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Fierce Attorneys
Fighting For Your Rights

“If you want someone who is going to get stuff done, I highly recommend Cohen and Hirsch. Not only did I beat my case, I even got my record cleaned.”
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“Hired Matt Hirsch at a distance to take on a traffic case with a missed mandatory court appearance (or two). Even as the case dragged on longer than anticipated (not the fault in any way of the lawyer), and indeed went a couple rounds, Mr. Hirsch remained engaged, positive, and proactive. I firmly believe he and his firm resolved my case with the best outcome for me. Would recommend Cohen & Hirsch for cases of my type without reservation, and his working for me at a fairly great distance, without my ever appearing back in state, deserves particular note”
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“I found Andy Cohen via a google search and after our initial phone conversation I was happy to hire him. The circumstances that drove me to solicit an attorney were sensitive to say the least. He was kind, sympathetic and detailed which I appreciated very much. He kept me well informed throughout the hearing process and Andy always made sure to be available if I had any questions or concerns. I highly recommend Andy and his team to help you through what is likely a difficult process.”
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“Seamless experience dealing with Andy and Jill. They are both very knowledgeable and will go to bat for you. I was referred to Cohen and Hirsch by a friend and will refer them to others myself. Truly great people who care and love what they do. One thing that stood out to me is that they will update you consistently without you having to reach out. I will continue to use them in the future and so should you.”
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“Matt was great. The day I called him he jumped right in and a week later charges were dropped! He’s my guy here on out. Not to mention he saved me 3k from the first firm I called.”
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“If I could rate this law firm with more stars, I would. If you desire an excellent attorney that cares, has a great relationship with court system, communicates quickly, stays on top of your case and strives for the best outcome possible, then look no further than this law firm. Jill and Andy handled an extremely complicated case for my son with special needs and we received the outcome we desired. His case was dismissed and he can move now on with his life. I am very pleased and grateful to them for their efforts.”
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“Positive: Professionalism, Quality, Responsiveness, Value”
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“Matt was a great treasure! Always kept calm and let me be the same. Looking at his fb feed, I was convinced he’s the right person for me. Helped get through a difficult situation. His fees were also comparable to the others given the amount of personal attention he paid to the case. Never had the trouble of dealing with the paralegals(as we all know what happens). He was always available on text. Great experience!!”
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“Wow, what an unexpected experience. We have all heard the horror stories and the jokes about lawyers. Well, I've been fortunate not to have had reason to use a lawyer... until now. Or at least that is what I thought. I don't want to get into the details, but I had sent an inquiry into the firm through their website and Andy reached out to me. He was patient, professional and funny. He spent a good 15 to 20 minutes on the phone with me. Explained to me in detail what I could expect. And recommended that I don't actually need a lawyer for what I have to do. I can't express my sincere gratitude enough. In the event I ever do need a lawyer, I know exactly who I'm calling.”
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“Andy is a GEM! Such a lovely man. Jill is a pretty pitbull. Under the circumstances they were very helpful and SUCCESSFUL. I could not have asked for a smarter pair.”
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“I write to recommend Matt A. Hirsch, Esq. for those in need of legal representation and guidance. He is highly competent and experienced, conscientious, organized and responsive. Attorney Hirsch is someone you want in your corner if you need help.”
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Why DUI laws for marijuana are so difficult to enforce

This article looks at the controversy surrounding marijuana DUI laws and drug recognition experts.

A growing number of states are legalizing either recreational or medical marijuana. In Georgia, the state has made medical marijuana legal while a number of counties have attempted to decriminalize recreational marijuana. As marijuana becomes more widely available and publicly acceptable, concerns have been raised about impaired driving caused by marijuana consumption. Enforcing current drug DUI laws is notoriously difficult and, as a recent case in Cobb County shows, could result in false arrests and civil rights infringements.

Testing for marijuana is difficult

Many states that have legalized marijuana have chosen to treat DUI by marijuana similarly to how they treat DUIs from alcohol. That is, they have set a minimum chemical threshold over which a person is considered to be too impaired to drive. Just as most states define driving with a blood-alcohol concentration level above 0.08 as being the threshold for being too drunk to drive, many states have set five nanograms of THC per milliliter of blood as being too high to drive. THC is the psychoactive compound in marijuana that causes users to feel high.

There are two problems with this chemical threshold, however. For one, as NPR notes, there is currently no reliable breathalyzer-type device that police can use to measure how much THC is in a driver’s system. Currently, blood or urine tests are the best way to measure THC. That means making quick roadside chemical tests for marijuana is almost impossible.

The second problem is that even if THC levels are properly measured, they don’t necessarily reflect how impaired an individual is. A person who is a frequent marijuana user, for example, could have a THC level well above the legal threshold but still not be impaired. An infrequent marijuana user, on the other hand, may have a low THC level, but be far too impaired to drive.

Drug recognition tests flawed

With no scientifically backed way of catching drivers who are too high to drive, police have instead resorted to drug recognition experts. These experts are police officers who are specially trained to detect signs of impairment from marijuana.

However, the reliability of such experts has been questioned, with civil rights groups claiming that drug recognition experts are vulnerable to their own prejudices. Indeed, as the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports, the Cobb County police are being sued by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) after three men were arrested for driving high by a drug recognition expert. The three men were later found to have no marijuana in their systems and the ACLU claims the arrests were motivated by racial biases.

Criminal law help

Anybody who has a run-in with the law needs to reach out to a criminal defense attorney as soon as possible. An experienced attorney can assist clients with their case, including defending their rights and helping them fight against whatever charges they may be facing.