Reader question:
I got a DUI and now I know I’m in for it. Is there something I can do? Get a lawyer?
Derek
There is something you can do.
One of the most grave offenses you can make when driving is doing so under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and for this reason, not to mention for the reason that it’s dangerous and reckless, should driving while intoxicated be avoided at all costs. But there are more reasons to avoid it than the fact that you or somebody else could get injured or killed. If you are charged with a DUI/DWI, the effects will resonate for years. You will have to pay fines, higher car insurance premiums, and you might have your license suspended and be required to enter treatment. Once you have been charged with DUI/DWI, you’re pretty much stuck with all this and that’s life until it falls of your record.
Since once the charge has been made it pretty much becomes permanent, it’s very important to get into action ahead of time if you’ve been falsely accused of driving under the influence. If it’s something that you didn’t do, you hardly want to be paying for it for years into the future, do you?
But, if you’ve been falsely accused, there are special lawyers who deal with DUI/DWI cases. They’re experts at this, and they know exactly how to deal with charges and ensure that you’re cleared. Some can get off of charges on mere technicalities, as policeman are required by law to follow certain steps and procedures when checking for intoxication, and if they don’t do the process right then the charges are invalid. This will be taken into account, as well as whether the constitution was filed, if you had your Miranda rights read to you or not, if the alcohol tests were done correctly, and if the equipment that measured your blood alcohol level was working properly.
DUI/DWI cases are difficult ones, and the laws are constantly changing. It’s almost impossible to get through one on your own, so if you want a chance of getting cleared then it’s important to hire a lawyer who knows the law thoroughly. Make sure you get a lawyer who has lots of experience dealing with cases lie your own. It’s also important to make sure the lawyer doesn’t have a high rate of going to court or pleading guilty. Choose carefully, because you have a lot on the line.
Cheers,
Fashun Guadarrama.