There are numerous reasons that having a criminal defense lawyer when you’re charged with a DUI is highly important. We’ll get into that in this article, as well as explain what you can do and how to get a good lawyer to help you in your case. You know how it goes, you pull away from a bar, even if you’re actually sober, and the next thing you know, you’re facing DUI charges. Is this the same as driving while intoxicated (DWI)? Actually no. You don’t have to be above the legal limit in order to get charged with a DUI. That just simply means you’re driving under the influence.
Getting a Lawyer
When you are arrested, especially when charged with a DUI, you may want to call a lawyer like LibertyLawyers.com if there is any chance that you weren’t intoxicated. Why? Because the more you may say, the police and the court system will use against you. They may say when they read you your rights that anything can be, but it will be also. Keep that in mind.
The most common mistake that someone makes no matter what the charge is that they incriminate themselves by trying to be “law abiding citizens”. This is not saying that the police officers aren’t doing their job, but it is important to realize that you need to protect yourself, and that’s what your criminal defense lawyer will do. Many of them actually offer free consultation to see what they can do in your case to get you off the hook, or at least a sentence reduction or more.
You Might Not Need a Lawyer
In some cases, you may be lucky enough to get away with a first-offense offer. This is basically a slap on the wrist in hopes that you learn your lesson. Most of the time these cases also mean that you had no record of DUI incidents, as well as don’t have any traffic crashes, bodily harm, or even if when you got arrested you didn’t have a high BAC level.
If this is your first case, you may not need to worry (unless you absolutely feel like your safety or livelihood may be threatened in any way of course), as most of the time this results in just a basic plea bargain which already has a customized and minimized sentence for your situation. In cases like this, you’ll also more than likely be appointed a public defender, which already know the case and then also know a lot of DUI defense techniques. A lot of times though, if you’re wanting the best help, you’ll want a private attorney. It may cost more but will save you more in the long run.
Don’t Represent Yourself
As mentioned earlier, unless you are a law student or lawyer yourself, or have an exceptional understanding of the court system, the laws, and the way that the court works, then you don’t want to end up representing yourself, because in these cases, you’ll end up digging yourself deeper. If you go to court and have to be in trial for charges, you will highly benefit from an attorney that can possibly help reduce your sentence or help you with plea bargaining.
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