If you were pulled over and arrested for driving while intoxicated, you need to get a lawyer on your case as soon as you get out. The specifics about your case will determine what charges you're going to face, but no matter what, you don't want to go into the case on your own. Here are some of the reasons this is a legal matter best left to the professionals.
Monitor Dates, Deadlines, and Paperwork
When you get into legal trouble, there is a lot that goes on with the courts and legal system. You need to stay on the courts timeline, and this goes for appearances in court, changes in times and meetings, and your case.
The lawyer will make sure that all paperwork is filled out correctly, that they appear if you can't make it to an appeal or appearance, and more. This will be important for you case, especially if you want to take a plea.
Investigate the Current Evidence
The lawyer will want to spend some time reviewing the evidence that has been presented against you. This may be a statement from the officer that pulled you over, video surveillance from the squad car, or possibly even a breathalyzer test result.
If the police officer didn't follow the legal procedure, there are confusing actions in the video, or the machine used to test your BLA was faulty, these are ways you may be able to fight the DWI charges. Each case is different and deserves to be examined carefully.
Negotiate Your Plea
If the DWI attorney doesn't think that that charges can be completely dropped because of the evidence, a plea is the only other option. A plea could save you from the charges and instead get you a lesser crime on your record like a reckless operation. The lawyer will negotiate with the prosecution to get you a better result.
For the plea you may have to agree to go to alcoholic anonymous meetings, do community service, or even do other things like pay fines. Talk with your lawyer about what you are hoping for, what you would be willing to do if you could work out a plea deal, and what type of driving restrictions you may be facing. This way you and your lawyer can make the best decision for the case.
If you need help, look for a DWI defense attorney near you who can help.
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