Driving under the influence has serious consequences, including the loss of your driver’s license. However, a good lawyer can help you keep your rights if you were charged with a DWI. What kind of lawyer should you hire to fight your DWI charge? Your best bet is to go with a criminal defense attorney.
In this guide, we’re going to break down all the ways a criminal defense lawyer can fight for your defense against a DWI charge. Let’s get started.
What Can a Criminal Defense Attorney Do For You?
Since DWI laws differ by state, hiring a skilled criminal defense lawyer who knows the specific laws in your state is important. They will be able to navigate the laws and different types of charges way better than you could as a citizen.
A criminal defense attorney can help you in the following ways:
- Handling the legal documents and paperwork
- Interviewing witnesses
- Evaluating your charges and facts around the incident
- Research potential defense tactics
- Represent you in court and present arguments on your behalf
- File appeals if needed
- Serve as a mediator between you and the other parties involved
To understand the strategy behind fighting a DWI charge, it’s important to understand the potential charges you may face. Let’s look at that next.
Consequences of a DWI Charge
While the penalties do differ by state, in general, DWI charges include jail time and fines. The severity of your consequences will also depend on whether it’s a first or repeated offense.
With repeated offenses, you may face longer jail time or have your driver’s license suspended. You may also have to participate in a court-ordered alcohol awareness program or wear an ankle monitor that tracks your alcohol intake.
Additionally, if there were bodily injuries or property damages, you could face additional charges.
Fighting DWI Charges
A good criminal defense attorney can work to get your DWI charges reduced. The most successful strategy is to illustrate that the law enforcement officer who charges you did something wrong.
Maybe they didn’t perform the correct sobriety tests, didn’t read you your Miranda rights, or didn’t have a valid reason to pull you over. A good lawyer could also find mistakes in the charging papers that could turn into a strong defense against a DWI charge.
Another way to fight your charges is to prove that something was interacting in your body that skewed the sobriety test results. For instance, a prescription drug could change incorrectly impact the outcome of the test.
You could also have a medical condition that causes you to fail the test or appear under the influence. If you are not a native English speaker, you could also argue that you didn’t understand the police officer.
Contact James Fletcher, Austin Criminal Defense Attorney Today
As you can see, a skilled criminal defense lawyer can navigate your charges and determine the best way to defend your case. DWI charges are serious, so it’s important to have high-quality legal representation on your side.
If you need legal defense in Austin, Texas, contact James Fletcher’s legal offices today.