DUI Attorney: 3 Ways This Type of Lawyer Can Help You

If you have been charged with driving under the influence, you may feel that the situation is hopeless. After all, you are facing time in jail, hefty fines, and various other penalties that include community service and substance abuse classes. However, getting a lawyer can help you fight these charges, allowing you to eliminate the charge completely or at least reduce the punishment. Find out what a DUI attorney can do for you. 

In some states, a conviction of driving under the influence of alcohol can be reduced to a lesser offense. For example, you may be able to reduce it to a wet reckless, which means that alcohol was involved, but the punishment is much less severe. If your case is particularly strong, a dry reckless may be attainable, meaning that you were driving recklessly without having had alcohol so the consequences are rather minor. To have any hope of these reductions in your charge, you need to have an experienced DUI attorney since this type of legal representative knows all the tricks in the book to get the charges reduced. 

Some states do not let you reduce the DUI charge to a different one, but they do allow you to get the punishment reduced. This way you will keep the charge on your record, but will not have to serve the typical amount of jail time or pay the usual fines. To do so, your lawyer must show that you have a clean record and are severely apologetic for your actions, allowing you to appear remorseful enough for the court to decide you have learned your lesson. Since the whole case hinges on you having made a mistake, this is only possible for your first offense, especially if your blood alcohol level was barely above the legal limit. If you think there is a chance of having the consequences reduced, you should talk to a lawyer. 

You may be able to get the entire case thrown out if you can show that the police involved made a mistake. For example, they may not have read you your rights, may have searched your car without reason, or may have had no reason to stop your car at all. In addition, their equipment may be incorrect, such as an improperly calibrated breathalyzer. If you suspect any of these mistakes, or just want a professional to determine if any of these issues occurred, hire a lawyer. The typical attorney experienced in such cases knows the legal loopholes that might get the case thrown out entirely. This way you can avoid a criminal record and the resultant punishment. 

These are the main ways that some drivers get out of having this type of conviction on their record. Whether you believe you were innocent, or just want the best chances of avoiding the consequences of your mistake, you should get a DUI attorney to help you. The legal representative should offer a free consultation where they can tell you whether you have a good chance of getting out of this charge.