When police arrest you for drunk driving, your mind may be filled with questions and concerns. You worry not only about paying the fines and fees associated with a DUI, but if you’ll have to serve time in jail and suffer long-term consequences for having a drunk driving conviction on your record. You may not think about how an aggressive DUI defense with an attorney’s help could benefit you.
An aggressive defense against test results
With an attorney’s help, you can fight DUI charges. For example, your attorney may find evidence that your breathalyzer test was inaccurate. You may not realize that breathalyzer tests often produce faulty results, some that show 40% higher blood alcohol levels.
An experienced criminal defense attorney will know what factors can produce a faulty breathalyzer test result.
Breathalyzer tests aren’t the only tests that can produce questionable results in a DUI stop. Police may not have administered your field sobriety tests correctly, or they may have used a field sobriety test that is known to produce disputable results.
A faulty sobriety test can weaken the case against you. With inaccurate breathalyzer or field sobriety test results, you could have your DUI charges lowered to, for example, reckless driving – a much less severe charge.
Questioning evidence that led to your DUI arrest
An experienced attorney can also look at why police stopped your vehicle. Police must see you committing a traffic violation or suspect you are driving drunk to stop your vehicle. If your vehicle wasn’t swerving, you weren’t speeding and you didn’t have any headlights or taillights out, police may have stopped you unlawfully.
Police also must tell you when you are under arrest for DUI. During your arrest, they need to read you your Miranda rights, which includes the right to contact an attorney. If the police didn’t follow this procedure or didn’t allow you to contact an attorney during your time in custody, you might be able to have your DUI charges dismissed.
Without an aggressive DUI defense, you could lose your driver’s license, spend time in jail, face hefty fines, and suffer other consequences. With an attorney’s help, however, you could have your DUI charges reduced or dismissed.