Legal Information and Resources

What is Tardive Dyskinesia

Tardive dyskinesia

is a variety of dyskinesia (involuntary, repetitive movements) manifesting as a side effect of long-term or high-dose use of dopamine antagonists, usually antipsychotics.

Recent News:

Reglan Linked to Tardive Dyskinesia

 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced  that manufacturers of metoclopramide, a drug used to treat gastrointestinal disorders, must add a boxed warning to their drug labels about the risk of its long-term or high-dose use.

Chronic use of metoclopramide has been linked to tardive dyskinesia, which may include involuntary and repetitive movements of the body, even after the drugs are no longer taken.

Products that commonly contain metoclopramide:

1. Reglan Tablets
2. Reglan Oral Disintegrating Tablets
3. Metoclopramide Oral Solution
4. and Reglan Injection

Man Allegedly Stabs Roomate after taking 40 Seroquel

In Alexandria Virginia a 47 year old man was arrested recently after allegedly stabbing a roomate. When officers arrived on the scene on January 23, they found Kelly Jean Weeks locked in the bathroom with what appeared to be a knife wound in her upper left chest area. She told authorities that her roomate Ronald Gene Fleck stabbed her without provocation.

The report stated that when officers arrived on scene, Fleck informed them that he had taken about 40 Seroquel - a medication to treat certain mental/mood conditions such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia.

On the way to the hospital, he lost consciousness and, as a result of the Seroquel and severe alcohol withdrawal, was unconscious for days.

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Technorati : Alexandria, Seroquel, Virginia, alcohol, assault, bipolar, defective, depression, drugs, lawyer, medication, police
Del.icio.us : Alexandria, Seroquel, Virginia, alcohol, assault, bipolar, defective, depression, drugs, lawyer, medication, police

Bill Would help with Foreclosures

Rep. Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, said he planned to release a draft bill later in the day setting stricter standards for the Treasury Department's Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP).

The Bush administration has already spent or committed $350 billion of TARP funds. The legislation Frank is proposing would add restrictions to the remaining half of the program's funding.

"The municipalities, realtors, auto dealers -- all of them -- we're talking about language that makes it clear that they get some help," the Massachusetts Democrat told reporters.

Homeowners facing foreclosure will also get some relief, he said.

"We're not going to be adding new powers that aren't already in TARP. We're going to require that some of them be used. A certain minimum amount is going to have to go for foreclosure relief," Frank said before going into a closed-door meeting of House Democrats and aides to President-elect Barack Obama.

Separately, a draft report by a congressionally appointed TARP oversight panel criticized the Bush administration's tracking of how TARP money was used by banks and said the program failed to allocate any TARP funds to stabilise the weak mortgage market.

Obama's economic team is working on overhauling TARP to speed the flow of credit to consumers and the economy.

DUI laws in Arizona

If you have been accused of a DUI in the state of Arizona, is it is crucial to hire highly qualified DUI lawyers who can ensure that your rights are protected.

You may not be aware of every right that you have, or of the strategies DUI lawyers in Arizona might employ to see that your charges are reduced or eliminated, especially if you are charged with a first offense. It is important for those charged with driving under the influence to hire good DUI lawyers in Arizona for many reasons.

There are different punishments for different blood alcohol content readings, and DUI lawyers in Arizona can help clients clarify which reading they had, and interpret how that will affect the outcome of their hearing. For instance, a person charged with a DUI offense may not be aware of the difference between a “Per Se” BAC level and an enhanced penalty BAC level.

There are harsher penalties surrounding enhanced penalty BAC levels such as increases jail time, a harsher fine, and more severe driver's license sanctions. When you are pulled over for a DUI, the police officers are usually looking for such signs as erratic driving, crossing the center line, weaving, and unusually wide turning radiuses. After stopping the car, they look for additional evidence of intoxication, such as a flushed face, bloodshot eyes, slurred speech, instability, disorientation, or an inappropriate attitude (such as being unusually happy, or being argumentative).

You may be asked to participate in coordination tests (for example, the “horizontal gaze nystagmus test” where an officer asks you to follow a penlight with your eyes. Ostensibly, intoxication can be determined by the point at which the eye begins to jerk, but this test can be called into question by an experienced DUI lawyer. It is recommended that, for a first offense, you should not agree to any such hand/eye coordination tests. Do, however, agree to chemical tests (blood, breath, and urine) if it is your first offense.

To learn more about hiring a Arizona DUI Lawyer and other legal resources, please visit our website at www.phillipslaw.com.

Time Laps of Car Accidents from Icy Roads

San Francisco Bay Area DUI Arrests Down During Holidays

According to the (CHP) California, San Francisco Bay Area DUI arrests were down during the thanksgiving holidays. The report shows 1,397 drivers have been arrested compared with 1,497 last year.

Between 6 p.m. Wednesday and 6 a.m. today, CHP officers arrested 202 motorists for driving under the influence in the Bay Area, while 207 were arrested during that time period last year.

There were two fatal collisions due to Drunk Driving this year, the same amount that occurred during that time period last year.

Source: San Francisco Dui Lawyer

Robin Hood Wannabe

The victim is calling it a crime “sort of like Robin Hood.” Keith Nickels, 68, and his girlfriend, 68, were hit, tied up, and robbed. Nickels told the police that there were three men that broke into his house.

He and his girlfriend were asleep in bed when they were woken up around d4 am by a man hit him in the head and face and a man choking his girlfriend. Nickels said that they said to him that “if you quit fighting, we’ll quit hitting. Nickels said that he did not stop fighting and nor did the robbers.

They confrontation ended with the couple passing out. When they awoke, they were both tied up and had a pillow case over their heads. He went on to say that they men were “quite cordial.” They let his girlfriend used the restroom and for the 2 ½ hours they were in the house ransacking the home, they spoke politely. They then placed the couple if two different closets.

Both of the closet doors were pinned close with a dresser against the door. According to reports, the robbers told the couple not to get up and that there were cameras in the closets. Nickels explained that that he waited five minutes, used a walking cane to free him from the closet and then freed his girlfriend. He grabbed a knife and then called 911.

He wasn’t able to give a good description of the robbers except that he thought they were in their 30s. The couple had to be taken to the hospital to be treated for their injuries but were released the same day.

San Diego Assault and Weapons Defense Steigerwalt & Associates is extremely familiar with Contact us today for a free consultation.

Man Killed in Car Wreck off Interstate 8

All the details are still not clear but what has been reported by the California Highway Patrol was that a man was driving his vehicle going west on Interstate 8 near Jacumba.  CHP is not certain why, but some how he just drove his car off the highway.

It appears that he may have lost control of his Nissan sedan which caused him to veer off the north side of the highway.  It was about 70 feet down that his car came to a stop at the end of an embankment.

It was the Border Patrol that saw the car in the embankment and were the first to the scene.  An officer from the Border Patrol said that the driver was trapped in his car.  They had to pull him out of the crashed car before it caught on fire.  The driver died later close to the accident site. 

The driver has still not been identified.  It was just after 10 pm last Monday night when he crashed into the embankment.

The Border Patrol explained to the CHP that they saw the crashed car but had no other part in the accident.  The car accident was reported to authorities around 10:16 pm.

Heather Locklear Arrested for Erratic Driving - Not DUI

A paparazzi photographer called police when she saw Heather Locklear driving inconsistently. She says it was her "civic duty" to contact police since she was concerned for Locklear's safety. It's beside the point that she runs a paparazzi agency that profited from images she took of Locklear after she was arrested.

Nicholas Tepper is representing the photographer, Jill Ishkanian. He wrote that "The fact she witnessed Ms. Locklear's erratic driving and reported it to the police did not mean she was disqualified from reporting the story, which she in fact did."

Ishkanian sold the photos of Locklear for $27,000.

Tepper says that the photographer was visiting family in Montecito when she spotted Locklear driving erratically. She called 911 and the CHP dispatcher told her to stop following Locklear's car.

CHP has stated that Locklear showed "obvious impairment" but that it was not alcohol. Locklear was tested and those results are not complete as yet. California DUI investigators have "determined (Locklear) was someone who shouldn't be operating a vehicle." At this point they are not bothered with why or how the 911 call came in or why photographs were taken.

Tepper also said that his client is more than willing to testify against Locklear if needed. Ishkanian has already provided a statement to police.

Del.icio.us : California, celebrity crime, dui

Bankruptcy and Your Credit

Bankruptcy and credit are directly linked to one another.  Credit is how many people run into trouble with their finances, and ironically how they remedy their financial problems at the same time.  Credit availability and the encompassing pressure to maintain a good credit ranking will often allow lenders to form prejudices.  Many times this can make be the difference between receiving, or being denied, a large loan.

When someone goes bankrupt several things take place.  By filing for bankruptcy you acknowledge that you are not able to pay your debts and must be relieved from having to pay off your unsecured debts.  Unfortunately, this relief from debt comes at a price.  Declaring you are bankrupt makes you at risk to creditors.  You are less likely to receive extended credit when you need it, and on top of that you will be charged extremely high interest rates.

Fortunately one of the best things about bankruptcy is its ability to restore your credit rating.  By opening a high interest rate credit card and making regular payments for the first few years after bankruptcy, you will demonstrate that you are willing and able to make payments in a timely fashion.  Eventually your rating will rise and you can have credit available next time you need it. 

This process can be somewhat long, but for those who are willing to work towards the ultimate goal of having good credit, it can be well worth it. 

Arizona Bankruptcy Lawyer  Phillips and Associates are experienced debt negotiation attorneys and are available to help answer your questions at no charge.