen to make a mistake.

A Higher Number of DWI Arrests Occur During the Evening and Early Morning Hours

Interviewer: Is there any other commonalities such as a time of day or night they tend to occur more frequently? Or is there perhaps a location they tend to happen more often?

Michael: Well, obviously it’s not 8:00, 9:00 a.m. in the morning under usual circumstances. If you’re stopped for a DWI at that time, it usually means you do have a problem. So it’s usually later in the day after work and in the evening. Many, many people say to me around Christmas time, the holidays, New Year’s, oh, you’re going to be real busy. It doesn’t always work out that way. There’s no particular pattern I’ve found to people’s habits. It can happen to anyone at any time.