After The Arrest
In parts one and two, we talked about what to expect at the initial stop and what to do and not do there or at the police station. What is the most important thing to do now?
It’s simple—hire an attorney. Whether or not you choose to call us, do not attempt to handle the case on your own. The District Attorney (DA) prosecutes DWI cases daily. Hopefully, this will be the only one you will ever have to handle in your lifetime. Should you go against the DA on your own, you will be mismatched. Both the officer and the prosecutor are experienced with the process.
In short, you will likely be the only novice in the entire procedure.
An attorney can examine the basis for the stop and whether or not the police officer properly did his job. Depending on the circumstances, it’s not uncommon for the entire charge to be dismissed or won in court. Even if you are convicted or have to plead guilty, an attorney may still be able to keep the charge off your record.
Hiring a lawyer can sometimes help you avoid mandatory jail time or shorten the number of hours of community service. On higher grade DWI charges, it’s especially wise to hire a lawyer to examine the previous convictions to see whether or not you should have been charged with a 1st offense, instead of a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th level DWI.
If we can be of help to you concerning a DWI or another legal matter, please give us a call at (225) 293-6200 or toll free at (800) 404-1921.
(For a complete review of the facts on DWI’s, visit our website at https://gouner.com.
