Do I need a lawyer for a DUI/DWI?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Do I need a lawyer for a DUI/DWI?
I’m in the military this is my first DUI/DWI.
Asked on October 2, 2011 under Criminal Law, North Carolina
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
The answer is, "it depends." The main factor is, what is the consequence to your military career of a DUI/DWI conviction? If this is something that could result in discharge, in not being eligible for a promotion or career path you wanted, etc., then you need to fight it tooth and nail. If you're going to fight, you need a lawyer--an attorney can both seek to exclude evidence (e.g. breathelyzer results), if there was something wrong with the stop, or otherwise attack the strength of the case; and also try to negotiate down to a charge that you can plea to without affecting your career. If you would suffer significant impact from a conviction, then it behooves you to get an attorney to help you. If there would be relatively little impact--and also if, realistically, they have to "dead to rights" with little grounds for you to fight the matter--you may choose to just see how lenient the court will be to a first time offender.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.