In a given year, a massive 1.5 million people in the US will be arrested for DUI. It’s a charge that can carry a variety of different consequences, from license suspensions to fines and jail time.
If you’ve recently been arrested for DUI for the first time, we’re sure that you’re quite confused and have a lot of questions. It can be difficult to know what to do in this situation, but this article is here to give you some honest advice on what you can do to handle the situation.
Let’s take a closer look.
Don’t Talk to the Police
Look, while it definitely sucks getting arrested, there’s nothing you can say to talk your way out of it. If the police have decided to arrest you for a DUI, then the best thing you can do is keep quiet, at least until you can get in a room with your attorney.
Even if you have strong evidence or an alibi that contradicts their arrest, keep it to yourself until you have told your lawyer the same thing. The police are not going to be in a position to help you, so wait for your help to arrive.
Get in Touch With the DMV as Soon as Possible
A DUI is technically dealt with twice. You have a criminal case involving the police, court dates, and legal implications. Then, you have an administrative case that is handled by the DMV.
If you’ve been arrested for DUI, then you need to get on the phone to the DMV as soon as you can. The reason for doing so is that with the administrative case, you don’t automatically get granted a hearing.
The DMV allows you 10 days to request a hearing. If you do not meet that 10-day deadline, then your driver’s license will be automatically suspended.
Get a DUI Attorney
If you want to fight DUI charges, then you need to lawyer up. You could decide to go with a public defender, but why take the risk? There are lots of specialist DUI lawyers who can take on your case and give you the best defense possible.
A good DUI attorney will take a look at the specifics of your case and be able to talk through expected outcomes and defense strategies, or generally just answer any questions that you have for them about your arrest.
Being arrested for a DUI can be a confusing time, and your lawyer is there to fight through the legal fog and give you a clear picture of how your case looks.
Record What Happened in Detail
As soon as your arrest is processed and the police release you from jail, go home and try to remember what happened during the arrest in as much detail as you can. Write it all down, every little thing.
Nothing is too trivial or meaningless, you want to give your DUI attorney the clearest and most vivid picture of the events leading up to, during, and after the arrest.
If you don’t want to write it down, try recording it as a voice note on your phone. Record anything that you can show to your attorney to help them.
Listen to Your Attorney’s Advice
Being arrested for DUI is probably a once-in-a-lifetime event for you, but your DUI attorney has seen countless cases like yours for a variety of different people. They know how these things work, and they’re a great font of wisdom.
Don’t second-guess your lawyer too much, take their advice on board, and always remember that they are the experts here, and they’re doing everything they can to get the very best outcome for you on this case.
Think About the Arraignment
When arrested for DUI, you’ll usually have to face more than one court date. Your first date is called your arraignment. At the arraignment, you’ll have your details checked and the charges will be read to you. You’ll get to enter a plea here.
If you want the best chance of success in your case, then you should hire a private DUI attorney preferably before the arraignment. If you do not do this before the arraignment then you’ll be left with a public defender that might advise you poorly, or not be able to get you very good bail terms.
Stay Clean
This one is very important. Nothing is going to be able to derail your entire case and tangle your lawyer up like committing another crime while you’re still waiting on the outcome of a current case.
Keep yourself out of trouble. If you know that certain situations take you closer to trouble or committing other offenses, then you should steer well clear of those. Getting caught for something else, or god forbid the same thing during legal proceedings, will not play out very well in your favor.
Have Patience
Legal proceedings take time. We all wish that wasn’t the case. Unfortunately, it is. Don’t rush through anything and just try to stay patient throughout the entire process.
If you’ve hired an experienced and competent DUI lawyer, then just leave them to their work and have faith in them to get a good outcome for you.
Complicated DUI cases can sometimes take an entire year to be resolved, so you’ll need that mental strength and patience to get you through the whole process.
If Arrested for DUI, Don’t Panic
Being arrested for DUI can be a scary thing. We all make mistakes, and drinking and driving can be one with serious consequences. But you deserve a second chance and you deserve a robust and good defense from a qualified DUI attorney.
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