The first time DUI (Driving Under the Influence) charge may prove too much. You can be fined, have your license suspended, be put on community service, and possibly spend some time in jail. However, the experienced DUI attorney can lighten the penalties you are facing substantially. In most instances, legal knowledge may spell out the difference between an unfavorable sentence and a better deal.
This is what a DUI lawyer will be able to do after you are caught on the first offense.
Assessing the Many-Sided Case Against You
A DUI lawyer will examine some of the first things in order to read the evidence. These are the police report, breathalyzer or blood imperial results, dash-cam footage and the testimony of the police officer. A competent counsel will seek presents in inconsistencies, protocol errors, or infringement of your rights. Any failure in the process of evidence collection might result in the withholding of important details or even the case rejection.
The Case against Breathalyzer and Field Sobriety Tests
Breathalyzers are not correct all the time. The results can be distorted by calibration errors, the incorrect handling of equipment, or conditions associated with medicine. Field sobriety tests are even subjective to larger extent and they can be influenced by nervousness, physical disability or even poor road surfaces. Having a DUI lawyer ensures that he/she is conversant with how to challenge the authenticity of such tests and come up with a solid argument to discourage the prosecution.
Please Bargaining
Although the evidence might be very strong, a DUI attorney can conduct negotiations with a prosecutor to give a lesser sentence. In some cases, this may involve the lesser charges of DUI being reduced to reckless driving especially on the first-time offenders. In other circumstances you may be entitled to alternative punishment, i.e., alcohol education courses or community service, rather than jail.
Redistribution of License Suspension
It is a great hassle to have the license to drive stripped. The DUI attorney may appear with you at the administrative hearing concerning the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to assist you in keeping your driving status. In other cases you may be entitled to obtain a limited license where you can drive to and back work or school.
Staying Clean on your Record
A DUI arrest remains in your record and it can impact on your employment, insurance rates, and reputation. An attorney can perhaps assist you in preventing a conviction at all or at least making you eligible to get your records expunged in the future. This is especially critical to young professionals and students who are new in their professions.
Giving Emotional and Legal Advice
The prospect of a DUI charge may look puzzling and stressful. A lawyer cannot just be there to represent you legally but also offer information on ways of going through the process in the court. With them, you are in safe hands as they will guide you through making the right decisions and give you firsthand information about possible pitfalls that can make your situation worse.
Conclusion
First-time DUI does not need to decide about your future. You can minimize the consequences of your DUI, safeguard your driver license and even prevent a life-long criminal record by use of an experienced DUI attorney. When charged, do not walk through the legal process alone but get a professional assistance and assume defense of your case.
