Hiring a DUI lawyer is the first thing that anyone accused of
driving under the influence or facing a DUI charge should do.
The above is to ensure that a good defense is established
early on more so that territorial, provincial, and federal governments are
quite strict and ruthless when it comes to prosecuting DUI cases.
Groundwork for Good
Defense
Whether or not one is guilty of driving under the influence,
the courts follow a procedure wherein the accused will be asked to appear in
court. Should the first court appearance is to be without a lawyer, the
defendant can file a request for two to three weeks continuance to find and
hire a DUI lawyer. In the event that the prosecutor provides a disclosure
package containing witness statements and police notes, a charge screening
form, and a synopsis of DUI charge, this should be safeguarded and shared with
the selected lawyer.
Going for A Guilty Plea
Hiring a DUI lawyer is a must even for those who plan to plead
guilty. This is because even with a guilty plea, there are still negotiations
to be done that can turn events to be more favourable for the defendant.
Note that pleading guilty will lead to a criminal conviction
that will be tied to one’s name for life. It will be there no matter how much
fine was paid and no matter how long a
jail time was served. It is one thing to be accused and convicted and a totally
different thing to convict one’s self. For one, holding a public office will be
next to impossible as well as having a career as a medical professional, a
legal professional, part of the law enforcement, and many more. You will have
to be fully aware of the consequences of pleading guilty before doing so.
Having a DUI lawyer can help you with this.
Defend Against a DUI
Charge
Choosing to fight a DUI Charge should begin with a good
strategy formulated by a Criminal Lawyer. This requires a detailed initial
consultation between the accused and the DUI lawyer to counter check all
details which include but are not limited to:
·
What
the accused drank or ingested
·
What
the police saw and said
·
What
the defendant saw and said
·
How
were the intoxication tests administered
·
Were
there any witnesses
·
Was
the protocol followed
·
How
the arrest was done
Part of the defense for a DUI charge is for the defendant to behave
as a model citizen and not cause trouble during the case’s duration. This means
dressing appropriately for court, showing up on time, responding respectfully
when addressed, and generally showing a sense of social responsibility. Know
that no matter how amazing a DUI lawyer is, things will not end well with a client
that comes to court late and obviously intoxicated.
A good DUI lawyer will prepare the client for cross
examinations and giving testimonies, possibly going over
questions the other party will ask to help the client be more confident and
eloquent when speaking in court. All in all, a defendant that can show the
court that he’s repentant and shows commitment to be a better person is a dream
client to defend for DUI lawyers.
A DUI conviction can mean a stain on your record that can
affect what jobs you can take, where you can buy or rent a home, how much
insurance you’ll have to pay, and more. You need to ensure that you don’t hurt
your chances of getting a DUI pardon as soon as possible and that you have a DUI lawyer that can mitigate your charges. Calvin
Barry is a Criminal Lawyer in Toronto that can help with this. Contact Calvin Barry Law today!