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What Happens when You are Pulled Over for A DUI?
Your case begins the moment you are stopped by the police
Contact a Phoenix DUI Lawyer Immediately
If you’re suspected of driving under the influence, your case begins the second you’re pulled over – and the sooner you obtain a lawyer, the better. Arizona’s DUI laws are relatively harsh, and they carry mandatory minimum jail sentences, fines and fees. In addition, prosecutors are more and more reluctant to offer beneficial plea bargains, even to first-time offenders. Finally, the police are becoming more skilled at following procedures. As a result, Arizona DUI cases are taken to trial more and more often.
Why Should I Hire a Lawyer to Defend My DUI Case?
Having been charged with drunk driving, you may believe that all is lost. This is simply not the case. While the penalties are significant, DUI cases can still be successfully defended by a skilled criminal defense lawyer. The skill level of your attorney may well determine whether or not you go free, pay fines and surcharges and lose your driving privileges. An experienced lawyer will examine all the evidence and look for weaknesses in the prosecution’s case. He will also raise defenses, where applicable, including the legality of the motor vehicle stop and any constitutional issues that may help your case.
A DUI lawyer will look at numerous issues, examples of which are:
- Motor Vehicle Stop – What was the alleged basis for the stop? Was it because the car was being driven erratically, or was the stop really made for a reason which raises constitutional issues?
- Who was Driving? – A DUI conviction requires that the defendant be in control of the motor vehicle. What evidence does the prosecutor have to prove this?
- Field Sobriety Test – After a stop, you likely were given a field sobriety test by a police officer. The fact that the officer says that you were impaired is by no means conclusive. Field sobriety tests are largely subjective, and both the experience and training of the officer, and the validity of his conclusions, can be placed under scrutiny by your lawyer.
- Breathalyzer – The breathalyzer is a machine that is subject to yielding false results, either because of the inexperience or lack of training on the part of the officer giving the test, or because of problems with the machine itself. When, for example, was the breathalyzer last calibrated?
- Expert Defense Witnesses – It may be that retaining an expert witness will be appropriate to rebut the proofs offered by the prosecutor. The testimony of your expert may well raise a reasonable doubt as to your guilt.
What Can the Law Offices of David A. Black Do for Me?
At the Law Office of David A. Black, we regularly represent clients charge with drunk driving. Mr. Black’s experience, not only as a criminal defense attorney, but also as a former prosecutor, is invaluable in assisting clients charged with DUI. He will challenge the evidence presented by the prosecution, raise any and all applicable defenses, and do so with the skill you need in your legal representative.
Equally important, because your only chance of a reduced charge or a dismissal is often to go to trial, you want an attorney who is not afraid to try a case if necessary. Mr. Black’s trial experience is substantial, and he knows when to recommend that you go to trial. That recommendation will not be influenced by the time necessary to try the case, or by fears of going to trial on his part.
If you have been charged with a DUI in Arizona, call Mr. Black today at (480) 280-8028 for a free, confidential consultation.