Laws are on YOUR Side
Believe it or not, OUI laws are generally on the defendant’s side. There are a large amount of ways that the police could have screwed up, and there are many things that prosecutors must do in order to result in a successful conviction. Hire an attorney who knows how to effectively fight OUI cases, otherwise defendants are walking through a mine-field.
Many times people decide to face the charges on their own — this is a huge mistake, even for a first time offender. The negative impact these charges can have on ones future is usually very bad. There are obvious impacts and not-so obvious impacts. Obvious impacts include effects on one’s drivers license, employment, college and university discipline, undergraduate and graduate school admissions, licenses to practice law, licensing of physicians, other professional licenses, insurance coverage, public employment, and criminal records ( just to name a few).
The not-so obvious impacts these charges can have is a major reason to get a lawyer. No one is a mindreader — it is near impossible to know how a conviction on one’s record may impact unforeseeable events in the future. For example, a client came to us because he unintentionally struck and killed a pedestrian in a crosswalk (negligent motor vehicle homicide). He had an OUI on his criminal record from many years ago, in a case where choose not to use a lawyer and admitted guilt. This blemish on his record made his case for motor vehicle homicide nearly impossible to win. Looking back, he told us that wished he would have fought the OUI case with a lawyer. Another client came to us with an OUI on his record, for a custody battle. Because of this this OUI, and a combination of other charges on his record, we were not able to win full custody.
Also, choosing the right lawyer is crucial. Do not choose a lawyer who will be a pushover. But, also do not choose a lawyer who will be too stubborn to know that the case many not be winnable and a plea deal is preferential. The law of OUI is very complex — having a lawyer who is able to advocate effectively is key.
When calling, be prepared to answer these questions.