Just imagine this: you are at a friend’s house, watching a March Madness game while enjoying a few drinks.
The game ends, and you start driving home.
You are pulled over right before you can reach your home in Palatine.
You take a test, and before you know it, you’re charged with a DUI.
Going over what you can do to challenge your March Madness DUI and speaking with a Palatine DUI defense attorney will protect you from a DUI conviction.
Act 01: Question The Validity Of Your Field Sobriety Test
If you have been charged with a DUI, then there is a chance that what led to this DUI was a field sobriety test.
You can and should question this test.
A wide variety of factors – your health and mental state, the officer’s training, and the way the test was conducted – can lead to the tests being done incorrectly and thus yielding false positives.
If you believe the conditions in which the test was conducted were less than ideal, you can mention this and, in turn, use it to question the tests you received.
Act 02: Document Your Traffic Stop
You can and should document your traffic stop.
If you are at a traffic stop, then you can record it. But if you didn’t, that’s okay.
Rather than documenting your traffic stop as it is occurring, you can document it afterward by recording the events of the traffic stop and clarifying every little fact and detail that you remember.
Some of the facts and details you should try to clarify are as follows:
- The reason why you were pulled over.
- The actions of the officer who pulled you over.
- The test you took.
- The things that you said to the officer.
Every single one of these can be given to your attorney. You and your attorney can use them to build an effective defense.
Just as an example, if the officer never gave you a reason as to why you were pulled over, then that might mean they didn’t have probable cause. This fact can be used to contest the legality of the traffic stop and, in turn, your arrest.
Act 03: Contest The Blood Test Results
A wide variety of factors can lead to a blood test being conducted improperly and, therefore, leading to a false-positive test result.
Just as an example, a DUI breathalyzer test must be checked every 62 days – or 93 days, depending on the test – for accuracy.
If more time has passed, then the test apparatus itself may not be able to produce accurate results. If this is the case, you can contest the results of your blood test.
The same is true of the officer who operated the blood test.
If the officer didn’t know what they were doing or conducted the test improperly, you can use these facts to contest the results of your blood test.
All of this makes it much easier for you to protect yourself from the consequences of a DUI conviction.
Get Qualified Legal Help Today
If you need representation for a DUI charge in Palatine, Glasgow & Olsson is uniquely qualified to help you.
Thomas Glasgow has lectured statewide on DUI practice and law for the Illinois Institute of Continuing Legal Education. He is recognized as an authority in this area of law and in addition to lecturing, he also writes for the statewide DUI manual. When you need an attorney, experience matters.
Please speak with one of our DUI defense attorneys at Glasgow & Olsson today to learn how our experience can get you the results you deserve.