Arizona is one of the strictest states in the country for DUI’s. As an experienced criminal defense attorney, I have handled almost every single type of case, from criminal speeding to very serious drug cases. Out of the hundreds of criminal charges, driving under the influence of alcohol is one of the very few where a conviction will guarantee jail time.
I often hear people say that there is nothing that can be done for someone who is charged with DUI. This statement couldn’t be further from the truth. The fact is, in order to convict someone for a DUI, the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person was driving, while impaired, and with a blood alcohol concentration greater than .08. In addition to driving under the influence of alcohol, it is starting to become more common for people to get arrested for driving under the influence of a prescription drug.
When defending someone for DUI – whether it’s an alcohol or drug DUI – we first need to challenge whether our clients were actually impaired. Because police officers make so many DUI arrests, they are typically in a hurry to conduct investigations as quickly as possible so they can get on to the next DUI. For this reason, field sobriety tests are administered incorrectly. This happens on a very frequent basis. As an experienced DUI lawyer, it is my practice to conduct police officer interview to gather as much information as possible about the DUI arrest. Throughout these interview it is incredible how much beneficial information we are able to glean concerning the inaccuracies and flaws with our clients’ DUI cases.
The next step we take is to carefully analyze our clients’ blood alcohol results. This requires extensive knowledge in interpreting calibration records, timelines, and forensics. Errors with blood alcohol testing are extremely common. Determining errors in blood alcohol testing give us the opportunity to demonstrate that the State’s reading of our clients’ blood alcohol is inaccurate and unreliable; therefore, the case must be dismissed. It is impossible to ascertain this information without the assistance of an experienced DUI lawyer.
The consequences for a DUI charge depend on the person’s blood alcohol concentration, whether the person has received more than one DUI within a period of seven years, whether the person’s license was suspended, whether the person had anyone under the age of 15 in the vehicle, and whether the person had or should have had an ignition interlock device installed in their vehicle. The sentencing for a DUI conviction ranges from one day in jail to four months in prison.
Do not make the mistake of not hiring a criminal defense attorney to fight your DUI case. I can assure you, not only will you need a lawyer to zealously defend your case, you will have countless questions about your case and driver’s license consequences. If you don’t hire a lawyer or go with a public defender, you are rolling the dice and will have many unanswered questions – leaving you in the dark and unsure about where to turn.
My office has dedicated and experienced lawyers who represent clients throughout the entire State of Arizona. We understand that our clients’ DUI case has caused a tremendous amount of stress and anxiety. We can assure you that we will do everything in our power to provide you with the best possible outcome, answer every single one of your questions in great detail and make you feel comfortable knowing you are in the best of hands.
If you have been arrested for a DUI in Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale, Phoenix, or anywhere in Arizona, call an experienced DUI lawyer at Matthew Lopez Law for a free consultation. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – we can meet with you at our office or at a location most convenient for you.