Virginia covers DUI or driving under the influence and DWI or driving while intoxicated under the same statue. You can use both of those words interchangeable with each other. If you the police pull you over for a DUI, you will need the assistance of a DUI lawyer. What can a DWI lawyer do for you? Your lawyer will tell you to do the following things:
1.Advise You to Stay Quiet
DUI lawyer will represent you in front of the police and court. Your lawyer will advise you remain silent and will look at the circumstances surrounding your charge and advise you whether you should take the stand in court. If you do take the stand, the prosecutors will ask you answer difficult questions. If your lawyer does advise you to take the stand, they will prepare you for answering the prosecutors’ questions.
2.Know the Ins and Outs of the Local Courts
Most likely, you have not spent a lot of time in criminal court and if that is the case, a local DUI lawyer will be familiar with the local courts. Your DUI attorney probably has several years of experience defending DUI charges against their client. You should choose a lawyer who has vast experience with local juries, judges, and local laws and regulations of court.
3.Track Legal Deadlines and Filings
In a DUI case, you need to follow stringent deadlines and file paperwork on time. If you forget to ask the authorities to provide you with the dashcam footage, you might lose important evidence of possible misconduct by the police. The police, after a certain time, may not provide you with the dashcam footage. Moreover, there may be several motions that you need file in your DUI case and your lawyer can better handle filing them in a timely manner. They can also ensure that you have filled out all the paperwork correctly.
4.Negotiate with Difficult Prosecutors
DWI lawyers are familiar with the local prosecutors, having faced them countless of times in court. Your DUI attorney has the negotiation skills necessary to help you get a plea bargain or alternatives to going to jail for your drunken driving offense. Since DWI attorneys have years of trust, goodwill, and negotiation skills, they can help assist you with the legal proceedings.
5.Expunge Your Charge
If they have charged you with DUI, your DUI lawyer can potentially assist you get your charge expunged. If your DWI attorney can get your charge expunged, it will not affect your credit or your chances of getting employed down the line. Although the procedures differ from state to state, your DWI attorney can guide you through the local courts, informing you about the laws and regulations that pertain to your case. If the charge has Ben “nolle prosequi,” it can be expunged.
If you need an experienced DUI/DWI defense lawyer, contact us today.