Should I Represent Myself in a DUI Case?
Some people think they don’t need a lawyer for simple criminal case. But you don’t know if everything was done right. You need an experienced criminal attorney such as the Hedding Law Firm to examine the facts of your case.
For DUI's, I look at the breathalyzer test; I look at the chemical analysis; I look at the results of the field test conducted by the arresting officer. I look to see where the results are not what they should be.
Mistakes are made in DUI cases all the time: the breathalyzer wasn’t properly calibrated, or the officer didn’t conduct the field test in the right way, or he didn’t take the notes he should have.
We have gotten DUI cases dismissed, gotten sentences reduced, and won cases at DMV hearings. Weknow how to make sure you get the best possible result in your case.
What If there Was an Accident Involved?
In DUI cases where there has been an accident, you can be charged with a felony. Now you’re facing jail time and the possible loss of your license.
In defending clients charged with DUI, I always start by reviewing the evidence against them, even for the simplest cases. But when there’s been an accident, you have to make sure the person being charged was actually the cause of the accident, because many times they were not. We do this by hiring an accident reconstructionist, to help me show the court what really happened.
What If the Accident Involved a Fatality?
If there has been a fatal accident involving DUI, you could be charged with murder. Too many people are getting convicted in cases where that should not happen, because they were defended by attorneys who didn’t know how to handle these kinds of cases. This is called a “Watson Case”, and it’s not like a DUI and it’s not like a murder, either.
The prosecutor wants to focus on the defendant’s mindset at the time of the accident, but we really have to go back to the time he started drinking. If he didn’t know he was going to be driving, or even if he knew but he didn’t understand the consequences of driving under the influence, then it’s not murder. WeI’ve gotten cases dismissed, or reduced to practically no time, and I’ve won in jury trials.
It sounds simple, and it’s in the case law, but you need an attorney who has taken the time to study and understand these cases and how to present them. I know how to try them. I know how to resolve them. This is what I do, and I can help you, too.
Hedding Law Firm
California Criminal Defense Lawyers
16000 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1208
Encino, California 91436
Phone: 818-986-2092
Fax: 818-986-5047
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