ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 6, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Suffolk University Law School and the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Responsibility.org) are launching a new, first of its kind online resource for law school students that will prepare them to prosecute complex DUI cases. Prosecution of the Impaired Driver is an intensive, interactive 14-week online course available to law schools nationwide.

"Many new prosecutors often receive DUI cases as their first assignments, yet DUI cases are among the most difficult cases to prosecute due to the complexities of understanding alcohol's effect on the body and driver impairment, and the need to qualify expert witnesses and manage motions from very experienced defense attorneys. Additionally, jurors tend to relate to the defendant and for all these reasons, DUI cases are tough ones to win." said Ralph S. Blackman, president and CEO of Responsibility.org. "With more than 1.1 million DUI arrests occurring each year, prosecutors need to have confidence in how to effectively prosecute impaired drivers. Further, we want to stop would-be repeat offenders. Period."

Responsibility.org was pleased to fund this initiative which builds on almost 15 years of creating award winning specialized resources for judges, prosecutors, probation, parole, and law enforcement to improve impaired driving education among criminal justice practitioners.

Suffolk Law School gathered a faculty of nationally recognized leaders in the fields of impaired driving to develop the course which can be adapted by individual law schools as desired. It is easily incorporated into a trial advocacy course or can be used to teach case preparation. Course topics include: How the body processes alcohol, traffic stops and standardized field sobriety tests (SFSTs), motion practice and other common evidentiary issues that arise in impaired driving cases. Students will have the opportunity to learn how to handle impaired driving case discovery, direct and cross-examination of witnesses, and opening and closing arguments.

The practical experience gained from this course will also help to hone general trial skills that are transferrable to the prosecution of criminal cases broadly.

About Suffolk University Law School
Suffolk University Law School, located in Boston, is dedicated to welcoming students from all backgrounds and circumstances and educating them to become highly skilled and ethical lawyers who are well-prepared to serve in their local communities, across the nation, and around the world. Because the lawyer's role has evolved and expanded since Suffolk's founding in 1906, the Law School seeks to develop in its students the skills necessary to serve the profession's changing needs in an increasingly diverse, global and technologically-dependent society. As one of the nation's largest law schools, Suffolk meets that challenge by providing students with a core foundation in legal education, a breadth of courses and programs, and excellent training by a diverse and accessible faculty engaged in scholarship and service to their profession and communities. Suffolk's goal is to provide its students with access to an excellent legal education, inspire a commitment to justice, and provide its graduates the opportunity to achieve their career aspirations. To learn more, visit http://www.suffolk.edu/law/index.php.

About the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility
The Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility (Responsibility.org) is a national not-for-profit that leads the fight to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking and is funded by the following distillers: Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.; Beam Suntory Inc.; Brown-Forman; Constellation Brands, Inc.; DIAGEO; Edrington; Hood River Distillers, Inc.; and Pernod Ricard USA. Recognizing 25 years of impact, Responsibility.org has transformed countless lives through programs that bring individuals, families and communities together to guide a lifetime of conversations around alcohol responsibility and offering proven strategies to stop impaired driving. To learn more, please visit us at Responsibility.org or follow us on social media: @goFAAR.

CONTACT: Georgia Cassady
         Georgia.cassady@responsibility.org
         202-355-1947