Phoenix DUI Attorneys
DUI Lawyers: The things that you should do when you are caught
If you, one of your loved ones, or possibly a close friend has been arrested for
or charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) in Phoenix, Arizona, the
attorneys listed above can help. They are an experienced and dedicated team of
Phoenix DUI lawyers that are familiar with the laws and the different
types of evidence that may be involved in your DUI case.
Phoenix DUI Defense Strategies
Any of the attorneys listed here will aggressively defend your case to bring
about the best possible outcome in your favor. There are always a number of
factors that make your case unique. You should take advantage of the law firms
that offer a free, confidential consultation to address your concerns and
consider all of the unique circumstances and possible defenses in your Phoenix
DUI case.
Driving under the influence of drugs or driving while intoxicated are some of
the crimes that are heavily punished by law since a high number of accidents are
caused by drunk drivers. Phoenix DUI lawyers will provide you with some
of the basic information about what you should do when arrested for such crimes.
Before reading, you should be reminded that this is not legal advice. This
article is merely to assist you in gathering basic info about drivers who are
driving while intoxicated or drivers that are driving under the influence of
drugs. It is highly advisable that you consult a qualified Phoenix DUI
attorney
whenever you have important questions about such matters.
Overview of DUI charges
Driving under the influence of drugs (DUI) and Driving while intoxicated (DWI)
will be defined as similar terms for these article. Although DUI and DWI may
mean different things in other states or countries, it used here as similar
crimes since they are generally the same. DUI laws are created in the first
place since a high number of accidents and potential accidents are seen on the
roads, and the most common punishment before would be recklessness. In order to
decrease such incidents, DUI laws were created to specifically protect the
public and to specifically punish those persons in violation of the law.
How did you get caught Driving Under the Influence?
The most possible reason why would a cop suddenly stop you on the road was
either you’re driving too fast or you’re driving too hazily; in either case
police officers were there to check you out. Most officers are following an on
road sobriety test in order to know if the driver has violated a DUI law or not.
They may order you to stand still for one full minute, stand on one foot for 30
seconds or walk in a heel to toe motion. If the officer thinks that you have
violated a DUI law, both of you will go to the precinct.
DUI Roadblocks & Checkpoints
Many drivers receive a DUI charge in Phoenix after being stopped at a checkpoint
– it is one of the most controversial ways to receive a driving under the
influence charge. Quite often, an experienced DUI attorney in Phoenix can
show that checkpoints and roadblocks come close to violating basic 4th Amendment
rights.
Refusal to Submit to DUI Testing
At the time you are stopped by an officer for driving impaired, chances are you
will be asked to take a blood, urine or breath test. You do have the legal right
to refuse DUI testing, but you may face administrative sanctions and possibly a
suspension of your driving privileges. An experienced Phoenix DUI law firm
can help you turn this refusal into a positive for your defense.
DUI Breath Testing
Knowledgeable Phoenix DUI attorneys will tell you that the breath tests
are often reliable. It is no longer automatic that a breath test result that is
over the legal limit of .08 will result in an automatic “guilty” in your
criminal case. There are many contributing factors which determine your overall
blood alcohol level, and many things that can cause the tests to result in an
inaccurate level. A experienced Phoenix DUI lawyer can consider a number of
possible defenses revolving around your breath test and its results.
DUI Urine Testing
It is not uncommon for a law enforcement officer to request a urine test when a
breath test returns at lower than .08. This is generally done to look for
evidence of marijuana, cocaine or other drugs, prescription or non-prescription,
in the bloodstream. However, these tests can also return results that are often
unreliable or inaccurate. Your Phoenix DUI lawyer may determine reasons
that this test is inadmissible to use these results in court, and this can be
used in your favor.
DUI Blood Testing
A blood test after a suspected DUI is just one of the additional methods of
measuring your blood alcohol content after a DUI stop in Phoenix. However,
drawing blood to test for impairment is limited in the manner in which it can be
obtained, who may take the blood sample and under what circumstances. Quite
often, proper procedures legal guidelines are not followed, providing a strong
defense for getting the charges dismissed or reduced.
If by any chance you arrested for a DUI crime in Phoenix and were brought
immediately to a precinct, use that one phone call of yours to call a loved one,
a friend or a colleague and ask them to contact a Phoenix DUI lawyer for
you. It is important that you have a specific lawyer that handles DUI cases in
Phoenix because there is a possibility that you will pay fines, your driver’s
license will get suspended or you’ll go prison or both. You could be convicted
of a crime where it would destroy your reputation as a person and make it
difficult for you to look for jobs. Your Phoenix DUI attorney then, has the
opportunity to change the outcome of your situation so please choose them
immediately and choose them well.
What to do after being charged with DUI?
After getting your lawyer, the officer in charge will ask for a urine sample,
blood sample or both. A urine sample is an objective indicator that detects
present of drugs in the urine while a blood sample detects your blood alcohol
content. A blood alcohol level of 0.08% would be highly objective mark that
might be attempted to be used as evidence to prove you are guilty.
Various loopholes could be used when you have this type of blood alcohol level.
You could be suffering from a disease; you have taken a prescribed anti-seizure
drug and the like. If your Phoenix DUI lawyer comes to the scene, talk to
him/her. Tell him truth and don’t be afraid to do it. The rest of the issue will
now involve you, your lawyer and the location where the crime took place.
Property Damage
When there is property damage or personal injury associated with a DUI incident,
charges and penalties may be compounded. Penalties are usually more severe when
there is property damage. A Phoenix DUI defense attorney can examine and,
when appropriate, challenge the evidence presented in the case. This can
possibly result in the reduction of penalties or even complete dismissal of the
charge altogether.
DUI Penalties
Penalties that result from a DUI charge in Phoenix vary depending on a number of
factors, including if there are any prior DUI convictions, the severity of the
impairment, whether there was any type of harm caused during the incident, and
other individual circumstances involved. Penalties include fines, court costs,
jail time, community service, driver license suspension, vehicle impound, DUI
school, substance abuse evaluation and possible treatment, random testing, and
even victim impact panel requirements.
Controlled Substance DUI
Driving under the influence of a controlled substance is against the law, but
very difficult to prove in a jury trial. The substance itself is often not found
in the vehicle by the arresting officer. If you have been charged with a
controlled substance DUI in
Phoenix, a qualified attorney may be able to help your case. The prosecution may
be unable to prove that the substance or drug in question actually caused the
impairment.
Boating Under the Influence
The penalties for Boating Under the Influence (BUI) are serious, and include
fines, community service, jail time and/or supervised rehabilitation. A
qualified Phoenix BUI lawyer can help you get the best possible results
for your case. Boaters of all ages carry substantial penalties and fines, and
boaters under the age of 21 may be charged if they have a blood alcohol content
of .02 or higher, similar to obtaining a DUI while driving a vehicle.
Commercial Vehicle DUI Charge
A DUI while driving a commercial vehicle is a very serious offense. Because the
severity of the damages that can result from an incident with a commercial
vehicle, there is a lower threshold of intoxication allowed by law. While legal
requirements differ from state to state, there is very little room for error.
Some requirements call for a zero tolerance for alcohol, and others have
restrictions with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .04 or lower. In most if not
all cases, penalties are higher for BAC levels over .04. Commercial vehicle DUI
charges carry more at stake for defendants, as they usually result in the loss
of income and extreme difficulty in obtaining future employment operating a
commercial vehicle.
DUI Manslaughter
DUI manslaughter is when an impaired driver causes a fatality while driving
under the influence of alcohol or another substance. As you can imagine, the
charge holds the harshest penalties after a conviction. A DUI manslaughter
charge must be addressed immediately, and you may need not only the
representation of a Phoenix DUI attorney, but also a
Phoenix criminal law attorney as well. The sooner your attorney starts aggressively defending
your case, the better chance you have of achieving the best possible outcome.
Recommendation
Don’t drive drunk. That's the surest way to avoid a DUI charge in Phoenix. A lot
of people have died because they were driving under the influence of drugs, and
the most painful part is that some of their victims are innocently trying to get
home with their parents, wife, sons or daughters. DUI crimes are crimes that can
easily be prevented so please do your responsibility and do your share.
