Christmas is in the rearview mirror, and soon we’ll be turning our calendars to 2020. Hopefully your new year is full of joy and excitement, but for many people, their year will get off to a rough start because they decided to drive drunk. We’ve already shared tips on how to get home safe if you plan on ringing in the new year with some drinks, but this blog is going to focus on what you should do if you mess up and end up in handcuffs on New Years.
Arrested On New Years
If you’re arrested on New Year’s Eve, you probably have a million thoughts racing around in your head. Take a deep breath, calm your nerves, and follow these steps instead.
1. Stay Quiet – Simply put, you’re not going to be able to talk your way out of the arrest, so don’t talk to the police any more than necessary. New Years is one of the deadliest days on the road, so there’s no way a police officer is going to look the other way and let you stay behind the wheel. Accept this fact and do what you can to put yourself in the best position to beat the charges. Don’t try to get out of it by saying you “only had three beers,” or you “didn’t have that much to drink,” because those statements admit that you were drinking, and that’s one less thing police will have to prove when the case goes to trial. Stay quiet after your arrest.
2. Talk To A Lawyer – You have a few options when deciding who to call after your arrest, but you need to make sure that know matter who you talk to, one conversation takes place. That conversation revolves around your legal defense. You either need to call a defense lawyer like Avery Appelman directly, or you need to tell whoever you call to contact a criminal defense firm. We’ll be able to get you out of jail sooner so you can get back to your normal life, and we can help by formulating a defense and helping you get the charges reduced or thrown out altogether. There’s too much at stake in a DUI trial to go forward without a lawyer, so get one right away.
3. Take Positive Next Steps – Once you’re released from jail, take some smart steps to set yourself up in a better position for your trial. For starters, stay out of trouble. The judge isn’t going to give you any leniency if they notice that you’re facing new charges before your DUI case resolves. Also, talk to your lawyer to see if they believe you should voluntarily enter a substance abuse or alcohol education class. Many of these classes are mandatory as part of sentencing, but doing it prior to trial shows the judge that you understand your mistake and you’re interesting in moving forward in a positive manner.
If you keep these three tips in mind, we’re confident that you’ll be in a better position to beat the DUI charges. You can call us at (952) 224-2277 throughout the night on New Year’s Eve if you need help, but plan ahead so you don’t need to call. Have a wonderful New Year!
