Though it is happening in Pennsylvania, North Carolina residents will be interested in hearing about the controversial tactics of a county judge when handling DWI cases. The judge in question takes away the driver's license of a person accused of DWI before a conviction is reached.

It certainly seems like the judge is disregarding the concept of "innocent until proven guilty," and county sources say the judge has used this tactic multiple times. Defense attorneys and prosecutors alike are either avoiding a comment on the situation or, in most cases, criticizing the judge's method for handling DWI cases.

"Isn't taking the license a presumption of guilt?" a defense attorney said who is representing a 25-year-old woman who says she is not guilty of a drunk driving offense. The woman requested the case go to trial, and in response the judge took her license.

It appears the judge takes this approach to expedite DWI cases, which make up 35% of the county's court load. However, taking a driver's license seemingly violates the idea of "innocent until proven guilty," and apparently the judge is doing this to induce guilty pleas, settlements or diversionary programs to speed up cases.

The judge has good intentions, but his application of taking licenses is very problematic. Those who lose their license could find it difficult to attain or keep work. For the 25-year-old woman in this story, she is being punished for upholding her right to due process. She is not guilty until the prosecution proves otherwise, and in the meantime her civil liberties and rights are being infringed upon.

Source: The Morning Call, "Policy of taking licenses before a DUI conviction draws critics," Riley Yates, Jan. 28, 2012