Driving under the influence (DUI) charges are nothing to laugh about, but you still remember chuckling about all of the criminal defense and DUI attorney billboards around campus. The fact that you were taking your barely 18 year old daughter away to a campus that was 12 hours away meant that you were paying special attention to everything around the area of her college campus. It seemed alarming, even your husband admitted that the criminal defense and DUI attorney billboards were worrisome.
Needless to say, the discussion about safe behavior and not driving while drinking or riding with someone who is intoxicated were pretty serious. Your husband pointed out the fact that so many criminal defense and DUI attorneys likely meant that drinking and driving was a major problem in the area. He even cautioned that your daughter should make careful choices about when she was out. Many attorneys advertising likely means that being out late at night is a little more dangerous at home.
Fortunately, during her time in college your daughter made some great decisions and did not ever need criminal defense and DUI attorney assistance, but she had several friends who did. In fact, your daughter learned more than she ever wanted to know about one of the local DUI lawyers when her college roommate found herself arrested not once, but twice.
Do You Know What to Do When Being Charged with a Crime?
Whether you have been ticketed for DUI or another criminal defense, it is important to make sure that you seek legal advice. In almost all cases, getting legal advice sooner rather than later is in your best interest. Working with a legal representative who is familiar with how a DUI charge is handled in your region can help be better prepared for your day in court.
Unfortunately, many people panic when they are faced with a police officer. Rather than panic, however, it is always in your best interest to remain as calm as possible and to seek legal assistance the first chance you get. Consider some of these facts and figures about DUI charges and other criminal offenses in America:
- The Fifth Amendment protects people against self-incrimination. also known as the right to remain silent, and double jeopardy.
- A person is injured in a drunk driving crash every two minutes.
- 1,315,561 is the number of current lawyers in the U.S.
- $20,000 or more is the average DUI conviction can cost.
- People drive drunk almost 300,000 times a year. Fewer than 4,000, however, are arrested.
- The Eighth Amendment provides every criminal defendant the right to a reasonable bail and the right to not be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment.