If you’re reading this and you’ve been arrested for a DUI, stay calm. These are serious charges, but panicking won’t help.
You’re probably wondering, “what’re the chances I’ll be convicted?” and “what will happen if I am convicted?” Those are tough questions to answer. Getting good results in a court of law after a DUI arrest depends on a number of factors, including the evidence against you, any prior convictions you might have, the prosecuting attorney, the judge and your defense attorney.
Before I go any further, remember that no matter who you choose as your attorney, any case has the possibility of a conviction, acquittal at trial, or plea negotiation. That’s just the nature of our criminal justice system.
Your DUI Case is Unique
First, know that every single DUI case is different. I’ve watched thousands of videos of standardized field sobriety tests. I’ve also reviewed the results of hundreds of breath samples and blood tests. And I’ve found that while they may have shared common elements, each DUI case is truly one-of-a-kind.
Let me tell you more about your how to improve your chances of avoiding a DUI conviction, as well as what to ask when looking for a lawyer to handle your DUI case.
Plea Agreements and Reduced Charges
Why are some people offered plea agreements to offenses that are not DUI’s, while others don’t?
It depends heavily upon your choice of lawyer and the strength of the evidence against you.
Experienced DUI defense attorneys like those at the Judnich Law Office know how use their expertise and the tools available to them to persuade prosecutors to offer the best possible resolution to a case. This only occurs after years of trying cases against those prosecutors and achieving results. If a plea offer cannot be reached, an experienced DUI defense trial lawyer is essential.
There’s No Such Thing as a Cut & Dry DUI
As I mentioned earlier, all DUI cases are unique. Don’t believe people who say that you’re either guilty or you’re not. The law isn’t black and white. There are plenty of grey areas and anyone who says otherwise isn’t worth listening to. In almost any case, you could be convicted if represented by one attorney, yet acquitted in the very same case with a more experienced DUI defense attorney.
Your DUI Attorney is an Investment
Most people realize that experienced attorneys with a good track record when it comes to DUI defenses can cost a lot of money. But this is an investment in your personal future, not an unrecoverable cost.
A positive outcome in your DUI case can save you from missing out on thousands of dollars down the road when it comes to future employment opportunities, not to mention the upfront costs of a DUI conviction. Investing significant amounts of money into a top-tier DUI defense attorney increases the amount of time they can devote to your case. At the Judnich Law Office we ensure time is spent in every single case reviewing the police reports, videos and testing evidence to ensure protocol was or was not followed and we follow up on issues we identify to see if exposing those issues can result in benefits to our clients.
Do you want your attorney giving your case the bare minimum attention it requires or do you want them to research and explore every reasonable option? Do you want evidence, including police dashcam and bodycam footage, reviewed for hours or just a few minutes? Our office watches all the videos, and we know what we are looking for.
Do you expect your attorney to interview the arresting officer? Do you expect your attorney to be able to identify and understand the officer’s training and any biases that may have caused mistakes in your investigation? Our attorneys can identify each and every mistake an officer made in administering a standardized field sobriety test, when it is properly recorded on video and we utilize that knowledge when interviewing them later about their investigation.
The Judnich Law Office Difference: Pretrial Dedication
Our DUI defense team looks at everything from the reason an officer pulls a person over, to how they conduct and evaluate field sobriety tests and breath tests through the end of the arrest. We scour video evidence to identify problems in DUI investigations and we follow up on those issues to determine what pretrial issues can and should be brought to the court’s attention.
In our experience, very few officers follow the DUI stop protocols as closely as they are required. Only experienced DUI defense attorneys with access to law enforcement training methods and experience with similar cases can identify and use those facts to their client’s advantage.
When searching for a DUI defense attorney, we have identified the top 5 things to ask a potential attorney. Use these to your advantage to find the right attorney for you.
Choosing the wrong attorney can mean the difference between being convicted of DUI and acquittal.
Do your research, and get in touch to see if experienced DUI defense attorneys like those we have at the Judnich Law Office are the right choice for you.
Marty is a former criminal prosecutor in the Cascade County Attorney’s Office and now uses that experience to defend those accused of crimes. A University of Montana School of Law graduate, Marty focuses his practice on personal injury and criminal defense and is a premier DUI defense attorney. He is also well versed in the insurance claims industry and has negotiated significant settlements with nearly every major insurance company.