Have You Been Pulled Over for a DUI?
After having a few drinks with your friends after work during happy hour, you get in your car to make the short trip home. You still have a smile on your face from the funny conversation you and your buddies were having when you are surprised by flashing red and blue lights in your rear view mirror. The officer steps up to your window as you roll it down and he informs that you he pulled you over for swerving. As you begin to deny the claims made by the officer, he informs you that he smells alcohol on your breath. He looks you in the eye and he asks, “Have you been drinking?” What do you do? You have just been pulled over for a DUI after having one or two beers with friends and now you’re facing a charge that may put your entire life into a tailspin? Do you answer the officer’s questions? Do you tell him you had two beers or should you lie and tell him you only had one beer?
The first thing you should do if you ever find yourself pulled over for a DUI is relax. If you act nervous, the officer may take that as a sign that you’re guilty. The best thing to do in that situation is to keep your mouth shut and ask for an Anchorage DUI attorney.
Your Right to Remain Silent
The officer, before he asks you questions, is supposed to read you your rights. These rights include the right to keep your mouth shut. But instead of just standing there and acting like you’re ignoring the officer, which isn’t likely to turn out well, ask for your attorney. That’s it. Just those words are all you have to say to cut the interrogation short. If the officer presses, you can ask for your attorney again but don’t say another word. Don’t let the officer violate your rights, for if he/she does you will surely win the case against you.
Calling an Attorney
When you get back to the station, you have two choices as far as Anchorage DUI attorneys go. You will have the right to call your own or you can have the court appoint one if you can’t afford to hire a lawyer on your own. Either way you will get the representation you need to hopefully beat the state’s case against you.
But if you can afford it, a private practice DUI attorney will be a better option for you, especially if you take the time to research the various firms in your area. When you can check online reviews and research track records, you’ll have a much better chance of winning.
When a person is convicted of a DUI, it can change their entire life. They can’t get a loan or an apartment in some cases, and sometimes they can’t get certain jobs. Don’t let that happen to you. While nobody should ever plan to get pulled over for a DUI, it might pay to be prepared just in case. If you ever go out with the co-workers after work or with the guys on the weekends, you never know when an officer may pull you over. If you have the forethought to put an attorney’s number in your cell phone, your chances of dodging the DUI conviction are almost guaranteed.
