Happy New Year! Hopefully you had a fun and safe time ringing in the new year, but for hundreds of Minnesotans, their night ended in handcuffs as they were caught driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If you or someone you know was one of these unfortunate few, you’re probably wondering about your legal options. In today’s blog, we share some quick tips on what you need to do if you’re looking for legal assistance after a New Year’s DWI arrest.
New Year’s DUI
If your loved one is still being held in jail, the first thing you’ll want to do is learn some more information about the situation. If they called you directly, ask where they are being held, what they are being charged with and for any more information about the arrest or when they’ll be released. Once you have this information, or if your loved one has been released from jail, the next thing you’ll want to do is reach out to an experienced criminal defense attorney like Avery Appelman.
Courts are not open on New Year’s Day, so it’s possible that the only way they can be released today is if a lawyer helps to secure their release. Sometimes an individual cannot be released until their charges are read before a judge, and if court isn’t in session, you may have to wait in jail. A lawyer can help to secure their release so that they don’t have to spend any more time in jail than they need to.
If you’ve already been released, it’s still a good idea to contact a defense lawyer shortly after being released. The sooner you get the ball rolling on your defense, the easier it will be to build a strong defense. Your lawyer will talk with you about the incident and your options going forward. Assuming you hire them to be your lawyer, they’ll also begin reviewing police reports, breathalyzer test results and interviewing witnesses to put together a defense that casts you in a favorable light.
One thing they’ll also consider is a plea deal. In a perfect world, we could win every case, but we all know that’s simply not possible. Sometimes you’re up a river without a paddle, and in these instances we can talk with the prosecution about a plea deal. Even if it appears that the prosecution has a slam dunk case, it will still take time, effort and resources to secure a conviction, and sometimes they will consider putting an end to the case through a plea deal to clear the case off their books. Your lawyer may be able to negotiate a deal that sees you plead guilty to reckless driving or avoid certain punishments at sentencing. You avoid a worst case scenario and the prosecution has one less case to worry about. In the right situation, a plea deal can be a very helpful tool, and it’s one we consider for any client facing an uphill battle.
The only other thing you’ll want to do after contacting a lawyer for your New Year’s DWI is stay out of additional trouble. Your lawyer will tell you what needs to be done from a case standpoint, but you need to keep your head down and avoid another run in with the law while your case is playing out. Getting arrested again while your drunk driving case is still pending can send the wrong message to the court, and it will only make it harder for you to win your case. Don’t put yourself in any potentially compromising situations and follow your lawyers advice as your case wraps up.
If you need help after a New Year’s arrest, give us a call. We’re working today and ready to help in any way we can. For more information, or for help with a different legal issue, give the team at Appelman Law Firm a call today at (952) 224-2277.
