Reasons To Consult With An OWI Lawyer After Being Charged
OWI (operating while intoxicated) is a very serious driving offense that can lead to jail time and expensive penalties. If you're dealing with one, you should work with an OWI attorney who can help in a couple of ways.
Determine if There Was Probable Cause
In order to get charged with an OWI, the arresting officer should have had probable cause to pull you over. If they didn't and just pulled you over on a whim, then that could be enough to get off this charge. You can find out more about probable cause if you hire an OWI attorney.
They'll look at evidence collected and reports from the officer that pulled you over, and see why they decided to put you in the situation that you're now in. If there wasn't probable cause like you smelling like alcohol, then an OWI attorney can use this to strengthen your defense.
Review Alcohol Tests Performed
If there was probable cause to pull you over and subsequently charge you with an OWI, you still might be able to get off this charge or at least reduce your sentence. You just need to talk to an OWI attorney to review the tests that were administered by the arresting officer.
For instance, they may have performed a blood alcohol test to see how much alcohol was in your system. If tests like this weren't administered properly, the results could be invalid. An OWI attorney can find this information out and use what they find to help you deal with this charge effectively.
Help You Plead Effectively
Even if you're guilty of this crime, you still may be able to get off on a lesser sentence than an OWI charge. The only way this will be possible though is if you work with an OWI attorney who deals with these charges day after day.
They may see that the evidence doesn't help your case, but they can still work out some sort of plea bargain. They'll help show your remorse and do things to help you learn from this mistake. As a result, the court may go easier on you compared to if you didn't show remorse for what happened.
There may be a lot of things running through your mind when facing an OWI charge. The best way to calm your nerves and respond effectively is to consult with an OWI lawyer. They'll be your source of helpful legal information and tactics, which can help you potentially get a better outcome under the right circumstances.
For more information, contact a local office like Cohen Law Offices, LLC.