Are you stopped for Driving Under the Influence? Was your BAC percentage above 0.08 when you were asked to submit your breath? If yes, you may be in deep trouble.
However, if you are ready to reflect on your actions, a DUI lawyer can be of great help in rectifying the situation. A good Greenville DUI lawyer can help you in multiple ways and make the process of going through a DUI arrest easy and bearable.
Here are some of the benefits of contacting a DUI lawyer.
Helps During Police Interrogation
If you have been stopped for DUI, the police officials will interview you and record your initial statements. This can be crucial as your statements can act as evidence and can be used against you in court.
A good lawyer will guide you on how to answer when interviewed. He may even ask you to use your discretion to remain silent. Hiring a DUI lawyer in time can save you from further trouble.
Challenges the Field Sobriety Test Results
Are you asked to perform field sobriety tests by the police officer? If yes, these can also be used as evidence in court. Taking the help of a DUI lawyer becomes essential in such circumstances.
A DUI lawyer knows how to challenge the results of these tests before the court. Most of these tests aren’t a true indicator of intoxication. These tests are performed to know the body’s coordination and alertness as these are the first two things that get compromised when intoxicated.
However, the results are not always fair and can be challenged by giving due reasons like wearing improper footwear, performed test slippery surface, medical problems etc.
Prevents Suspension of Driving License
With a DUI conviction in South Carolina, you can even get your license suspended for at least six months if you are a first-time offender. You may then have to get a temporary license from the local DMV office. However, with a good DUI by your side, you can prevent the suspension of your driving license.
A good DUI layer would know the tactics of reversing the situation.
Reduce the Jail Time
Depending on the blood alcohol content in your body, the penalties resulting from DUI arrest can be high. The chances are you may even have to spend some time in jail.
Different states have different penalties and imprisonment time periods. A good DUI lawyer can actually help you reduce your jail time and penalty amount. He would be skilled enough to present the case in a way to highlight your good deeds and present this as the lone case.
He may also help in replacing jail time with performing community service. In this case, the driver has to perform community service for the same time period for which he would have to spend time in jail.
Prevents Your Record From Getting Tainted
A DUI arrest can also appear on your criminal record. This can make it difficult to get a driving license renewed or even getting a job.
Your DUI lawyer will try its best not to let it go in the records. The drunk driving case arrest can stay on your record for at least 6 years. Not wasting any time and hiring an experienced lawyer would be in your best interests.
Can Help Reduce the Long Court Trips
A good attorney not only helps in lowering the court fees but also makes sure the trial is shorter. In addition, he makes sure you don’t have to be present in every court trial.
An experienced DUI lawyer knows the ins and out of the legal system and would have solved many similar cases before. This enables him to handle your case more efficiently. He works upon minimizing the court fees as well as the time consumed in attending court sessions.
Carry Out Own Investigation Process
A DUI case doesn’t require fetching any form of evidence usually. However, a good DUI lawyer investigates the case in his own ways to find some concrete information on the case.
During the investigation, he may also come across any video evidence of the arrest, video of interviewing the driver, or performing sobriety tests. The chemical testing results or the Breathalyzer results also form an important part of DUI cases.
A non-DUI attorney may not be well versed with the results of such tests. Therefore, hire a lawyer that specifically deals in DUI cases to get the upper hand in fighting the case. Also, getting in touch with a Greenville DUI lawyer as soon as you can is advisable before the evidence goes missing.