Have you been found to be driving under the influence of alcohol? When you were pulled over by an officer did your BAC level at 0.08% or above? Someone that is charged with a DUI has been found impaired while driving under the influence of a one or more controlled substance. From prescription medication to marijuana, a controlled substance is anything that would affect your ability while operating a moving vehicle. If you are facing charges of being impaired search for DUI Attorneys in the Sacramento area to help fight your case.
Responsibility of the Prosecutor
Before your case goes to court speak with a lawyer on what your rights are and how they can assist you in fighting your case. You are considered innocent in the eyes of the law until you are proven guilty. What this means it is the responsibility of the prosecuting attorney to prove to the court that you not only were under the influence of the drug, but it was in your system and you were impaired at the time. They will use the field sobriety tests that were performed by the officer to help prove their case. These tests are the walk and turn, one leg stand, and the horizontal gaze nystagmus.
What a Criminal Attorney Does
A good defense attorney will have the knowledge on how they can help you beat these charges. All they are required to do is show reasonable doubt when it comes to your case to have the charges either thrown out or reduced. The field sobriety tests are accurate for the most part, but they are not 100%. This leaves room for your legal counsel to find a reason why the test should be thrown out. Such as certain medications can have side effects that can determine the outcome of a horizontal gaze nystagmus test. Also, if they tests were not explained well by the arresting officer this can be another reason for the test to be thrown out.
Hire an Attorney that has the Experience You Require to Successfully Fight Your Case
When facing DUI charges there are a variety of penalties you could be facing depending on if you are a first-time offender or a repeat one. This is why you want to hire a lawyer that has the experience of handling cases similar to yours. They will have the knowledge required to have the charges either removed from you or the options they have available to help plea down your charges and penalty.
