Charged with a DWI? Drunk driving charges are usually a result of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. The problem, however, is that some amount of alcohol content, or BAC, is legal. The specific amount depends on the state you were currently in. There are also many factors that can affect the BAC of a person. With so many hazy legalities when it comes to drunk driving charges, it is important to utilize the services of an attorney. The attorney might be a family lawyer, a criminal attorney, or general counsel. Either way, it is important to seek legal representation.
Severe life implications
Drunk driving charges result in many severe life changes. You could serve jail time. You could also be left with a permanent DUI or DWI legal record, affecting your job searches. You may even be forbidden to work in some industries. You might even suffer severe charges on your first offense. A first DUI conviction in California may result in up to six months? imprisonment in the county jail and a six month license suspension. DUI charges often affect the following areas of life, career, social relationships, financially, transportation, and even family law.
BAC under question?
Perhaps one of the most common types of defense when it comes to drunk driving charges is the BAC, or blood alcohol content, at the time of the arrest. Because so many things affect the BAC, including amount of drinks, person?s size and gender, and amount of food in the system, the BAC is constantly changing. It could even be possible that a person is well under the BAC when they get into the vehicle, and then rise above that BAC, during their drive.
If the final BAC reading occurs at the police station, after much time has passed, the BAC level may be even higher or lower, depending on when the alcoholic drinks were consumed. This can lead to very inaccurate of BAC readings. A survey of 188 judges, prosecuting attorneys, public defenders, sheriffs, and police revealed that 10,000 people in the United States may be wrongfully convicted of serious crimes each year. Although all of these wrongful convictions will not necessarily be related to drink driving charges, there will be many people stuck with DUI or DWI charges than there should be.
Increasingly high fines
Regardless of the specific legal charges, high fines are almost always a part of DUI and DWIs. The guilty party not only has to pay for the automobile accident attorney fees, but they are also met with high probation and trial charges. For this reason, many DUI defendants never actually take their case to trial. A settlement is instead negotiated. However, to receive a fair and just settlement, properly legal representation is required. Your car accident lawyer or DUI attorney will negotiate the terms and come out with a fair sentence.
First time offenses
People make mistakes. Perhaps you thought you were acceptable to operate a vehicle, and instead, were a little over the legal limit. Perhaps, you know your limits and when vacationing in a state with a lower BAC, were pulled over, and arrested for drunk driving. First time offenses, when properly represented by a legal attorney have a higher chance of receiving a settlement or deal. With over 1.4 million people arrested each year for DUI first offense, many states are willing to make some time of a deal.
Drunk driving is all too common in our country. To be fair, however, not all those charged with DUI or DWI charges are sufficiently over the BAC limit. A few of these people, truly have made a mistake. They were unaware of BAC limits or were unsure of how to properly measure their BAC. When you are facing a DWI or DUI, it is very important to have legal representation. A single DUI charge on your record can affect many aspects of your life. It can have severe implications, even on your career, for many years to come. Working with experienced legal representation, however, ensures that you are able to pay for your mistakes and then move on.