Top 3 DUI Mistakes

1. I’m not going to get an attorney: It costs too much, and I’m just going to take a plea deal anyway.

A competent DUI attorney may seem expensive up front but once you factor in the fine for a first time offense, between 300 and 1000 dollars, the cost of attending alcohol education classes, the expenses involved in losing your ability to drive, and the increase to your auto insurance. Even if you believe that taking a plea deal is in your best interest, having a DUI attorney help you in plea negotiations makes you much more likely to get a favorable plea deal

2. They arrested me for DUI so I guess I’m guilty.

There’s an attorney in Denver who tells a great story. A man who had been a client previously ran into his office with a bag of money and tells him “I just robbed a bank! What do I do?” The attorney looks at him and looks at the bag and says “Whether or not you robbed a bank is a legal determination. I’ll tell you if you robbed the bank.”

Of course that guy might be in real trouble, but there are a number of ways a DUI attorney can attack the state’s case against you. From whether or not there was a valid stop to something as simple as whether the breath test machine was used properly, a good DUI attorney can analyze your case for these types of issues.

3. The police officer asked me to do roadsides so I guess I have to.

No you don’t! The roadside field sobriety tests are designed to give the police probable cause to arrest you. Don’t give them the evidence they need to arrest you.

This is not legal advice.  If you need legal help please contact Margeson & Reed, LLC