Connecticut | DUI Laws

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Being charged with drunk driving can have a long lasting impact on your life. Not only are you going to have to pay fines and perhaps go to jail for a bit of time, you may also look your driving rights through your license, have a criminal record, and find that getting a job is hard. Many people charged with drunk driving assume there is nothing that they can do in order to get rid of these charges, but by hiring a qualified criminal defense lawyer in Connecticut, you will find there are actually quite a few defenses that you can use to dismiss, or at least lessen, your charges. Let’s take a look at some of the ways that a lawyer will be able to assist you with drunk driving charges.

Challenging the stop

There has to be some reason that the police pulled you over in the first place. They are not able to just randomly pull you over, unless it was a stop where everyone has to be checked out (this is common in some areas after a big concert, but everyone must be checked at these points). During court, the police must report the reason and it must be legally sufficient. If your lawyer is successful at challenging the stop, all of the evidence, including any tests you took, can be dismissed and your case is no longer valid.

The breath test results

While a breath test is one of the most common ways that police tell whether you are drunk driving, these are not always the most accurate and there are many things that can go wrong. If anything is wrong with the breath test, and your criminal defense lawyer can prove it, the results of the test can be thrown out and you could be off the hook. Some of the ways that the breath test can be challenged include:

·        The machine wasn’t calibrated properly

·        The test wasn’t taken when it should be, changing the results.

·      The tests were taken too closely together. This would matter if the police wanted to have    more than one test.

·        The tests were not taken in two hours or less of operating the car.

·        If the tests showed that you were under the legal limit in Connecticut

·    If the results show that the levels of alcohol were increasing over time, even without you having more to drink.

If any of these are present, you may be able to get the results of your breath test thrown out. Without this information, it is really hard to come up with a case against you and it will more than likely be thrown out.

Right to Remain Silent

Any time that you have been pulled over, no matter what the reason, you must remember that you have the right to remain silent. You do not have to answer the questions of the police officer and often doing so is going to get you in more trouble than just being quiet. For example, if you are asked about whether you have been drinking or not, your answer could be used in court against you, something that would be really hard to defend. Just make sure to keep quiet and you will find it is much easier to challenge the results later on.

If you are ever charged with driving drunk, make sure that you find the right criminal defense lawyer in Connecticut. They will take a look at your case and go over all the important parts with you. They can also appear in court and come up with the best defense for your situation in no time.

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