It can be challenging to get out of drunk driving charges in the United States. Driving under the influence (DUI) not only puts yourself in harm, but it also puts others in harm. Your reflexes and judgment are impaired while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and driving in that state is risky since it requires your full attention on the road.
Whenever you plan to go for a night out with friends or family, you should either take a cab or have a friend as a designated driver for the whole group.
While each state has its laws about fines and punishments, you can expect a minimum jail time of one or two days under DUI charges. Moreover, the maximum jail time in first-time cases can even go up to six months. Moreover, the type of punishment also depends on your priors and the Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) level. That’s why you must consult an attorney and behave appropriately. You can find more here thefloridatriallawyer.com about how an attorney can help you in such situations.
Most people are often clueless about DUI charges and other details. You can view here for more detailed information.
You must cooperate with the police.
You must always cooperate with the police officers no matter where or when they pull you over for questioning. You must comply with all of the instructions by the police, or otherwise, you might be facing some serious trouble. Any unlawful behavior with the police will only worsen your case. Also, ensure that you do not want to slur, curse, or try to argue with them. Moreover, if they have assured that your BAC is over the state limits, arguing or not agreeing will worsen your case.
They will drive you to the police station.
Once they have determined that your BAC is over the limits, the police officers have the right to take you to the police station in their vehicle. As a responsible citizen, you must comply with the police officer no matter what they ask you to do. After the police officer has taken you to the police station, they will contact a towing company and provide you with all the details to retrieve your vehicle later.
Proceedings undertaken at the police station
When the police officer takes you to the station, they will begin with the usual process, which can take several hours. They will take your mugshot fingerprints and gather other such necessary information. If this is the first time you are being arrested, the process will take even longer as they will have to record for you from scratch.
There is a chance that the police might try to seek information regarding your current situation and its reasons. But, you shouldn’t discuss anything with the police without calling a trusted DUI lawyer in Scottsdale, or wherever you are. An attorney will help you deal with the intricacies of your case in a much better way. If your attorney is not there, you must stay silent and comply with the officer, and you can even plead the fifth if you fear that your answers are incriminating.
DUI charges
Once the police decide that they are charging you with driving under the influence, you would have to appear in court for the proper sentencing in front of a judge. All the citizens in the country have the right to an attorney, and if you can not afford one, the state will assign an attorney to you. You must ensure that you are properly dressed or groomed and maintain proper etiquette at the court proceeding. Behaving your best in front of the judge may help you swing the case into your court. Misbehaving, on the other hand, may even make your case worse.
Community service
If it is your first charge, you might be assigned to do community service and compete for specific hours of service. Other than that, the court might even order you to participate in referral programs or other such programs for rehabilitation.
When you have completed your directed hours of community service, you are required to present the proof of completion to the court. Moreover, along with community service, you might have to pay the fine as per the court’s order.
It stays on the records
The DUI charge stays on your police record for a long time. However, depending upon the seriousness of the case, the charge might show on your record for three to five years. Your employers will be able to access your DUI records to some extent.
These are some important information that you should not miss about driving under the influence. If you are ever in such a position, you must always contact an experienced attorney rather than handling the case yourself.
