Most people don’t decide that they are going to go out for the night and become a drunk driver. It usually happens when they are out having fun with friends and don’t realize how much they have drunk. If they don’t appear to be drunk or their friends are in the same condition, no one takes the keys away. The next thing they know a police officer is arresting them on a DUI charge. If they are lucky, they were just driving erratically and didn’t hurt anyone or cause an accident. However, it is still a serous charge and they need to hire a drunk driving lawyer st augustine law firm for help.
Even a first offense, where no one was injured or car damaged can lead to serious consequences. A guilty verdict will increase insurance rates for six years. There will be a large fine to be paid and a variety of educational classes will have to be attended. If a second or third DUI follows within a short-time, the defendant will almost certainly be facing a mandatory jail sentence. A drunk driving lawyer st augustine practice will work to have the charges thrown out or reduced. This means a smaller fine and lower insurance surcharge.
However if the drunk driving lawyer can’t get the charges reduced, he’ll make sure that his client gets the lowest bail possible. Then he’ll start to chip away at the case against his client. He review the arrest record and ensure that the police officer followed all proper procedures. The police have to have probable cause to stop a vehicle. Then they have to have probable cause to administer a sobriety test. If they stop a car because of a broken light, they can’t assume that the driver is drunk. When the police interview him, the driver has to exhibit some action that gives them reason to believe that he is drunk. The police then have to state specifically what it was in their arrest report.
The defense attorney will then question the quality of the equipment and make sure that it was calibrated properly. If it was in working order and their client is convicted, they will explain any extenuating circumstances to the judge to get the smallest sentence and fine for their client.
