When Do You Need DUI Attorney?
Being charged with driving under the influence (DUI) can be a frustrating experience. Since it’s considered a serious offense, it also comes with severe legal consequences, including payment of hefty fines and penalties, prison time, suspension or revocation of driver’s license, having a criminal record, and a lot more. Due to the possible convictions, you should do everything you can to avoid being penalized, and this is where the assistance of a legal professional comes into play. However, you may be wondering when should be the right time to seek legal help. Here’s a guide to help you in deciding
Being charged with driving under the influence (DUI) can be a frustrating experience. Since it’s considered a serious offense, it also comes with severe legal consequences, including payment of hefty fines and penalties, prison time, suspension or revocation of driver’s license, having a criminal record, and a lot more.
Due to the possible convictions, you should do everything you can to avoid being penalized, and this is where the assistance of a legal professional comes into play. However, you may be wondering when should be the right time to seek legal help.
Here’s a guide to help you in deciding:
1. When There’s A Violation Of Rights During Arrest
If you believe your rights were violated by the arresting officer during the arrest procedure, then you should need a legal professional to help you prove it to the court. For example, your attorney can show to the court, having sufficient evidence, the arresting officer has no reason to believe you violated the state’s DUI laws, and this is addressed as probable cause.
Moreover, you can also utilize your attorney’s skills to prove no Miranda warnings were given to you at the time of your arrest and being in police custody. This means you’re not informed of your rights to remain silent, have an independent counsel present during questioning, and many more.
These are just some reasons for hiring a DUI attorney. And when you have them on your side, they can help you throw certain evidence out which is obtained in violation of your rights during a DUI arrest.
2. When Your Case Has Aggravating Circumstances
By definition, aggravating circumstances are those factors increasing the culpability or severity of a certain criminal act. In other words, the presence of these factors in a case will usually result in harsher penalties for a conviction.
It’s also important to consider the US state and city where the accident happened as there are some places with specific rulings like South Dakota.
Hence, when you’re facing a charge involving driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, it’s important to watch out for any aggravating circumstances such as DUI with a child in the vehicle, high blood alcohol concentration (BAC), and DUI causing injuries to others.
But what if the accident took place due to someone else negligence? In such as case consulting from a car accident can help you with your litigation. You learn more here and see how they can help you receive fair compensation.
If the incident happened around Davison County, you should consider hiring a Mitchell DUI attorney or other reliable firms to help navigate your situation. They can obtain pieces of evidence and come up with a strong defense strategy intended to refute the aggravating circumstances and win the case in your favor.
3. When You Want To Consider A Plea Bargain
Generally speaking, criminal trials are expensive and can take so much time before being resolved. Because of this, the state is open to a possibility of a plea bargain rather than proceed with a full-blow trial, in which you may eventually lose. This bargaining works by agreeing to plead guilty in exchange for a lesser charge from the prosecution.
On the other hand, while the process of plea bargaining may not require legal assistance, having a DUI attorney on your side may still make a lot of sense, especially if the facts of the case aren’t in your favor. When you work with an attorney, you’ll be able to get the most out of your plea bargain since they know how to negotiate with the prosecution to the extent of winning a reduced plea for you.
4. When You’re Facing Trial
Of course, you should be represented by a DUI attorney during the trial to increase your odds of winning your case. In addition to creating a good defense strategy, they’ll help ensure you’re prepared for the proceeding by telling you what is expected from you. Also, they’ll be ready to help you follow all the court procedures correctly and ensure you’ve completed the requirements prior to your court appearance.
In other words, you should have a strong legal representation in a DUI trial to make the most out of legal knowledge and trial skills. The bottom line is you should have your attorney as your powerful ally to strengthen your case.
Conclusion
Facing a case on driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs can be complicated and overwhelming. Whether it’s your first time breaking the law or not, keeping the information mentioned above can help you determine when should be the right time to hire a DUI attorney.
Hiring an attorney can help walk you through the essential steps and make things run as smoothly as possible so you can get out of the legal trouble in no time.