subject: Hiring A Defense Attorny For A Dui Case [print this page] DUI cases constitute a great deal of court time and a lot of city and state revenue upon resolution. These are tricky cases that the court system knows will continue to occur in the United States. As such, state patrol and prosecutors are quite prepared to handle cases that bear these charges because it is an easy way to get convictions or pleas that result in more revenue. Alas, the only way to change this is reduce the number of drunk drivers there are on the roads. However, if you are faced with a DUI charge of any kind, an experienced defense attorney can help you through the process.
Before examining how a defense attorney can help you, though, you should first make sure that you understand how the law works. In most states, the legal limit of consumption (for people of the age of majority) is equal to approximately one serving of alcohol within an hour of driving. This is because medical science has shown that the human body can metabolize approximately one serving of alcohol in an hour. This is a very small amount of alcohol, and it means that having one beer or one glass of wine and then getting into your car could result in a DUI charge.
Yes, this seems unfair because having one drink is surely more responsible than having several, particularly if you do not feel the effects from one drink. However, you should know that the effects of alcohol (which includes impaired vision, slowed reaction time, and poor concentration) can be amplified by other physiological factors like the presence of prescription medications in your system, fatigue, emotional distress, etc. It is the job of an experienced defense attorney to take these kinds of things into consideration when constructing a defense for your DUI case.
DUI cases are tricky because you cannot argue ignorance-that you didn't know you had been drinking or didn't think one drink would make a difference. In cases like this it is very difficult to escape a guilty verdict. However, the state also knows that good people make mistakes and that responsibility should be rewarded. When you hire a defense attorney to handle your DUI case, their job will be to show you are usually a responsible driver and that this was a minor mistake. If the incident was harmless (i.e. nobody was injured) then your lawyer can often plead your charge down to something less damaging to your record.
What is most important, though, is that a good defense attorney will also be able to help you reduce the penalties. While getting charges reduced is one thing, the court will always be looking to prosecute for the maximum penalties. Your lawyer, though, will try to find creative ways for you to serve your sentence so you can stay out of jail and avoid paying hefty fines. When they are successful, it is easier to get back to living your life after the stress of this case is gone.
