The DUI Defense Attorney Needs All The Details

Being convicted of driving under the influence, or DUI as it is usually referred to, can become a permanent and troublesome blemish on a persons record. However, with the help of a knowledgeable DUI defense attorney it is perfectly possible to get the charges dropped and your name kept in good standing in your community.

Before moving on, lets make clear that this article is not about making excuses for or morally accepting drunk driving in any way, shape or form. Driving while under the influence of alcohol or other drugs is rightly considered a serious offense, as you could easily end up hurting or killing innocent people. If you drink you don't drive - that's the rule to live by, period.

That said, you can't change something that has already happened. And if that was being arrested for drunk driving, your best shot of getting out of the mess is often to hire the best DUI attorney you can find. When you consult with your lawyer, the first step in the process is to go over the entire incident in as fine a detail as possible. At this stage it is crucial that you are open, honest and try to remember as many details as possible.

Every Detail Matters

Although a perfectly clear memory and the situation that led up to a DUI seldom go hand in hand, you should recount everything to the best of your ability. Simply start at the very beginning and cover everything that eventually led up to an officer pulling you over. Every little detail from what the weather was like to who you where with can be important. Facts and your story is all the DUI attorney has to go on in order to use against the prosecution, so be thorough.

As in any trial, witnesses can be very important. Perhaps there is a bartender or other reliable person that can attest to the fact that you did actually not have that much to drink in the first place. That you really appeared completely sober when you got behind the wheel.

What Will Get You Off The Hook

So what are some of the ways a DUI defense attorney can get you off the hook? Let’s start with you getting behind the wheel. How much did you have to drink and who were you with? For example, if you were at a bar, the bartender could be called to testify to state that you didn’t have that much to drink, or that you drank sporadically throughout the night and had sobered up before you drove home. Witnesses can often be key to having your case thrown out. During the traffic stop, did the officer read you your rights? Did you take a breathalyzer, and, if so, were those results accurate? Were you subjected to a field sobriety test? What was the weather like? What time was it? The traffic stop must be gone over several times so that every detail can be gone over. A good DUI defense attorney will take these details and will build a solid case so that the judge will have no choice but to throw your case out or at least give you a lesser charge.