DUI Arrest Lawyer

Ten Tips Following a DUI Arrest

Leading Seattle, Washington, DUI Arrest Lawyer I am DUI defense attorney Peter J. Peaquin. As a DUI defense attorney serving residents of communities throughout Western Washington, for more than 17 years, I have learned much about DUI arrests and drunk driving laws. I have developed several tips that I tell people who contact me about their DUI arrest, field sobriety test, breathtest results and blood test refusal. I provide a free consultation about your DUI arrest All major credit cards accepted and payment plans may be available I invite you to learn more about DUI defense at my DUI Practice Center These tips are not intended to be legal advice. If you have been arrested on a DUI charge, you need to consult an experienced DUI attorney. Please contact me today, or as soon as possible after your DUI arrest. I will provide a free consultation and assessment of the charges against you. Delay may mean missing the 30-day deadline to request your administrative license hearing, and losing your driver's license. Tip #1: Don't Drink and Drive This seems obvious, but a reminder can be helpful. Keep the roads safe and don't drink and drive. Tip #2: Don't Flee If Pulled Over If someone suspected of DUI, when pulled over, tries to flee from the scene, two outcomes are almost assured: the suspect will be caught and the suspect will be arrested for DUI and the felony of Attempting to Elude. Don't flee, no matter how scared or embarrassed you may be. Tip #3: Don't Get Angry When dealing with law enforcement officers, one should always be polite. Anger often begets anger, or at least irritation. Don't give an officer reason to want to arrest you. Tip #4: Remain Silent If you are pulled over, do not talk, except to give your name, address, and date of birth. Do not volunteer any information, even if it seems harmless. If you are arrested for drunk driving (DUI), DO NOT TALK TO THE POLICE UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. You have the right to remain silent. Exercise that right. Tip #5: Politely Refuse to Submit to "Field Sobriety Testing" According to the DUI laws of the State of Washington, you have the right to refuse to submit to "field sobriety testing." If you are asked to walk and turn, stand on one leg, put your finger to your nose, balance in any way, try to gaze at an object, or anything of the sort, politely refuse. Although the fact of your refusal to perform a test in the field may be admissible at trial, the officer's description of your performance of the tests may be far more damaging. If the officer asks you to provide a breath sample into a portable device in the field, you should refuse. Refusing to provide a sample into a "portable breath testing device" (PBT) is not a "refusal" under the "implied consent law." Tip #6: Politely Ask for an Attorney If you are detained after being pulled over, politely tell the officer you will be happy to cooperate, but you want to speak to a lawyer first. If you are arrested, follow through and inform the officer that you would like to speak to an attorney. Tip #7: Make Sure the Officer and the DOL Have Your Correct Address Often after being arrested for DUI, an officer will release you without any indication of court dates. The officer will forward the incident report to the prosecutor, who will make a decision regarding the filing of criminal charges. If the prosecutor decides to file criminal charges, the court will send a Notice of Arraignment to the address supplied by the officer. If the address on your driver's license is incorrect and you have not provided the officer with a valid address, you might not receive notice of your arraignment date. If you fail to appear for your arraignment, the judge may issue a warrant for your arrest. Additionally, failing to update your address with the DOL may result in not receiving notices from the DOL regarding your license status. RCW 46.20.205 requires that you notify DOL within ten days of a new address. Tip #8: Request the Administrative License Hearing within the Time Limit You lose your right to contest the administrative license suspension if you fail to request the hearing in a timely manner. Mark your calendar to show the date of arrest, 30 days from the date of arrest, and the date prior to the 30 days when you will mail the request for a hearing in person at the post office. I recommend that you confer with an experienced DUI attorney to decide your method of "posting" the hearing request. Tip #9: Exercise Your Rights. Appear for All Court Dates and Administrative Hearings "Use'em or lose'em" is more than just a quaint saying when it comes to your legal rights. It is not uncommon to hear an individual facing the challenges associated with an allegation of DUI to say, "Why should I try to fight it? The government is going to win in the end. It's just too hard to contest everything." Some people adopt an ostrich philosophy; "Just stick your head in the sand and hope it will all go away." Just like the ostrich, trying to forget about your case will not cause it to go away. It is important to appear for all court dates, request an administrative license hearing in a timely fashion, and seek out professional legal assistance. It is understandable that you may feel that there is very little chance of positive outcome, but remember, "To try when there is little hope of success is to risk failure; not to try at all is to guarantee it." Tip #10: Hire an Experienced Washington State DUI Attorney If you are arrested in Seattle, Washington, or the surrounding area, on a DUI charge, you need an experienced Washington DUI lawyer, one who has focused his practice on representing those accused of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI), one who knows Washington DUI laws and the Washington DUI court process. For more detail visit DUI Arrest Lawyer