(This is the first in a continuing series of guest editorials on the Home Health Testing blog).
A DUI arrest is a serious matter and can have life long consequences for the charged. This is why it is important that you talk with a DUI lawyer and let him/her handle your case before you say anything to the police. When a driver is stopped by the police as a suspect for drunk driving, the best thing to do is not to speak at all. If you start a conversation with the police officer, that can be used against you in court. Similarly, many people believe, that they should do all what the police officer asks them to do. However, this is not the correct approach. You can also refuse to take a breath test or refuse to give the field sobriety tests, which will lead to your driver’s license suspension, which can be fought in court.
Speak to a DUI attorney
As soon as you are stopped as a suspect for drunk driving, you should immediately ask for a lawyer to talk on your behalf. You should not feel awkward about asking for a lawyer as it is your right. However, you must provide your identification as well as insurance proof when you are pulled over. Even if the police arrest you for not taking the test, or not answering their questions, you should still not say anything. Instead, ask for your lawyer to talk on your behalf. You must stay quiet till your lawyer turns up.
How to talk with the police officer
On the other hand, if you talk with the officer, make sure you talk in a calm manner and not in an angry or irritated tone. It is also not advised to start an argument with the police officer, as that can have further consequences and penalties. Similarly, if you try to evade the officer, it can also get you in trouble. Police officers are trained to study a persons behaviour through their speech and also through their body language, so if you try and act smart, you are only asking for trouble. Also, if you start answering questions asked by the officer, make sure you answer them honestly and truthfully. However, make sure you do not mention any of your recent drinking activities, as they can act against you directly.
The police will make an effort to start small talk, and to confuse you or to engage you in a conversation if you try and avoid one. Even answering innocent questions can damage your case by working against you, as the police officers not only take note of what you answer, but also how you answer them. They specifically look for slurred speech to use it to prove in court that you were drunk at the time of arrest.
Therefore, you should make sure that you do not talk with the officer at all. Even if you think you are providing information which will not work against you in court, you are wrong. By staying quiet and exercising your right to remain silent, you make things easier for your DUI lawyer to defend you. The more you talk at the time of arrest, the complicated your case will become, as everything you say will be “on record” and will come back to haunt you in court.
By asking for a DUI lawyer to represent you in court, you will make sure you have someone at your side who understands the ins and outs of the DUI laws of the area, and knows how to deal in court. Your lawyer will also attend court sessions for you and will work to reduce your penalties or have them removed completely. Do not try to take matters in your own hand as it will most likely lead to a DUI conviction. An experienced lawyer will discuss your case in detail with you and explain the whole process to you and will also guide you on how to deal in the court and face the prosecutor and judge. So if you have been charged and arrested for drunk driving, you should immediately ask for a DUI lawyer who is trusted and has successfully fought and won DUI cases. If you are having difficulties finding one, you can visit
http://www.MyDUIAttorney.org and find one in the state where you have been charged in.
This editorial was written by Richard Jacobs of DUI lawyer directory website http://www.myduitattorney.org.