Three Reasons You Need An Attorney After First-Time DUI Arrest

28 January 2020
 Categories: , Blog

Share

If you have been arrested for driving under the influence and it is a first-time offense, you may be thinking about dispensing with the idea of an attorney and simply pleading guilty. You figure since it is your first offense, you will receive a lenient punishment, and you can get on with your life. This is a mistake. The following are a few reasons you should have a lawyer.

An attorney may be able to beat the charges against you

Although this doesn't happen as a rule, there are many circumstances in which mistakes are made, or you were on the borderline of the legal limit for driving under the influence. An attorney knows all of the angles and what to look for in your case. It is possible that you could win your case, especially if there was no property damage or personal injury from your DUI.

An attorney may be able to mitigate the charges against you

The potential for a jail sentence is on the table, even if this is your first DUI charge. You may not have a criminal record at all. However, the penalties can be harsh for a first-time offender, and depending upon the circumstances, jail may be mandatory. It can depend upon many factors such as your blood alcohol level, other traffic offenses on top of a DUI, like speeding, running a red light, and whether there was property damage. A traffic accident with another car that included injuries will make the situation even worse. In some cases, an attorney can work to have one or more of the charges reduced or dropped, making the punishment less severe.

An attorney may be able to save your driving privileges

Automatic suspensions of driving privileges are routine. Although this will depend upon the state you live in, suspensions are sometimes within the discretion of the judge. An attorney may be able to either save your license or perhaps get a waiver, so you can drive to and from work. In some cases, you may be able to keep your driving privileges for your work, if it is a part of your job. Some states will allow you to attach a device that forces you to pass a breathalyzer test before the car starts. Whatever the possibilities are in the state, these options may be available to you with an attorney.

Never think for a second that you are wasting your money by hiring an attorney over a first-time DUI charge. Although they may not be able to win a case or have all the charges dropped against you, they are often able to mitigate the punishment for your offense. The worst-case scenario, based upon the charges against you, is more likely to occur without a lawyer than with one. For more information, check out websites like https://dlplawyers.com/.