How a DUI Defense Attorney Builds Your Defense?
If you have been charged with driving under the influence, you should hire an experienced criminal and DUI defense attorney to fight your charges. These attorneys have a deep understanding of the laws that apply in Virginia, and can help you build a strong case against your DUI charge.
Your DUI lawyer will first review the facts of your case to see if there are any legal issues or inconsistencies that may be important to your defense. This discovery will also include police reports and other documents relating to your DUI arrest.
An Alexandria DUI defense lawyer will then begin building the case against your DUI charge. This process will usually involve analyzing every piece of evidence that has been presented against you in the court case.
The lawyer will also review your breath or blood test results to look for inconsistencies, especially if there are any questions about the validity of the blood draw. For example, if there were any issues with the warrant for your blood draw, this could be used to challenge the accuracy of your breath or blood test results and make a compelling argument that you were not intoxicated at the time of your DUI.
Another common issue is the question of whether or not an officer had just cause to stop and search you. It is illegal to stop and search a person without reasonable suspicion, and a DUI lawyer can use that as a defense in court.
This can be an especially critical issue if you are accused of driving under the influence while you have been drinking alcohol or taking medications that affect your ability to drive safely. If you can show that an officer stopped and searched you without just cause, your Alexandria DUI lawyer can file a motion to exclude the evidence seized from your arrest, which may be enough to get your charges dropped or have the penalties reduced.
There are several other areas where a DUI lawyer can challenge the prosecution’s proof of your offense. They can petition the courts to drop or dismiss your charges, present a good defense in trial and argue for a not guilty verdict.
A lawyer can also review the police report to identify any errors or problems with the way in which your charges were handled, such as an inaccurate arresting officer or a lack of proper evidence gathered during the investigation of the incident. This information will be important to your Alexandria DUI defense because it can help you identify a number of possible defenses that the prosecutor may not realize exist or have not considered.
These can be especially relevant if you are facing a felony DUI charge, which can carry severe penalties, such as a jail sentence and a lifetime license suspension. A lawyer can also help you understand what type of penalties may be imposed upon you for your offense, and how to reduce or avoid them.
Finally, a DUI lawyer can help you figure out how long your conviction will stay on your record in the state that you live in. Some states will expunge your records after five years, while others may keep them for a longer period of time.