Your initial meeting with your DUI attorney in Glen Burnie or Severn may take place while you are in custody or after you have been released. Since DUI cases are time-sensitive, it’s important to meet with your attorney as soon as possible. However, you should take a few minutes to prepare so that your attorney can thoroughly evaluate your case.

Create a Concise Summary

The stress of the arrest can make it difficult to think clearly and you may quickly begin to forget important details. It’s important to write down your side of the story promptly. Be completely honest in your summary of the events; being less than truthful with your lawyer can compromise the outcome of your case. Your attorney will need to know the key facts of the case, such as the reason the police officer pulled you over, the way you interacted with the officer, and the responses you gave to the officer’s questions.

Write Down Your Questions

The criminal justice system can be confusing for defendants. You may have questions about the potential penalties if you are convicted and you may be wondering about the next steps in the legal process. You might also be curious to know exactly how your lawyer plans to approach your case and what your chances are of securing a favorable outcome. Write down all of your questions in order of priority.

Make a List of Witnesses

Write down the full names and contact information of all parties involved with your case. This includes anyone else who was in the car with you and anyone you may have seen prior to getting in the car.

Consider Your Goals

You might think that the goal of a defendant in a DUI case would be obvious, but there are more outcomes to consider than the possibility of an acquittal. Many cases involve plea deals. A plea bargain would allow you to avoid a trial; you would agree to plead guilty in the hopes of having the charges reduced and getting a lesser sentence.

If you’re pulled over on suspicion of DUI in Glen Burnie or Severn, the police officer can confiscate your driver’s license. When this happens, he or she will issue you a paper license, which is only valid for the next 45 days. If you do not act quickly enough, you are facing a suspension of your driving privileges. Get in touch with a defense attorney as soon as possible after being charged with DUI. Your criminal defense lawyer will walk you through the process of requesting an administrative hearing and, of course, he or she will represent your best interests at this hearing. You must request this hearing within 10 days.

The hearing may be scheduled after the 45-day period has expired. However, if you request a hearing within the 10-day period, you can receive an extension of the paper license. This allows you to retain your driving privileges while you await the hearing. However, even if your license is indeed suspended, your DUI attorney may be able to help you obtain a work-restricted driver’s license to allow you to retain your employment.

Field sobriety tests are a cornerstone of DUI cases. If you have been charged with a DUI or experienced a car accident with someone who was, your criminal or auto accident attorney in Severn will closely examine the field sobriety tests as part of your case.

Field sobriety tests are performed on the scene of a car accident or traffic stop. They are performed as a measure of intoxication and can be the first line of testing before officers use a breath or blood test to determine blood alcohol content. There are a number of different techniques officers can use in field sobriety tests, including counting backwards, saying the alphabet, one-legged stands, and the finger-to-nose test. The results of the test are not definitive but can be used as part of a DUI case.

If an officer gave you a field sobriety test at the scene of a crash, tell your car accident lawyer as soon as possible. If you were at fault for an accident and failed a field sobriety test, your auto accident lawyer will attempt to prove that factors beside alcohol, such as uneven terrain, influenced your test results. A car accident lawyer can also answer any questions you have about the process.

Drunk driving checkpoints are designed to prevent serious auto and motorcycle accidents caused by drunk drivers. A car accident lawyer is often asked what a driver’s legal rights are if he or she refuses a sobriety test at such a checkpoint.

DUI and car accident lawyers advise clients that refusing a field sobriety test often means that you will be taken to a local police station for a chemical test. Chemical tests determine how much alcohol is in a driver’s system, often by testing the driver’s blood. While car accident lawyers have questioned the constitutionality of such tests, the courts have repeatedly upheld their validity. However, police departments often post the location and time of drunk driving checkpoints ahead of time.

If you’ve been charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI), you’ll need to contact an accident attorney serving Severn right away. Your car accident lawyer can walk you through the process of requesting a hearing for an extension of your temporary license. If you delay contacting a car accident lawyer and fail to request a hearing promptly, your license will be suspended. As your accident attorney can advise you, you may have to face criminal penalties as well as administrative penalties.

Car accident lawyers can help mitigate the penalties and minimize your chances of being convicted. However, a DWI charge could quite possibly result in time behind bars. If you have prior DWI convictions, you can expect a longer time in prison. You could also be required to pay substantial fines, fulfill community service obligations, and undergo alcohol rehab or counseling. In addition, you’ll have a criminal record that can affect your life for years to come.