First Offense DUI

Being convicted of a DUI (even if it’s a first offense) is considered a serious crime. A conviction for a first offense DUI also results in severe penalties. The first step in protecting your rights and freedoms is to seek the help of an experienced DUI defense attorney.

In addition to the penalties you’ll face in criminal court for a conviction, your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles may also seek to suspend your license. Typically, you only have a few business days to request a hearing with your state’s DMV. If you fail to request a hearing for this civil proceeding, your license will automatically be suspended. Keep in mind this will occur before you even step foot inside a court room.

The civil proceeding with your state’s DMV can be a confusing process, but your attorney can also represent you at this hearing. It’s possible that your attorney can convince the DMV hearing officer to allow you to keep your driver’s license based on the circumstances surrounding your case.

Why it’s important to hire a DUI defense attorney

When you are first arrested for DUI, you may think that you’d like to hire a lawyer if you can afford it. However, you can’t afford not to! An experienced DUI defense attorney will fight the evidence against you and may even be able to stop the prosecution from introducing evidence.

For example, perhaps the prosecution claims that you were arrested for DUI because you failed a breath test. Your defense attorney will investigate the facts that surrounded your breath test to ensure the machine was functioning properly. He or she will also ensure that the officer was trained on the machine. And if you had a medical condition such as gum disease, your attorney will make certain that this did not affect your results. If any of these instances occurred, your attorney may request that the evidence against you be ruled inadmissible.

There are many other possible defenses to a DUI case—especially if this is your first offense. It is the job of your attorney to find weaknesses in the prosecution’s case and present you as a model citizen to the court.