The morning after a DUI arrest, you are probably overwhelmed and wondering what on earth you’re going to do next. One of the biggest mistakes people make after being charged with a DUI is choosing to go without a lawyer. Even if you know you are guilty and your case seems pretty cut and dried to you, it is still absolutely necessary to hire a lawyer. Let’s look at just a few of the benefits of working with an attorney during this process.
Dealing With Probable Cause
One of the biggest issue in DUI cases is whether or not the arresting officer had probable cause to pull you over. Probable cause means that the officer must witness you driving erratically for a sustained period of time or you must violate a traffic law in order for them to pull you over. They will also need to prove that you actually violated a law.
Many DUI cases are overturned because the arresting officer did not have probable cause. This means that you won’t have to worry about facing any penalties, because the officer did not have the right to pull you over in the first place.
This is something that many people are not aware of and will fail to bring up if they attempt to defend themselves on their own. Not only will a lawyer help you to determine if probable cause existed, they can also ensure that the entire arrest process was done correctly, and if it was not, they may be able to get your case dismissed.
Recommendations for Your Case
Your lawyer is going to have specific recommendations to make for you after hearing about your case. They will ask you some questions about the events leading up to your arrest and they will see if you have witnesses who can prove that you were not impaired before you were pulled over, or failing that, character witnesses who can be used to prove that this is an isolated incident.
After they have gathered all of this information, they can build a case and they may have some recommendations for you. For example, they may want you to plead down to a lesser charge, such as reckless driving. Or, they may want you to get some alcohol treatment. Listen to their suggestions and take them seriously.
A Better Chance For Your Future
If you are guilty of a first offense DUI in the state of Florida, your South Florida DUI lawyer will most likely be able to plead down the fine you’ll have to pay and the amount of time you will be placed on probation. Depending on the strength of your case, you may have probation waived in lieu of community service.
If you decided to go to treatment or counseling before your court date, this will also help you get a lesser sentence with many judges. Most lawyers will recommend this course of action to their clients since it shows the court that they are serious about what happened and taking proactive steps to ensure that it never happens again.
A DUI charge doesn’t have to mean the ruination of your future. Having a great lawyer to defend you will help you get through the process and get started in a new direction.
