Should I hire an Attorney if I am charged with an OUI/DUI?
If you have been arrested or charged with Operating Under the Influence (OUI) or what many states commonly refer to as Driving Under the Influence (DUI) then you are already discovering the complicated procedures to get your license back. If you have been charged then your license has already been suspended. It is important to hire an attorney to represent you if you have been charged with either an OUI for drugs or alcohol due to the consequences on your license and potential for jail time. An experienced attorney can help you navigate the complex laws that can prevent you from getting your license back. In many cases if your license was suspended for refusing a breath test the only way to get your license back before the 6 month minimum loss of license is to have your case dismissed or be found not guilty.
If you are going to proceed in your case by having a trial, it is always in your best interest to be represented by an attorney that knows the rules of evidence, the trial procedures, and the best way to defend against these charges. An experienced attorney will also be able to look at the evidence against you and determine what motions need to be filed on your behalf. For example, to admit the results of a breath test against you at trial certain procedures needed to have been adhered to, and an attorney can look at the evidence and see if the proper procedures were followed. If the procedures were not followed your Attorney can file motions to prevent the results of your breath test from being used as evidence against you.
Additionally, whether or not you have been charged with a second OUI / DUI, third OUI / DUI, or even fourth offense OUI / DUI will have a tremendous impact on what work needs to be done in your case. Massachusetts has mandatory minimum jail time if you have been charged with a multiple offense OUI/DUI. You will need an experienced attorney that can ensure that you have been charged correctly, and can advocate on your behalf for a lesser charge which has less severe consequences.
At Cohen Cleary, P.C. we have extensive experience representing clients charged with Operating Under the Influence of either drugs or alcohol. We will advocate on your behalf to ensure that all the proper procedures were followed in your case, and zealously fight your case at trial. Please contact our office at (508) 880-6677 to discuss your case as soon as possible because time is of the essence when you have been charged with an OUI/DUI.
Authored by Kellie L. Sanders, Esq.