Independence Day falls on a Thursday this year, which means a lot of people will have a 4-day weekend this week. As great as that sounds, we know that this means that we’ll be extra busy helping people in the wake of an arrest. Ideally you won’t end up in handcuffs this holiday weekend, but if you do, you need to know how to handle the situation to put you in the best position to beat any charges. Below, we explain how to handle an arrest in Minnesota on the 4th of July holiday weekend.
Avoiding An Arrest
We love helping clients, but like we said above, ideally you will not need our services after this weekend. If you want to avoid running into trouble with the law, keep the following tips in mind.
Plan Ahead – If you know you are going to be drinking alcohol, make sure that you plan ahead and get a sober driver for the ride home. Don’t end up in a situation where you need to drive or want to have your car at home in the morning. Plan ahead and know how you’re getting home before the night begins.
Know Cops Will Be Out – Every year, law enforcement agencies across Minnesota conduct extra DUI, speeding and distracted driving patrols over the 4th of July weekend. Know that police will be out in full force looking for driving infractions, so make smart choices on the road. Don’t think you can get away with it, because the odds aren’t in your favor.
Avoid Hot Spots – There is also going to be extra police presence at certain hot spots across Minnesota. That means they’ll be around the lakes and at boat landings, so expect a heightened presence. Don’t assume that you’ll be able to avoid an arrest if you’re just trying to drive home from the boat landing after drinking on someone else’s boat all day, because police will be ready to pounce.
Stay Quiet – Finally, if you are stopped by police, don’t give them more information than necessary. Do not admit to drinking, even if you only had a couple. The police officer is not your friend. They are actively trying to make a case against you, so don’t offer up any information that can be used against you. When in doubt, stay quiet or refer police to your lawyer.
Handling An Arrest
If all the above tips fail and you or someone you know ends up in handcuffs, the one thing you need to make sure you do is contact the experienced legal team at Appelman Law Firm. We answer out phones 24-7 over the extended holiday weekend, so we can help secure your release no matter what time of day you’re arrested. We can help get you out of jail and will immediately begin to put together a case to fight any charges that have been levied against you.
Don’t plead guilty and hope that the judge takes it easy on you, because many arrests can have an affect on your driver’s license, your employment and other aspects of your life. Even if you think it’s an open and shut case, at least do yourself the favor of consulting with a lawyer. We offer a free case review so you can talk with a lawyer and go over all your options based on the specific circumstances of your case. To set that up, click here, or if you need to reach a lawyer at any time, give us a call at (952) 224-2277.
