Being charged with a DUI is serious. It can have a profound impact on many aspects of a person’s life, including their job, education, social standing, well-being, and, most importantly, their future endeavors. That is why it is of the upmost importance to hire an aggressive and experience DUI attorney.
Throughout the years, the most success we have had with defending DUI cases is when a client contacts us immediately after being charged. That way, we can get to work right away investigating, strategizing, and taking the best steps to protect a client’s interest.
Here are three reasons why a person charged with a DUI needs to contact a DUI attorney right away:
1. So that Evidence Can be Preserved
The more time that passes, the less likely it is that important evidence will be preserved and can be obtained. One of the first steps that we take in defending a DUI case is investigating the facts and circumstances surrounding the DUI charge. For example, that may involve obtaining video surveillance footage from private businesses. Most video surveillance systems will record until the storage is full and then record over the oldest file. Critical video footage can easily be lost forever if it is not obtained in short order.
Depending on the circumstances, it may be necessary to have a client get a blood test to see if they had been drugged. Studies show that certain drugs only remain in a person’s system for a very limited period of time, such as 24 hours. Years ago, we represented a college student charged with a felony DUI offense. Luckily, we were engaged within hours of the arrest and able to have the client go to the hospital to obtain a blood test. The blood test revealed that the client had been slipped a date-rape drug. That evidence was instrumental in getting the felony dismissed.
2. To Avoid Waiving Certain Rights
If not asserted within a short period of time, certain legal rights can be waived – meaning that they are lost forever.
When charged with a misdemeanor DUI offense, a person only has 20 days in which to demand a trail by jury. If a demand for a jury trial is not made in writing within 20 days, it is waived.
If someone refuses to submit to the secondary chemical test, that person must request a Refusal Review Hearing within 30 days. Otherwise, the DMV will automatically take steps to revoke or suspend that person’s license. Like a demand for a jury trial, a request for a Refusal Review Hearing must also be made in writing.
These are just two examples of critically important rights that will be waived if not asserted in a timely manner.
3. For Peace of Mind
We understand that being charged with a DUI is stressful and worrisome. At The Moore Law Firm, our focus is to give you peace of mind about your case. We keep our clients up to date with each and every new development. We explain the process and what to expect at every step of the way.
Don’t sit around and worry about what may or may not happen. Call The Moore Law Firm. With years of experience, we can easily explain the process and talk through the various scenarios with you.