Holiday Season Hangover: Top Michigan DUI Law Firm Offers Tips on Handling Aftermath of a Drunk Driving Arrest
Birmingham, Michigan (PRWEB) January 07, 2015 -- Citizens arrested for DUI over the 2014 holiday season are not alone. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is the largest category of criminal infractions. Yet despite its prevalence, many people have no idea what they or a loved one should do following a DUI arrest, says Birmingham, Michigan-based DUI defense attorney Patrick Barone.
“It’s not something that people talk about if they’ve been through it,” he said. “But it happens to good people and to responsible drivers who honestly believed their driving was not affected by having a couple of drinks.”
Barone offers a few tips to help people who have been arrested for DUI:
1. A person arrested for DUI in Michigan should write down everything remembered about the time before, during and after the DUI arrest. This includes location of arrest, others also present and who can witness behaviors, food and drinks consumed, medications taken and road and weather conditions. The assumption must be that no detail is too minor.
2. Get a DUI trial specialist. A DUI is no minor offense. Because a DUI conviction carries serious implications, a person arrested for DUI in Michigan should take advantage of all available legal rights to mount a defense to the charge. This helps assure the best possible outcome under the law. No one should try to navigate the criminal justice system without representation.
3. Be honest with the DUI attorney selected. A skilled lawyer is the one person whose sole focus is to help a DUI arrestee get the best and fairest outcome possible. But even the best DUI lawyer can only help if every detail about the arrest is disclosed.
4. After finding and hiring a top DUI lawyer, it’s then important to follow that lawyer’s instructions. Be willing to provide documentation of medical history, as well names and contact information for any witnesses to the events before or after the DUI arrest. If suggested, obtain a substance abuse evaluation and follow-through on any recommended treatment.
5. Go to court. Most DUI cases do not go to trial, though having a highly skilled trial lawyer who’s prepared for trial will likely lead to more favorable negotiations with the prosecutor.
Being arrested for driving under the influence can be a scary and confusing time because a conviction can have long-term consequences in a person’s personal and professional life. But Barone said that it’s not a hopeless situation to be in.
“You actually play an important role in your own defense,” he said. “The more you can do to help your case, the better our chances are of helping you win back your life.”
The Barone Defense Firm is Michigan’s largest law firm devoted exclusively to the defense of intoxicated drivers. No other cases are accepted, and the Firm’s 6 lawyers are widely known as among the best in the Nation. Patrick Barone, the Firm’s founding Partner, is the author of two books, including “Defending Drinking Drivers” (James Publishing), a highly respected and nationally circulated two volume legal treaties on the subject, and the Firm appears on virtually all “best of” lists, including U.S. News and World Reports Best Law Firms.
Patrick Barone, Barone Defense Firm, http://baronedefensefirm.com, +1 (248) 594-4554, [email protected]
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