Driving under influence or DUI is not just a minor offence involving traffic but is definitely more than serious. However, people usually consider DUI as a petty offence and do not realize its implication. Being charged with driving under the influence has a lot more consequences in reality and goes beyond just serving the penalty received. It can haunt you for quite a long time. In situations when you are charged with DUI, it is vital that you seek the services of an experienced and well qualified DUI attorney.
You can be stripped off your license, suspended or even end up with a revoked license in times when you are charged with DUI. This could lead to a lot of other issues with your insurance company where they could raise your premiums or even worse when they refuse insurance completely. You could be under threat if you are a driver by profession. By seeking a qualified DUI attorney you end up with minimum damage if found guilty and thereby saving your livelihood.
Your penalties depend on if you have had DUI charges slapped on you in the past. If you have been charged earlier then you can be assured of facing harsher penalties, however if it’s a first, then there are chances of just brushing through with a fine. The higher the number of times you are charged with DUI the harsher your fines or you may even end up behind bars. There are other considerations made when you are being charged; even if it is your first time, your penalty would be severe if there is a minor in your vehicle, if you have an alcohol content of beyond 0.08% in your blood or if any serious injury resulted. You could be charged with felony in cases where death has resulted due to driving under influence. This leads to being imprisoned if you are found guilty.
An experienced attorney would be able to build a reasonable defense that would help in lowering your penalty or even may be able to prove you are not guilty. The DUI attorney will ensure the complete coverage of your case which includes any legal paperwork and provides you with proper support and guidance throughout. You would need to be legally very sound in case you decide to handle your DUI charges yourself. This could lead to a lot of stress and frustration because all the information is a lot complex and you would need to have a lot of knowledge and capability to handle the case. Hiring a DUI attorney who is qualified to handle such issues would be the perfect solution in this situation.
You would find that any lawyer will be willing to take up DUI cases; however an attorney who specializes solely on DUI will definitely be a better choice because they would have a lot of experience with regards to the case. Special care needs to be taken to ensure that the chosen attorney works in the place or city of offence where your case would be heard. The lawyer needs to be well aware of all the laws pertaining to the particular state.