If You Have A Las Vegas DUI
At this point in time, whether you are innocent or not is irrelevant. If you are innocent, you’re still facing the same process and have the same steps to take as someone who knows they were caught red handed. Everyone’s in the same boat, and this article applies to everyone.
The purpose of this article is to give you clear and concise advice on how to best handle your DUI once you have been released from custody. Ideally, you will take these steps within 48 hours after being released. With that being said, here are the things that you need to do:
#1: Keep all the paperwork from jail and write down everything that occurred, in as much detail as you can possibly remember. Be as specific as possible. It may seem overly cautious because, after all, it’s not likely you’re going to forget what happened when you got arrested. But what about before that? Where did you go? How long were you there? What time was it when you left? Where were you going? When did you get in the car? Was there anyone there with you? Why did you get pulled over? Where did you get pulled over? Was there more than one officer? What did they ask you to do? Many times, it’s the most minor of details that will make or break a DUI case from a legal perspective. By writing everything down as soon as possible, you’ll be sure to accurately capture the smallest details that you may not remember down the road.
#2: Contact a DUI attorney to schedule a consultation. Even if you think you are guilty and the case is strong against you, there may be many legal arguments an experienced attorney can make to obtain a positive outcome. If you don’t know one, a simple Yelp search for “DUI Attorney” should yield numerous results. There’s no substitution for experience, and there are many attorneys that dedicate the majority of their practice to criminal and DUI law. You don’t always have to sign up for the first one you visit with. Remember that you’re hiring someone to defend your freedom, and it may not always be the smartest thing to go with the lowest cost. Having an attorney that seems like a good fit for your needs and that you feel you can trust should always be more important than the price tag.
#3: Arrange for friends or family to drive you, at least temporarily. In Nevada, there is a possibility that your license may have been suspended immediately after an arrest or after the results a test. One of the worst things you can do for any criminal case is to get in more trouble while the charges are pending. Driving on a revoked or suspended license will definitely land you in hot water. If you’re not sure if your license was suspended (though the police will usually give you papers to that effect), it’s best to play it safe and have friends or family pick you up. Once you visit an attorney (step number two), they should be able to help you secure a temporary or hardship license and set up a hearing to contest the license revocation.
#4: Be prepared for your attorney consultation. Bring with you everything that you wrote down about the event, as well as all papers that were given to you during booking, while in jail, and after you were released. Many times, based on your written description of events and the documents from the jail, attorneys will be able to immediately spot serious legal issues that make the prosecutor’s case much more difficult to prove. Even if no problems show themselves immediately, don’t worry – this is the very beginning of the process, and there may be many more legal issues that emerge later down the line.
#5: Relax and follow your attorney’s instructions. While a DUI charge is not something to be taken lightly, it’s not the end of the world either. Thousands of people go through the same process every year. Once you’ve hired an attorney that you feel comfortable with, let the reins loose a little bit. At this point, the case is out of your control, and your only option is to sit back, breathe in deeply, and live your life as you normally would. Your attorney should let you know about upcoming court dates and possible resolutions to your case. Be sure to follow all of your attorney’s advice and instructions.
At this point, you should have more of a general idea as to what you need to do. Fight the feeling of being overwhelmed or frustrated. The process is simple. Once you’re out of custody: write everything down; arrange to drive with friends, family or public transportation until you get a temporary license; contact and meet with an attorney; and then relax while the attorney works to resolve your case. While a DUI charge can seem endlessly frustrating (especially if you truly believe they cannot prove a case), your best option at this juncture is to simply accept the fact that you were arrested and face the challenge head on. Following these five steps outlined above will give you the best chance at a favorable result and putting this entire ordeal behind you forever.