What Are The Consequences From Being Caught Driving Under The Influence Of Alcohol Or Other Drugs?
You will soon face a multitude of different possible punishments if you are caught driving under the influence, thereby endangering or causing damage to property or people’s life. The charges normally include having your driver’s license suspended, monetary fines, and possibly even jail time. Although DUI punishments vary depending on your County, you can be sure the consequences will be very serious. To mitigate these consequences, you may need to hire a seasoned DUI lawyer to represent you and fight for your rights.
Most DUI cases are not black and white. Even though all states have a designated legal blood alcohol limit, you can even be arrested if your blood alcohol is below it. This means, even if you have only one drink and an hour later decide to drive home and get pulled over, you can still be charged with a DUI. Whether or not you are still affected by the alcohol, if there are traces of it in your system it is possible you will face charges.
There is a very high likelihood that an experienced DUI lawyer will know little-known rules and legal loopholes to not only avoid a conviction but also defend your rights. Considering the fact that many fines cost thousands of dollars, years of increased auto insurance rates, and jail time, consulting a DUI lawyer is a wise move. Some people try to avoid hiring a DUI attorney because they are avoiding the additional cost, but what they do not realize is if they lose their case it will cost them far more.
After being stopped for drunk driving, there are a series of strict rules that the officer needs to adhere to. They are required to determine if you looked or acted drunk, which allow them to administer a series of tests. They will usually then give you a field sobriety test, which typically has vague answers. This will infringe some of your rights as an accused person that you may not be able to defend on your own without a DUI lawyer. This can be very unfair, but it is at the discretion of the police officer to decide if you are acting drunk. A biased police officer who decides he thinks you are drunk whether you are or not is a possibility. In court, it is simply your word versus his, and if you do not have a DUI lawyer your chances of winning are not good.
If you spend any time in jail you’ll need that lawyer to get you out. You’ll need a significant amount of money to hire one so keep that in mind. Also, if you injure somebody and end up having to stay longer you may find yourself hiring a bail bonds company to bail you out. That too will cost a lot of money depending on the severity of the crime.
A common problem with the DUI system involves the electronic equipment that is used. The devices that are used to give you a breathalyzer or blood test can malfunction and give incorrect readings. The issue surrounding this problem is that the majorities of people are under the impression that these types of tests are always correct and believe them over any other evidence presented in the court. It is your right to ensure that the DUI system is accurate with results. This can be best ensured by the DUI lawyer you have hired.
Even if you know you were not intoxicated, you will have no way to prove it and no way to test electronic equipment. Also, you will have no way of determining if the policeman’s judgment was biased. Taking the time to secure an experienced DUI lawyer can result in a drastically different outcome when you choose to go it alone
