When you enlist the help of a criminal defense attorney who takes on driving under the influence (DUI) cases, you may feel much more confident in your ability to get a favorable outcome in your case. A lawyer can help you with a DUI charge in Pennsylvania, explain the legal and administrative cases against you, and help you navigate the process.
In some cases, your Pennsylvania DUI attorney may be able to clear your name, limit the consequences you face, or minimize the disruption your arrest has on your daily life. This is especially true if this is your first arrest because Pennsylvania law provides some opportunities to get your life back to normal more quickly.
Your Attorney Will Fight for Your Best Interests
Your attorney will investigate the facts of your case and circumstances that led to your arrest, then put a plan in place to get a more favorable outcome. DUI lawyers may be able to convince the prosecutors to:
- Not file charges
- Reduce the charges their client faces
- Negotiate a plea deal that prevents the case from moving forward to trial
Plea agreements are one of the most common outcomes of a DUI case. The attorney will negotiate a deal for reduced charges for their client. In exchange, the client enters a guilty plea and receives a reduced sentence based on the reduced charge. For example, attorneys may negotiate a deal that reduces a DUI to a reckless driving charge. The penalties for this type of charge are much less severe.
Legal penalties for DUI in Pennsylvania can be severe. An attorney may be able to help you avoid them, or avoid enhanced penalties if there are aggravating factors in your case.
A DUI Lawyer Understands How to Build a Strong Case and Weigh Your Options
In some cases, the knowledge a DUI attorney brings to the table can be vital to getting a more favorable outcome in your case. Because they work with these cases regularly, many DUI attorneys understand the ins and outs of testing blood alcohol content (BAC). They know how the process works, how to challenge the methods or equipment used, and when it may be possible to get this important evidence ruled inadmissible in court.
This could get the charges against you dropped or serve as a turning point at trial. It could clear your name or reduce the charges against you.
The Pennsylvania ARD Program
If you get convicted or choose to enter a guilty plea, you could still have options for reducing the penalties you face. In addition to the possibility of a probated sentence,
Pennsylvania offers the Accelerated Rehabilitative Discharge (ARD) program for first-time offenders. This program requires you to install an ignition interlock device in your car but could have you back behind the wheel within six months.
Your Attorney Can Represent You in Your Administrative Case
In addition to facing arrest and possible criminal charges following a DUI stop, you will receive an administrative penalty that includes a driver’s license suspension. The arresting officer will inform you of this suspension, and you have a limited time to challenge it.
During the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation administrative hearing to challenge this suspension, your DUI lawyer can represent you. Your attorney can present evidence to show you did not drive drunk or to argue for limited privileges to commute to and from work or school during an administrative hearing.
Let McKenzie Law Firm, P.C. Help with Your Montgomery County DUI Case
A lawyer can help you with a DUI charge in Pennsylvania. Montgomery County DUI attorney David McKenzie will help you understand what to expect as you navigate the courts following a DUI arrest. David knows what it takes to get a more favorable outcome in these cases, including how to challenge BAC testing evidence, and how to get into the ARD program outlined in PA Code Ch. 3.
Once you sign up for representation, you will have access to David and the rest of his team via email, text, phone, and social media. You will always be able to get in touch with your lawyer to answer questions or address concerns.
At McKenzie Law Firm, P.C. our team is ready to fight to help you get the best possible outcome based on the circumstances of your Montgomery County, PA DUI arrest. Call (610) 680-7842 today to talk to a member of our team about your case.
