How an Attorney Helps Defend You Against a DUI Charge
Nearly 80% of DUI charges result in convictions. Life drastically changes after a DUI conviction. Consequences of a conviction include jail time, probation, fines, and court-ordered DUI classes, making defending yourself against the charge essential.
An attorney specializing in DUI is the best recourse after a DUI charge. When a DUI attorney represents you against the charge, there is less risk of a conviction and lighter consequences when convicted.
Understanding a DUI Charge
A police officer may charge a person with DUI after a traffic stop if they fail field sobriety tests or a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) test. Refusal to take a BAC test can also result in an arrest for driving under the influence. Persons who refuse to take the BAC test may also face automatic driver’s license suspension.
A police officer may request a driver take these tests if he suspects intoxication. Any substance, including marijuana, inhalants, illicit drugs, and prescription drugs, may result in a DUI charge.
When you fail tests given by a police officer and are charged with DUI, you are then placed under arrest and taken to the county jail. After up to 12 hours in holding (time to sober up,) most individuals charged with DUI may post bond and await their court dates.
What Happens After a DUI Conviction
The consequences for a DUI conviction differ based on the number of DUI convictions on your record and the circumstances surrounding the charge. For example, if you were driving while intoxicated and caused an accident, the penalties are much harsher than those for driving under the influence alone.
The judge in the case can order jail time, fines, DUI-related classes, and/or probation if you are found guilty of the charges. Each consequence of a DUI conviction seriously impacts your life. Without a driver’s license getting around can be difficult if not impossible. Fines are not easy to pay when you’re already strapped for cash. Probation limits the activities you can enjoy in life.
How a DUI Lawyer in Florida Saves the Day
A DUI attorney understands that life happens. A DUI charge filed against an individual doesn’t necessitate they are a bad person. It indicates they made a bad choice that should not destroy their life. DUI attorneys fight diligently for their clients, hopefully getting the charge dismissed altogether but at a minimum, reducing the severity of the consequences for a conviction.
DUI lawyers have years of experience working alongside judges and other court officials. They know what works and what does not work in DUI cases.
Lawyers begin the case by looking for any errors. If the police officer made any mistakes during the arrest process, this could very well be grounds for dismissal of all charges filed against you. Exposing the mistakes is the best line of defense a lawyer can use to get charges dismissed.
If the police officer handled the process correctly, the DUI attorney will evaluate the results of your breathalyzer test and other facts of the traffic stop. The job of the prosecution is to prove that you were driving a vehicle with a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of 0.8% or greater. An attorney aims to put enough doubt in the judge or jury’s mind to make a conviction impossible.
Additionally, a DUI attorney works on your behalf to ensure any pre-trial deals are beneficial to you and worth accepting. Prosecutors often offer plaintiffs deals in hopes they’ll accept the offer rather than take the issue before the judge. Deals benefit some but not all cases. When an attorney works for you, knowing when to accept a deal and when to decline is much easier.
The lawyer examines all of the evidence in the case and talks to witnesses. Testimony from witnesses often serves as some of the best evidence in a DUI or criminal case. If you have a clean criminal record without a history of drunk driving, an attorney may be able to get the DUI charge reduced to a lesser charge like reckless driving. Finding any weaknesses in the prosecution’s case is one of the steps your attorney will take to help win your case.
Cost to Hire a DUI Attorney
Lawyer expertise doesn’t come cheaply. Most of us would not hesitate to spend our last dime to stay out of jail or prevent life from unraveling at the seams. Attorney costs vary; many factors impact the numbers. Although the cost to hire a lawyer isn’t cheap, you may be surprised to learn the fees are not as drastic as you expected.
Free lawyer consultations provide time to learn the costs of gaining his expertise in your criminal case and other beneficial information. If you do not find the benefits of hiring an attorney worth the costs, you are under no obligation to retain the attorney. At least you walk away with more knowledge about your case than you had.
Benefits of Hiring a DUI Attorney
On top of the court-ordered consequences of DUI, individuals can also expect personal consequences resulting from this charge. A DUI conviction is a public record. Convictions may prevent you from obtaining employment. It can even affect personal relationships with family and friends.
A DUI attorney changes the course of the criminal charges against you. Most defendants beat charges of DUI only when an attorney represents their case. Most people find the odds inspiring enough to retain an attorney to represent them in their DUI case.
Life happens. When life happens, it should not impact your life severely enough to turn it upside down. Expect this likely outcome without an attorney representing your DUI charges. An attorney can give you a voice in court and ensure the best possible outcome in the case.
There are many defenses to driving under the influence. Hire an attorney like the experts at Reep Law to represent your DUI case in court so you have access to the best criminal defense possible. Your future is on the line.