Most people don’t have a lot of experience with police or the court system, which is why everything can seem so daunting if you find yourself facing a serious charge like a DUI. If you are facing a first offense DUI, you probably don’t know where to turn or how to best handle the case, and that’s completely normal, but that doesn’t mean you should go through the process alone and hope for the best. Here’s how you should handle a first offense DUI charge in Minnesota.
Fighting A First Offense DUI In Minnesota
If you or a family member have been charged with a first offense DUI, the first thing you need to do is to contact a criminal defense attorney. At Appelman Law Firm, we answer our phones 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so we can help get you out of jail no matter what time of day you call. We can’t stress how important it is to contact a lawyer early in the process, because not only will it make it easier to fight your case, it can help prevent you from making the prosecution’s case easier.
Once you’ve been bailed out and have contacted an attorney, you’ll sit down with them and go over the case. Don’t leave out any details or try to bend the truth. Your attorney is on your side, and they can’t put forth the best defense if you aren’t completely honest with them. It’s going to be much easier for a defense lawyer to plan a strategy for court if they know how the prosecution is likely to make their case, so being honest can prevent surprises down the road and help your defense plan.
Before you leave that meeting with your attorney, they’ll probably give you a plan of action going forward, but for the most part you are in charge of showing up to mandatory appearances and staying out of trouble. Don’t get arrested while awaiting trial for your DUI, because that won’t help show that you are remorseful and that you’ve learned from your mistakes. In fact, we often recommend that defendants get out ahead of their charge and be proactive in proving that they are willing to learn from their mistake. This may include voluntarily attending a victim impact panel or alcohol education course, but your lawyer will go through the specific steps for putting you in the best position ahead of trial.
Eventually, your case will be decided, either in the courtroom or by accepting a plea deal. As we talk about in this post, the plea deal is often a favorable option because you can all but guarantee the outcome of your case. You may win at trial, but you may also lose and have to spend time in jail, so a good lawyer always at least looks into plea options for their clients, even if they believe they have a good chance of winning the case outright.
At Appelman Law Firm, we’ve secured favorable plea deals and won countless DUI cases outright, so regardless of whether this is your first DUI or your most recent one, we can help you get back on your feet and prevent the charge from ruining your life. For more information, or to set up a free case review session with one of our lawyers, contact Appelman Law Firm today.
