Why It's Worth Fighting A DUI In Court
by Joan Bradley
Were you arrested for a DUI and now you have an upcoming court date? You may be wondering whether it is worth just pleading guilty or spending the time and money to fight the charge. Here are some reasons why it is worth hiring a DUI lawyer to help with your legal troubles.
The Case Could Be Thrown Out
Chances are that you don't have a background in law and do not know all of the legal details surrounding your case. On paper, it may seem as if there is nothing that can be done to fight your case, so you might as well just plead guilty and get it over with. However, working with a DUI lawyer can help get the case thrown out in court in some circumstances.
For example, if the arresting officer is subpoenaed to testify about the arrest and the officer doesn't show up, then your entire case could be thrown out. It could be a chance worth taking.
The Charges Could Be Reduced
Sometimes it helps having a lawyer on your side to get charges reduced. They can look at the circumstances of your case and compare it against other cases that they have worked on in the past. A lawyer is more capable of justifying why you are not being charged with the appropriate violations of the law, and help get it corrected in court. This is something that you may not even know to do, and if you pleaded guilty, you would have admitted to a worse crime with a harsher punishment.
The Evidence Can Be Challenged
Know that there are plenty of ways a DUI charge can be challenged, many of which you may not be aware of. Blood tests can be challenged for their accuracy, especially with real scenarios such as rising BAC levels. You may have been under the legal limit at the time of the arrest, but your BAC rose over time when you submitted to a blood test later in the evening. It's also possible that field sobriety tests were not given properly, which essentially sets you up to fail.
There also could have been a lack of probable cause that led to the arrest in the first place. Even if you had BAC levels over the legal limit, know that a police officer is not allowed to pull someone over without probable cause, and your case could be dismissed because of it.
Contact a criminal defense attorney near you to learn more.
Share
About Me
You walk into your favorite grocery store and right away, you slip and fall only to sprain your ankle. You can't perform your job because it requires standing on your feet all day, which means that you can't make any money to support your family while your ankle heals. There was no warning that the floors were wet after being cleaned in the store – so what do you do? It's probably a good idea to think about filing a personal injury lawsuit. Of course, anyone with experience with a personal injury case will tell you just how important it is to work with an attorney throughout the process. I'd like to share insight I've learned through three personal injury cases that I myself have had to go through in the past. I think the information on this website can help people like you, who need some personal injury guidance.