If you are ever pulled over for driving under the influence while in the great state of Ohio, things will likely not turn out too well for you. But as bad as they might seem, they don’t have to be as bad as they could be. Finding the right DUI DWI attorney could make all of the difference in the world. The possibilities of what could happen without a good OHIO DUI attorney are many. They consist of a hefty fine, losing your driver’s license, and even jail time. Obviously, leaving your fate in your own hands is not the way you want to go.
To begin with, Ohio has an implied consent law. This means that if you refuse to consent to a chemical test if the officers on scene ask you to take one, you are automatically subject to a fine and a suspension of your driver’s license. If you are convicted of a DUI in Ohio, there is a very good possibility that you could spend anywhere from three days to six months in jail. An Ohio criminal attorney can be of assistance when trying to navigate this outcome.
In Ohio, a DUI DWI attorney can plea bargain with the prosecution in ways that you, the defendant, cannot do. You simply do not have the expertise and knowledge needed to do so. For example, if you have no prior record, the amount of alcohol is borderline illegal, and if there was no accident, a plea bargain might be reached. Criminal defense firms that specialize in this area of Ohio law can navigate you through all of the most difficult aspects of your case. Without a solid DUI DWI attorney, you would be completely on your own, and that is not where you want to be. Even your first offense good wind up costing you six points on your license, and that is nothing to shake a beer can at.
Something a good DUI DWI attorney will help you navigate is what occurred that caused a police officer to pull you over in the first place. They must have probable cause to pull you over. No matter what has gone on prior to you getting behind the wheel, an officer must have cause enough to determine that you were driving recklessly. You might not know how, or even that you could challenge the police officer’s initial stopping of you in your vehicle. Those kinds of challenges can make or break a case for you. New DUI laws are not things you keep up with. That’s the job of your attorney.
No one needs to tell you how every state in the country is cracking down on drinking and driving. No one needs to tell you what a bad idea it is to get behind the wheel when you’re not sober. But we all make mistakes. Don’t make your mistakes worse by not having the right legal counsel. They could save you so much more than they might cost.