It is common for a person arrested for a DUI to assume that there are no options. They may have failed a breathalyzer or a field sobriety test and assume that is the end of the story. This is far from true. In fact, a qualified Los Angeles DUI attorney can help you in many ways. Keep reading to learn about four potential defense options then contact Chambers Law Firm at 714-760-4088 to find out what your best options are.
- Your Bad Driving Does Not Mean You Were Driving Under the Influence
- Your Physical Symptoms Were Unrelated to Drugs or Alcohol
- Your Field Sobriety Test Was Inaccurate
- The Stop Was Illegal
If a police officer picked you up for driving erratically this does not necessarily mean you were driving under the influence – you may have just been driving poorly. One of the main things a prosecutor is going to focus their attention on is your driving. They are likely to have the arrest police officer state that you were driving in a matter they consider consistent with someone who was drinking.
An experienced criminal defense attorney can show that most traffic violations are committed by people who are entirely sober. They can point to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that show that cues based solely on driving patterns are only predictive of driving under the influence about 35% of the time.
It may be that you had all the physical symptoms that are often associated with being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, including red, watery eyes, flushed face, slurred speech, an unsteady walk and even the odor of alcohol on your breath. Your Los Angeles DUI attorney can argue that this is not enough evidence to convict you for a DUI.
For example, these are also symptoms allergies, colds, fatigue, and eye irritation. The smell of alcohol may have come from cough syrup or you may have had a few drinks – but not enough to be legally intoxicated.
If much of your arrest relied on a field sobriety test then your Los Angeles DUI attorney is likely to challenge these results. The truth is that these tests can be affected by how tired you are, what you are wearing, how naturally coordinated you are, whether or not you have flat feet, nerves, and many other things.
The police cannot pull someone over for no reason. They must be able to demonstrate that they had probable cause. If they did not, or if their supposed probable cause is flimsy, your Los Angeles DUI attorney may be able to convince the judge to dismiss the charges against you.
If you are ready to fight your DUI charge with the help of a highly experienced attorney, contact Chambers Law Firm at 714-760-4088 now for a free legal consultation.
