A DUI conviction comes with a lot of negative consequences. It could harm your job prospects, restrict your driving privileges and cost you a considerable amount in penalties and increased insurance premiums. In certain circumstances, it could also lead to jail time.
So, if facing a DUI charge, you need to get help to challenge it. One way is to look for mistakes in the way your case was handled from the traffic stop onward.
Arresting officers cannot afford to make errors
Everyone makes mistakes, and police officers are no different. Yet, if you can pinpoint an error they made, it may give a judge sufficient reason to dismiss the charges against you.
- They did not stop you in the proper manner: If the police stopped you at a DUI checkpoint, they must follow the rules. If they pulled you over, they needed a valid reason to do so.
- They did not carry out the tests correctly: You could use this if you believe the officer incorrectly implemented field sobriety tests or breath tests.
- They did not take their breath testing machine for calibration: Manufacturers’ instructions clarify that these machines need regular maintenance and calibration according to the schedule they set. If the police force missed a date, how can they be sure the reading was correct?
- They did not arrest you correctly: Did the police have probable cause to arrest you? Did they read you your rights? Or did they deny your request to phone an attorney?
- They did not store the evidence correctly: If you are being charged based on a blood test, you need to be sure the police or lab did not make any chain of custody errors that could have contaminated your sample or confused it with that of someone else.
There are many ways to challenge a DUI. Get help to discover what defense option will work best in your case.