New Jersey DWI Lawyer Blog
No matter where one lives or works in the Garden State, it would be fair to say that nobody is quite prepared for a DWI arrest, whenever it comes. Just because New Jersey law enforcement officers are always watching for traffic violators, doesn’t necessarily mean that every driver in New Jersey has a legal preparedness folder in his or her glove compartment.
The aforementioned thoughts may seem a bit tongue-in-check, but the sentiment is valid. As DWI defense lawyers serving New Jersey motorists, I and my legal staff are all to aware of the alarming frequency of drunk driving and drug DUI arrests that take place every week all across the state. While one may not have a legal action plan fully in place, it’s wise to know, at least, that you should seek the legal guidance of a qualified DWI-DUI attorney in the event of a traffic stop that precipitates charges of driving while intoxicated.
Whether one’s case involves being impaired through the consumption of wine, beer or hard liquor; or if the taking of doctor-prescribed prescription medication resulted in a motorist being charged with impairment due to narcotic substances, it’s a good idea to speak with an experienced legal defense attorney to better understand one’s options prior to stepping foot inside a courtroom.
There are more than a few “good” reasons every driver accused of DWI should consider legal representation. This is because even those who are truly guilty of driving under the influence can benefit from the advice and counsel of a New Jersey drunk driving lawyer.
First and foremost, any motorist accused of operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs or alcohol is, by law, presumed innocent of those charges until proven otherwise. A skilled attorneys can take a look a the State’s evidence against his or her client and make a determination as to how strong or weak is the prosecution’s case against that individual.
Second, and many times most important, is the chance that the arresting officer(s) may have violated the accused driver’s constitutional rights through any number of errors, including:
— An unlawful traffic stop — Incorrect or procedurally faulty sobriety testing — Improper arrest procedures — Inappropriate legal charges
Even in the worst of cases, where the State’s evidence results in a guilty verdict, having a New Jersey DWI defense attorney on one’s side can sometimes be the difference between receiving time in jail and possibly “only” having one’s license revoked for a period of time. As attorneys defending drivers charged with DWI, DUI and breath test refusal, I and my colleagues understand the affects that a DWI conviction can have on a person’s family situation, employment prospects, and social standing — all good reasons to consult with a lawyer ahead of time.
When one looks for a DWI defense lawyer, ask the prospective attorney about his or her ratio of winning cases to losing — this snapshot of that attorney’s success rate will help one choose a good lawyer over one who may not focus a preponderance of his time on drunken driving cases. The same can be said for arrests pertaining to illicit drug DUI involving cocaine, meth or marijuana use, for example.
In the final analysis, making a good choice in legal representation can be much better than going it alone in front of a judge, with little or no understanding of the law or its implications in your specific case. If you want to avoid a DWI arrest altogether, it’s important not to drink and drive. But with human nature being what it is, the next best thing is choosing proper and experienced legal representation from the get-go.