Showing posts with label Bellevue DUI lawyer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bellevue DUI lawyer. Show all posts

12.02.2009

Seattle DUI Attorney | The DUI Stop

One of the worst feelings you can possibly have is on that long drive home late at night after a few of beers at the pub. You feel satisfactory, but know deep down that feeling okay isn't what actually matters. And after that you notice them, flashing lights in your rear view mirror, and you know a Bellevue DUI Attorney is on the horizon.

A DUI stop is one of the most terrifying experiences there are, if, for no other reason, there are so many unknowns. Will the police officer suppose you are inebriated? Will you lose your driver's license? Will you need to go to confinement? Could you maybe immediately have squandered thousands of dollars in Seattle DUI lawyer fees and fines down the drain? All of these questions possibly race through your head, and with justifiable explanation.

This article, hopefully, will make you a bit less fearful. Although you shouldn't drink and drive, if you discover yourself in that position, at least in Washington State (Seattle, Kirkland, Bellevue, Tacoma, Federal Way, Kent, etc.) this piece of writing is going to ensure you have the greatest opportunity of making it to your place safe. But remember, this data is not legal instruction. Prior to making any choices that might conclude your legal rights or fate, please confer with a Bellevue DUI attorney. Every situation is distinct, and you require a criminal defense lawyer in Seattle to calculate your particular case to identify exactly what to do.

There are various critical things you should appreciate about your typical criminal stop in Seattle. First, the majority of the time you are not being detained on suspicion of DUI (according to the police officer). Even though it is 1:00 a.m. and he's out pulling you over for failing to use a turn indication, a criminal is not the actual grounds he's pulling you over (okay, so it almost certainly is, but it is beside the point here - if they've got a grounds to pull you over, they can). Presuming you weren't swerving all over the place or doing something else to make the cop think you were drunk, getting the encounter over as quickly as doable is the target.

Getting it completed signifies three things: (1) act courteously; (2) say as little as doable; and (3) once it seems as though the original stop is concluded, ask if you may go so you can get back home. After the officer pulls you over, he is looking for signs that you are under the influence. We all know what those are: glassy, bloodshot eyes; slurred speech; the smell of beer. Try not to offer out those clues to the police officer if feasible (don't chat too much). The objective is to thwart the cop from establishing probable cause that you are criminal. Lacking that he is going to have a hard time seizing you.

Subsequently, if he asks you to move out of the automobile, you can do so. However, if he asks if you'd mind taking a couple of field sobriety tests, at this point is where you have to take a path special than that of a good number Seattle drivers. Respectfully decline. You don't even need to give an excuse. In Washington State, you have the right to stay silent, to abstain from providing incriminating evidence in contradiction of yourself, including field sobriety tests. It prevents a lot of facts from being obtained that can be utilized in opposition to you later on, and it is the accurate thing to do. Nevertheless, be prepared, for the reason that it may get you ushered to the station for a breath test (if they take you, though, you were going besides).

Now, here is the significant part. The instant they say you are going to take a breath test, let the police realize you desire to talk with a Seattle criminal attorney. When you do this, numerous things occur. First, the cops cannot interview you any more. And next, you get to speak to a criminal attorney in Seattle to figure out what you ought to do next. And, no matter what time of day, an lawyer is available (many Seattle criminal lawyers make themselves on hand for specifically such phone calls). And any Seattle criminal defense attorney must be able to guide you to a person who will answer the telephone. And if you don't know who to call, a public defender is ordinarily on call, so even at three in the morning you'll have a person to chatter to.

From there on, you ought to in fact do what your Seattle DUI attorney states, as your particular situation, counting any prior offenses, your occupation, how much you've had to drink, and further things, can affect what you need to do moving ahead.

Related Posts:
Seattle DUI Attorney | In-Lane Swerving Okay

Seattle DUI Attorney | You Need One for Court

8.19.2009

Seattle DUI Attorney | Knowing What to do Won't Get You One

Almost everyone I talk to about Seattle DUI law says the same thing, "I don't want to talk about it. I don't want to know about it. I don't want your card. I don't want to jinx myself into getting a Seattle DUI." At that point I never give up. After all, this is some of the most important information they might ever learn. In fact, it is the kind of information that will not only help them beat a Seattle DUI if charged with one, it may even prevent the charges all together.

So, I wanted to take a little time today and address the issue of the DUI jinx head on. Although my friends will probably never read this, you are, and if you are smart enough to be here, you are smart enough to know that information and knowledge are the most powerful weapons you can have when the Seattle cops are trying to peg you with DUI charges.

Before I get into why knowing a DUI attorney in Seattle and about Seattle DUI law is not going to jinx you into getting one, I wanted to talk about some other things people know about that don't immediately cause the event to be prevented. This first one that immediately comes to mind is fire escape routes.

Every building in the United States has a posted escape route somewhere, and most hold annual practices in case there is a fire in the building. So how come we don't have buildings going up in flames all the time? Why don't we try everything imaginable to try to avoid learning about what to do if there is a fire so as not to jinx a fire into happening? The reason is, it doesn't make any sense.

What about life insurance? Why would we want to jinx ourselves into dying by buying life insurance and covering ourselves in the event of death? If we learn about our options for our family when we die or spell out how we would like to be treated in death, aren't we just asking to get killed immediately, much like learning about Seattle DUI law?

The answer to both of these examples is that it can pay huge dividends to be prepared in the face of an emergency or unforeseen event. Knowing how to get out of a building in case of fire is extremely important. Covering your family financially in the off chance that you are killed unexpectedly is extremely important. But you know what? Knowing how to navigate a Seattle DUI and having a DUI attorney in Seattle that you can trust is also extremely important.

Admittedly, a Seattle DUI charge is not a life or death situation. But it can negatively affect your life for years and years after the case is resolved. And you know what, there is a lot of information that the police don't tell you that you could use to your significant advantage is stopped by the cops.

For example, did you know you don't have to take field sobriety tests and that refusing to take field sobriety tests cannot be held against you? Did you also know that field sobriety tests are only marginally reliable even under perfect test conditions? And, did you know that for the most part cops are not out there trying to see if you are too drunk to drive but trying to build a DUI case against you?

In this day and age, knowledge is power. Taking to the streets even after a couple of drinks can have dire consequences if you do not know your constitutional rights and do not understand why the cops are making you do what they are asking you to do. Learning about how to beat a Seattle DUI will not set you up to get busted for a DUI. Drinking and driving when you are too impaired to drive will set you up for a DUI in Seattle. Not being careful will set you up for a DUI in Seattle. And not knowing when to shut, when to say no, and when to call a Seattle DUI lawyer will set you up for a DUI.

Don't set yourself up for a fall. Read the rest of my posts and check out my website to learn your Constitutional rights before you need to know them. And if you have any questions, don't hesitate to call.

Related Posts:
Seattle DUI Attorney | Probable Cause

Seattle DUI Attorney | Don't Run From the Cops