Tennessee Supreme Court Rules DUI Fee is Constitutional

The Tennessee Supreme Court has determined that a statute allowing the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to collect a $250 fee when an individual is convicted of certain drug and alcohol offenses does not deprive defendants of the right to a fair and impartial trial under both the Tennessee and U.S. constitutions. The ruling reverses a February decision from the Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals. The opinion, written by Justice Cornelia Clark, was unanimous. Attorney General Herbert Slatery praised the ruling, saying it "removes any uncertainty over past DUI convictions."