DUI Cases: The Key To Winning At Court

Being charged with a DUI can be devastating towards every aspect of your life. You can lose your job, your ability to drive, and many other freedoms we enjoy every day.

A lot of social consequences come with a DUI conviction, as well. For example, a DUI can ruin a relationship between spouses. It’s nice to think those closest to you will forgive you for your mistake, but that’s not always the case. As long as people know, you will be marked as a person who makes poor decisions.

For these reasons, it’s important to build a strong case against a DUI conviction so you can keep your life on track.

Here’s how we do it:

DON’T Represent Yourself In Court

Because of the cost of hiring an attorney, you may be tempted to represent yourself in court. Because of everything you stand is to lose when convicted of a DUI, we recommend against this. An attorney who’s experienced representing DUI offenses is crucial. They’ll know how the local police and prosecutors operate and the exact defenses that can be applied to your case. Representing yourself in court can easily turn a bad situation into an even worse one.

Record & Track Everything

As soon as you can after being arrested, write down everything you can recall from the time you were stopped up until the present moment.

The passage of time and the pressure of facing your accusers, a prosecutor, and judge in court can cause your memory to fog up.

No detail is unimportant. Even if you think something may not matter, it may be just what your DUI attorney needs to make a strong case.

At court, the arresting officers and prosecutor will present their version of the events. Having the facts and your side of the story straight can make a big difference.

Question Reliability of Breathalyzers & Police

If you were performed field sobriety tests like the breathalyzer test, nystagmus test, or the walk and turn test, there are many questions that can be asked of the arresting officer.

For example:

Were the tests justified in the first placed? Examples of justified stops are speeding, driving unusually slow, crossing lines, or failure to stop at lights. If the stop was not considered legal, the court might actually throw out the case.
Were they properly explained and assessed?
Was the officer properly trained to administer and evaluate the test results in order to properly identify drunk driving?
Did the arresting officer Mirandize you after deciding to arrest you? You must be informed that you have the right to remain silent, that anything you say or do can be used against you, and you have the right to an attorney.
Were the tests at the stop and/or at the police station administered on properly maintained machines that give accurate and reliable data?
Can the prosecutors prove you violated every element of your state’s
DUI law beyond a reasonable doubt?

It’s the job of an experienced attorney to understand all of the factors at play in your case.

How An Attorney Can Help

If you are charged with a DUI, the best thing you can do for yourself is to contact an experienced DUI attorney. An experienced attorney will know the local judges and prosecutors and understand how to navigate the courtroom.

If you fail to understand how to present yourself favorably in court before a judge, you can get hit with harsher fines, higher costs, and longer probationary periods.

To take care of all of these aspects, you’ll need a strong Grand Rapids Criminal Defense Attorney to help you get a favorable result. You’ll know you picked the right lawyer when they can prove to you they’re well versed in DUI law AND is capable of presenting arguments in the courtroom.