A DUI charge requires your immediate attention. Not only will you have to face criminal charges, but you also need to take steps to protect your driver’s license. There is a lot of information out there available on what to do if you get a DUI, but it can be overwhelming and hard to know what to do if it really happens to you. Knowing a few basic facts about how DUI cases work will help you develop a defense strategy that makes sense, and minimize the impact a DUI can have on your life.
Five basic truths about DUI cases, and that will put you in a good position to either avoid getting one or aggressively defending a DUI charge include:
- The legal limit for DUI in Florida is 0.08%. This means that if the level of alcohol in your blood (BAC) is over this amount, and you are driving, you can be arrested and charged with DUI.
- Most DUI charges are the result of a breath test that shows the driver’s BAC is over the legal limit. A lot of people think the breath test results are fool proof and cannot be challenged, but the truth is there are a lot of attacks that can be made on the results and also on the test itself.
- You do not have to take the breath test, but if you refuse there can be consequences. One possibility is that you may have to submit to a blood test, and if that is the case the results are more difficult to challenge.
- If you are arrested at a DUI checkpoint, the checkpoint must be valid. There are rules in place about advertisement of the checkpoint, and other procedures that have to be followed. If the authorities failed to follow the rules, the arrest may not be valid.
- In order to be pulled over the officer has to have “reasonable suspicion” that the driver is driving while under the influence. This can be anything from driving too fast or even too slow, to running a red light or weaving in and out of traffic. The key here is that if the initial traffic stop was not valid, the DUI arrest comes under fire.
We know being arrested for DUI is hard to handle, and you can feel unprepared for what steps to take next. But with the right DUI defense attorney by your side, you can reach a satisfactory conclusion to your case. Call our office today to find out what to do in your case, and let us shoulder the burden of defending these serious charges. We will also fight for your right to drive, and help keep you behind the wheel so you can do the things your family needs.
For answers to your questions about DUI cases, call a competent criminal defense attorney in Stuart and the Treasure Coast for help. We offer representation for a wide range of offenses, call us to schedule an appointment.