Roderick T. Frechette, II
Rod Frechette was featured in the American Bar Journal Article New Test for DUI Defense in 2005. He is the lead attorney who established Frechette and Associates and guided the firm through a number of years when it had up to 5 attorneys. He has represented criminal clients since 1988 when he was a public defender. He has represented more than 5,000 DWI cases and thousands of other criminal cases. His court of appeals victory in the DWI case of State vs. Lasworth successfully held the line on HGN inadmissibility and challenged the validity of field sobriety testing. He is a court-recognized DWI expert in the cases of U.S. v. Roybal and State v. Underwood. He has testified in NM legislative hearings and lectures on the topic of DWI.
He has recently adjusted his role in the firm to part-time. He is a leader in local organizations which teach history and collecting and enjoys his semi-retired status with those activities. He manages the office building and the Frechette household and assists with grandchild care.
Certification/Coursework
- NHTSA DWI Detection, Standardized Field Sobriety Tests
- RBT4/AS4 Breath Machine Key Operator and Instructor
- Intoxilyzer 5000 Maintenance Technician/Key Operator
- Expert certification for BAC testing in Highway Safety Programs
- Professional Associations and Memberships:
- New Mexico & American Bar Association
- N.M. & National Criminal Defense Lawyers
- Criminal Defense Section of the N.M. Bar
- Founding Member National College for DUI Defense
Admitted
- New Mexico and U.S. District Court
- District of New Mexico, 1988.
Reported Cases
- State of N.M. v. James Lasworth, 2002-NMCA-029;
- Schwartz ex rel. Kennedy, 120NM619, 904P2d1044 (1995).
DWI Courses
- Moderator/Speaker for American Bar Association DWI tele-conference 2005
- Nat’l Criminal Defense Lawyers, Mastering Scientific Evidence, 2005, 2003, 1999, 1997, 1996
- National College DUI Defense 2005, 2003, 2002, 1997
- Organizer/Speaker NM DWI legal education courses 2002, 2001, 1999
- National College DUI Defense at Harvard Law School 1998, 1997, 1996
- Guest Speaker New Mexico Continuing Legal Education 2001, 2000, 1998, 1996
Employment
- Attorney, Frechette & Associates, 1991-present
- Municipal Judge Alternate, Corrales Municipal Court, 1994-2002
- Special Narcotics Prosecutor, 7th Judicial District, 1991-1992
- N.M. DWI License Revocation Hearing Officer, 1991
- Attorney, New Mexico Public Defender Metro Division, 1988-1991