When Must I Hire A Lawyer For A DUI Case?
If you need to go to trial for a DUI offense, there are some times when you can successfully handle the case on your own. But other times, there's such a close call that you can use any help you can get to make the difference in your court ruling. Here are several close calls where it's best to get a DUI attorney.
When the Evidence is Slim
In some cases, the evidence isn't as definitive as you think in a DUI case. For instance, BAC levels that hover near the legal limit are a weak point in the DUI case. With your lawyer's help, you can paint a picture that shows the breathalyzer test was incorrect. You might draw on other witnesses to show that you were sober, or you might create some defenses for why you were behaving oddly that day.
When You Want to Negotiate
There are several ways that you can negotiate the penalties of a DUI offense, even if you accept that the charge is correct. For instance, you might want to argue for a special license or driving privileges. Sometimes a judge will grant you driving permission under certain circumstances, such as if your child's well-being depends on it and they can't get to school another way. A judge may give you driving privileges if you get an interlock device put on your ignition; this device essentially gives you a breathalyzer test each time you drive to make sure that you're not under the influence.
You may also want to negotiate the severity of your penalty, such as a lower fine or a shorter driver's license suspension. In any of these cases, it's best to draw on a DUI lawyer's expertise in arguing why these smaller sentences are needed.
When You Were Mistreated
There's another way to affect your trial's outcome, and that's to show the case wasn't handled properly by the officer. For instance, did the officer pull you over without proving that there was a legitimate traffic violation? Do you believe that racial profiling played a part in your sentencing? Did the officer do anything else to violate your rights as a citizen, such as use sneaky questioning methods or unnecessary force? Call a DUI attorney to help you effectively argue against the charges and say that the evidence was collected in an unfair fashion.
For more information, contact Pollack & Ball LLC or a similar firm.
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