All it took to get a DUI was that one last drink you thought wasn’t going to send you over the limit. Unfortunately for you, it did, and now you are dealing with the aftermath. The police arrested you, took you to the station and processed you for DUI. This is the point where you face a major decision: how to handle the upcoming court date.
What you may not realize is how much trouble you are in, even if this is your first DUI. There is a risk of a year in jail along with extensive fines and court fees. Even if yours wasn’t much more than a traffic stop, with no other aggravating factors, you still have to face the charges. You can lose your drivers license for six months, which means you are unable to legally drive until the suspension is lifted. You face a major impact to your lifestyle if you don’t put up a defense. This is the time to talk to a DUI attorney about your options to preserve your license.
The first thing that is going to happen to your license is a 45-day administrative suspension. There is a hearing at which the suspension can be challenged so you can retain your driving privileges. But, this is not the place where you should try to represent yourself. An attorney can be much more persuasive at the hearing and make a case as to why your privileges should not be suspended until your court date.
The court date is the biggest hurdle you are going to face. This is where your ability to drive is going to be decided. This is the point where an attorney comes to your defense and works on ways to help you keep your license. It’s possible that the judge will give you an opportunity to take alcohol treatment classes in exchange for a lesser penalty than DUI. In some cases, the attorney may be able to get the DUI dismissed in its entirety. The only way to know what is possible is if you talk to a lawyer about handling your case.
Contact the law office of Coates, Coates & Coates PA for more information about legal representation after a DUI.
