If you’ve been charged with driving while intoxicated/driving under the influence, it is critical to have the assistance of an experienced, dedicated DUI defense attorney who can assist you through the complex and stressful process of facing your charges. If your DWI/DUI charges ultimately go to trial, it is especially critical to have an attorney who is representing your best interests.
Addressing Your DUI Charges
A DUI defense lawyer can help you by quickly addressing your charges as soon as possible after you are arrested. A lawyer can advise you when you are being questioned by police. A lawyer can also begin noting what evidence to collect in your case. In particular, a lawyer can help you by ensuring that you have evidence to refute the evidence that the prosecutor will present, such as the results of your field sobriety test or breathalyzer or blood test. A lawyer may be able to challenge the credibility of the evidence the prosecutor intends to present, which may give your attorney leverage to seek dismissal of your DUI charges or plea bargain to lower offenses.
Additional Charges
Having legal representation can be invaluable if you are facing other charges in addition to your DUI, or if your DUI charges have been upgraded to felonies. DUIs are usually charged as felonies when an individual is facing a second or subsequent arrest for DUI, or if the DUI involves an accident that results in property damage or injury or death to another person. A DUI defendant may face increased sentencing exposure if they are charged with additional offenses, such as reckless driving, endangering the welfare of a minor, or manslaughter. A lawyer can help someone facing felony DUI charges or additional charges to retain professionals who may be necessary to present an effective legal defense, such as private investigators or expert witnesses.
Defending Against Your Charges
The goal of any criminal defense is to avoid conviction on your charges. This may be accomplished by obtaining an acquittal after a trial. However, in most cases conviction on your original charges is usually avoided by negotiating a plea bargain of some kind. In a plea bargain, you agree to plead guilty to a less-serious crime in exchange for receiving less punishment than the maximum sentence that would be available if you were convicted on your initial charges. Thus, it may be possible to avoid a conviction for DUI if your plea bargain is acceptable to the prosecutor.
A lawyer can help someone charged with DUI to defend against their charges by first undertaking an initial review of the case. This will allow the attorney to advise their client about potential legal defenses, what will be involved in the criminal justice process, and the potential outcomes for the client. The lawyer will lay out all the possible options for his or her client, including the potential for negotiating a plea bargain or plea agreement offers already made by the prosecutor, or the likelihood of success if the charges are fought at trial. With the lawyer’s assistance, the defendant will make a decision of what strategy to pursue.
Contact an Experienced Cherry Hill DWI Defense Attorney About Your Drunk Driving Charges in New Jersey
Have you been charged with a DWI or DUI offense in New Jersey? A drunk driving conviction could leave you with a permanent record, and it could result in your driver’s license being suspended for a very long time. That is why it is imperative that you speak with a qualified DWI defense lawyer about your case. The lawyers at Attorneys Hartman, Chartered represent clients charged with drunk driving, breath test refusal, and related offenses in Mount Laurel, Cherry Hill, Marlton, Medford, and throughout New Jersey. Call (856) 235-0220 or fill out our confidential online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office located at 68 E. Main Street, Moorestown, NJ 08057.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.