What You Should Doing Avoid After Your First DUI Charge

If you have been arrested on a DUI charge for the first time, there are some important things you should avoid if you do not want to end up in more legal trouble. If you are new to dealing with the court and legal system, it is important you know what is expected of you after a DUI arrest. Consider the following:

Do Not Ignore the Charge

A DUI is not a problem you should simply ignore. It will not go away no matter how much you wish it would. You need an attorney to help you fight the charge. If you do not face your charges, your problems are going to increasingly get worse. A first-time DUI typically results in some time in jail along with license suspension and a fine. To prevent this, you should consider working with a DUI attorney to decrease your charges as much as possible.

Do Not Give Up Your Rights

Although you have been arrested for a DUI, it does not mean you are guilty in the eyes of the law. For this reason, you should not automatically give up your rights by pleading guilty. Even if there is evidence that you were driving under the influence, you will have no options when it comes to possibly lowering your sentence or getting out of the charge altogether. For this reason, you should always plead not guilty.

Do Not Try to Clear Your Name

When you may want to attempt to clear your name with the police after your arrest, you should never provide your story without your attorney present. You will receive your Miranda Warning upon arrest, which permits you to not speak if you choose not to do so. The police officer may want a statement from you, but you should not say anything unless your attorney is by your side. Anything you say, no matter how insignificant you may think it is, can come back and harm your case.

If you do not want to make any of these mistakes, it is best that you hire a DUI attorney to help you with your charges. There is always the possibility that you can escape the charges completely through technicality, a loophole, or for other reasons such as the illegal collection of evidence against you. If you do not have an DWI attorney, you will not know what to look for when building your defense.