If you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI), don’t panic! There are plenty of ways to defend yourself in court after being charged with DUI if you have strong legal representation.
Arresting officers don’t always follow proper protocol when conducting field sobriety tests or Breathalyzer tests, which means that your results might not be accurate if the officer doesn’t follow these protocols correctly.
Secondly, everyone responds differently to alcohol, so what might cause one person to become impaired might not affect another person at all! This means that even if you do everything wrong—you drink too much too quickly or eat something fatty before drinking—it might not affect you because your body chemistry is different from other people’s (not encouraging risky behavior though)!
Any expert criminal defense lawyer in Greenville, South Carolina from the Bateman Law Firm can reassure you that a DUI arrest does not automatically result in a DUI conviction. You can escape life-changing DUI penalties, such as hefty fines and a driver’s license suspension, by contesting DUI accusations with a good defense plan.
So, what to do when you’re charged with DUI, how to avoid a conviction, or the entire unpleasant situation altogether?
Let’s dive in!
What To Do If You Are Charged With DUI
Whether or not you’ll have success fighting a DUI charge depends on how much time elapsed between when you were pulled over and when the officer obtained your blood sample.
Generally, the closer this gap is to 5 minutes or less, the better chance of having your case dismissed entirely because there won’t be enough evidence to prove that you were intoxicated while driving.
If you’ve been charged with DUI in South Carolina, here are some things to remember:
- Tell the truth. Lying will only make things worse than they already are.
- Get in touch with an attorney as soon as possible; they will be able to help protect your rights during this process.
- If necessary, get medical attention; injuries sustained during an accident may affect how the case plays out in court.
- You have the right to legal advice during this procedure. Please do so as quickly as possible. If you have been arrested and charged with DUI, contact a DUI defense lawyer in Greenville, South Carolina without delay.
Please take care of yourself and make sure that you’re safe behind the wheel no matter how much you’ve drunk; it’s important to know when it’s okay to drive and when it’s not okay so that no one gets hurt!
And you can always ask a friend to drive you home or get an Uber – better safe than sorry!
6 Effective & Tested Ways To Avoid A DUI Conviction
#1) Understand Breathalyzer Test Errors
Errors made when administering or interpreting breathalyzer tests are one of the most common ways to get your charges dismissed or reduced drastically. Suppose your attorney can prove an error during this process. In that case, it may be in your best interest to fight the case based on this alone rather than continuing with litigation which would cost more money than initially anticipated.
#2) DUI With No Proof Of Driving
If there’s no proof that you were actually driving when the police pulled you over, then there’s no way for them to link you to the alleged crime; therefore, there would be no case against you for being charged with DUI.
#3) No Connection Between BAC And Actual Impairment
There needs to be a strong correlation between blood alcohol content (BAC) levels and actual impairment for a driver to be convicted of drunk driving. Otherwise, DUI defense attorneys can take advantage of this gap to successfully question the evidence and raise reasonable doubt about a key ingredient necessary to prove guilt.
#4) Involuntary Intoxication
Being forced to drink alcohol against your will isn’t considered voluntary intoxication; this defense to being charged with DUI wouldn’t apply if this wasn’t your situation, but it’s still important information, nonetheless.
#5) Improper DUI Sobriety Checkpoint
This refers to any mistakes made by law enforcement officers during their investigation into whether or not someone is intoxicated behind the wheel; anything from using incorrect procedures during their field sobriety test evaluation to mishandling evidence related to this incident could render their entire case of being charged with DUI invalid so make sure that everything is done correctly from start to finish!
#6) Medical Conditions And GERD
Even the most accurate Breathalyzer DUI breath tests are vulnerable to misleading findings due to the following medical problems that might result in mouth alcohol generated by acid moving from the abdomen to the mouth:
- Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
- Acid Reflux
- Hernia Hiatal
- Heartburn
How To Avoid A DUI In The First Place
When you mix liquor with driving, it’s a recipe for disaster. It is best to stay aware of your ability to drive when you’re behind the wheel and know when you can’t drive yourself home. Anyone can have a bit too much to drink, but that should not inevitably lead to being charged with DUI.
Here are some principles you need to live by:
- Don’t drink and drive!
- Always have a designated driver or use public transportation if you’ve had any alcohol.
- Know your limit, and don’t drink more than that amount (even if people around you are pressuring you to do so).
- Be aware of your surroundings so that you can see what other drivers are doing (e.g., don’t zone out while driving or use your phone while behind the wheel)
- Make sure you have no other drugs besides what your doctor prescribes (like sleeping pills or anxiety medications). Also, be aware of how these medications interact with alcohol—some can make you even more impaired than usual!
- Make sure your car is in good working condition so it doesn’t pull to one side when driving at higher speeds; this means checking the alignment regularly and ensuring there aren’t any flat tires!
Don’t Panic, Look For Help: Hire A Capable DUI Defense Lawyer In Greenville, South Carolina
Don’t delay things any further if you were charged with DUI – hire a capable and experienced criminal defense lawyer in Greenville, South Carolina from the Bateman Law Firm today to help you out of these troubled waters! We’ve helped thousands of people like you successfully avoid or reduce their charges, so don’t worry. We can help you too!
We have several years of experience defending DUI cases and know how to find all the little details that most other lawyers miss. For example, several factors affect your blood alcohol content, such as your weight, gender, and whether or not you’ve eaten recently, so make sure to contact a DUI defense lawyer in Greenville, South Carolina immediately!
You can reach out to us via the Contact Us form on our website with ease.