5 Reasons You Need a San Diego DUI Lawyer

Posted on: March 13th, 2020 by Dod Law

Millions of drivers, 1.5 million of them in fact, get arrested for DUI each year. If you’re facing a DUI charge, you’re likely feeling significant stress about what your families and friends think, whether your arrest will affect your job, if you’ll be convicted and forced to spend time in jail, and whether this mistake will follow you for the rest of your life. At Dod Law, our lawyers understand what you’re going through and are committed to helping you move through the criminal court system in the most effective way possible. Your best avenue to regain a sense of control over your life following your arrest is by discussing your case with a qualified DUI attorney in San Diego.

Although most DUI charges are misdemeanors, that doesn’t make them any less likely to cause significant damage to your future. If you were arrested for DUI for the first time, you must take your charge seriously by seeking legal counsel. If you’ve never before worked your way through the criminal justice system, you’ll need an advocate who will educate you about your charge, possible defenses, and most importantly, your rights. Here are five of the top reasons you should hire a lawyer immediately after a DUI.

San Diego DUI Lawyers Know How to Interpret Evidence

Lawyers with experience in the courtroom understand local court customs and procedures. They know the judges, prosecutors, and law enforcement officers who are appointed to the court that will host your case and are familiar with how they operate. An attorney who regularly practices DUI law in San Diego will know the defense strategies that are most likely to work in your case based on all the evidence the prosecution gathered. Your lawyer will know how to review the evidence to ensure its validity and will identify any instances in which he may challenge your arrest.

For example, your lawyer may find that the arresting officer overstepped his boundaries when he pulled you over or failed to issue a breath test properly, rendering the results of your test inadmissible as evidence. By looking for instances in which the police failed to do their job properly, it may be possible to persuade the court to drop your charge.

Your San Diego Lawyer is Prepared for Trial

Ultimately, most parties want to avoid a trial because you have less control over the outcome of a case when a jury is involved; but if your case comes to that, your lawyer will already be prepared to represent you in front of a jury of your peers. He will teach you how to present yourself and act in court to have the best chance at a favorable decision. Trial lawyers are strong negotiators who display confidence in their ability to defend their clients, which goes a long way in swaying juries.

DUI Lawyers Have Access to Expert Witnesses

Established attorneys have relationships with expert witnesses who can benefit your case. An expert witness has specialized educational training in technology, medicine, psychology, law enforcement, or another field that pertains to your case. An expert witness who was a state police academy trainer, for example, would have knowledge about how police are supposed to conduct field sobriety tests and how they make mistakes.

In cases where there’s video evidence of a coherent driver, in which field sobriety tests have produced unlikely results, your lawyer can call in an expert witness to show the judge that the evidence against you is illegitimate. These cases are relatively easy to win depending on the availability of evidence in your favor.

Lawyers Can Negotiate a Reduced Sentence if You Plead Guilty

Depending on the facts of your case and any previous DUI charges, it may not be possible to avoid a sentence. With a lawyer on your side, you may be able to serve a reduced sentence and negotiate a more favorable deal for pleading guilty. It may be possible to serve less time, lower the fines you owe the court, or both.

You Deserve Quality Representation in Court

The State will rely on a team of prosecutors who will aggressively fight to have you convicted. These prosecutors are lawyers who represent the interests of the State of California. They have an education in law and years of experience seeking justice for various crime victims. Driving under the influence of alcohol contributes to thousands of accidents yearly, and in many of these accidents, innocent people become injured or die.

The state has enormous pressure to reduce the number of DUI deaths, which is why they dedicate some of their best law enforcement resources to prosecuting DUI arrests. You deserve an equal opportunity to protect your reputation and future in court.

Solid DUI Defense in San Diego

Attorney Dod has 17 years of experience practicing criminal defense in San Diego, California and nearby areas. He has handled more than 6,500 cases, including 75 jury trials. Dod is also uniquely qualified by the California State Bar to resolve serious capital offenses, including murder charges for clients with multiple convictions.

Attorney Dod is deeply involved in the criminal law sphere in San Diego. He is a member of the San Diego Criminal Defense Bar Association and the National College for DUI Defense. Call 619-814-5110 for a free consultation with a San Diego DUI lawyer or complete our contact form.