Fighting Your Seattle DUI Charges
When a person is accused of DUI in Seattle, they often feel that their situation is hopeless. Many DUI charges can make a suspect feel like the evidence against them is overwhelming. The good news is that, regardless of what your situation is, defense options are possible. An experienced attorney can help you go over your case and figure out what the best defense method is for your situation is.
In some cases fighting the charges may be the best measure. In other cases your lawyer may be able to work out a beneficial plea bargain for you. On occasion, the best option may even be to plead no contest. In order to make sure that you make an informed decision, speak to a lawyer as soon as possible.
When it comes to DUI defense, the defendant's job is only to establish doubt to their guilt. A jury that believes there is a reasonable doubt that the defendant is guilty is encouraged not to make a conviction. Therefore, a good defense will demonstrate to the jury why the defendant may not have actually been driving under the influence.
Challenging the Evidence
One of the main defenses to DUI is to challenge the evidence against you. Most often the strongest evidence against the suspect is the results of their sobriety tests. Sobriety tests can fail in number of ways. If a suspect failed a field sobriety test, their attorney may argue that the failure was due to balance problems, diabetes or another outside factor. Many field sobriety tests are designed to be difficult for even a sober person to perform satisfactorily.
The most scientific evidence against a DUI suspect is usually a chemical blood, breath or urine test. These tests measure the amount of drugs or alcohol if a person's system. In Seattle, a driver with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or more or a THC concentration of .05 or more is automatically assumed to be impaired. A DUI attorney can work to challenge the validity of the results. Often mistakes can be made when performing and evaluating a sobriety test. For example, breath tests must be calibrated correctly and can sometimes be influenced by outside factors such as food in the suspect's stomach. Labs can make mistakes testing or labeling samples. An attorney will go over a client's entire arrest record to look for any sign that an error could have been made during the testing process.
Unlawful Stop
Another common defense to DUI charges in Seattle is to look at how the arrest was made. If the arresting officers violated the defendant's rights, their case could be dismissed or evidence could be suppressed. Police officers need a reasonable suspicion to make a traffic stop. If a driver did not demonstrate any behavior that would give an officer reason to think that they committed a crime or was under the influence, the stop could be ruled as unlawful. A person arrested at an unlawful traffic stop will likely be dismissed of all charges.
In addition, evidence such as an open container or drugs in the vehicle that was obtained by police, though they were not given permission or probable cause to search the vehicle, may be suppressed. An attorney can file a motion to suppress evidence that was obtained by violating the defendant's rights. If evidence cannot be presented in court it cannot be used against the defendant. Defendants can also argue that they were profiled or treated unfairly during the arrest process.
Plea Bargains
Finally, a DUI suspect is sometimes eligible for a plea bargain. When the prosecution feels that there is a good chance that they may lose a case or that the charges against the defendant are too strong, they may offer a plea deal. A plea deal requires the defendant to plead guilty in exchange for a particular sentence. The terms of the sentence are agreed upon prior to pleading guilty or no contest. These plea bargains are good way to get the results that the client wants without having to deal with the stress and time of going to court.
Get an Experienced Seattle DUI Attorney
If you are facing DUI charges in Seattle, it is vital that you speak to an attorney right away. DUI lawyer Steve Karimi understands the stress of being charged with DUI. He is an experienced former prosecutor who knows the ins and the out of DUI law in Washington. He also knows what defenses work best.
When you call our office, you can set up a free consultation with the attorney Karimi. Together, you can go over your case and talk about your defense options. All cases are defensible, especially when you have a hard-working attorney your side. Call now to get started.