What To Do When Charged With a DUI

 

If you have recently been stopped by the police and accused of a DUI or a DWI, there are probably many different thoughts going through your head at any given time. You are probably scared – whether this is your first DUI or you’ve had one before. If you don’t know anyone who has been charged with a DUI before, you might be very scared about what it could mean – you probably have a lot of questions, including:

· Who do I need to talk to?

· Will I lose my license? How about my commercial license?

· What do I do now?

· I wasn’t drinking – what do I do?

· Something just didn’t feel right about this – who can help me sort it out?

If you have been charged with a DUI before, you may be wondering what it means for you. While each case is different,  there are a few things you need to do after being accused of a DUI – here is a rundown of what you want to do immediately following the traffic stop so that you can be well-prepared. You don’t always have to do everything in this order, but make sure that you work through this list as quickly as possible.

1. Keep a Log of What Happened

DUI cases often rely on the smallest of details to make the determination between winning and losing. It is important to write down everything you remember from the DUI stop – even if it doesn’t seem important. Your memory is likely to fade over time, and you don’t want to misspeak or forget details that could help you to win your case.

If time has already passed, here are a few questions you want to be able to answer:

  • Why did the police officer stop you?
  • When and where were you stopped?
  • What was the condition of the road when you were stopped?
  • Were you given a breath test? What did the device look like?
  • What other tests did you perform?

This may take some time, but it is important to write down everything that you can remember from the stop. However, make sure you don’t share any of the information with anyone other than your lawyer.

2. Clean Up Your Social Media

Don’t forget to look at your social media and see if you posted anything that can be used against you. It isn’t unlikely that someone will scour social media and look for anything that might make you look guilty. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and even SnapChat can be used against DUI defendants, especially if they are from that night.

When presented out of context, it will be simple to create a reputation for yourself that might make you look guilty. Simply put, you don’t want to give the other side any ammunition. While we cannot tell you to remove anything, it might be smart ahead of time to think about what you post, keep your profiles private, or simply live your life off social media.

3. Talk To Anyone Who Was With You

It is quite simple to plead your case if you have credible witnesses who were with you at the time of the stop, not someone who was with you hours beforehand. Ask witnesses if they would be willing to testify on your behalf if you go to court. Witnesses will strengthen your defense, so talk to as many people as you can. Your attorney will want to work with them as well – but you must do so quickly, as people tend to forget what happened, especially if they were drinking.

4. Hire A DUI Lawyer

It is important to not go to any old lawyer for this case. Instead, you want to go to a DUI lawyer that has tried cases similar to yours. While working with a DUI case might seem easy, there is actually quite a bit of science involved and experience is required. This is your life, your career, and your reputation on the line, so you want to do some research on the lawyer that you hire.

According to Benari Law Group, Delaware County Criminal Lawyers, “Whether your DUI case involves alcohol, illegal drugs or even prescription or over-the-counter medications, having a member of [an] experienced legal team on your side can make a huge difference.”

Take your time to meet with your lawyer and really talk to them to see if they can actually help you – ask about trial experience, credentials in sciences, and the outcomes of some other cases that they have worked previously.

No matter what you do, stay calm above all else. If you start acting out, you may only worsen your situation.

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