What Are the First Steps After Getting Arrested for a DUI?

Being charged with DUI can have serious consequences in your life. Your license will be suspended, if not fully revoked. You may pay significant court fees, fines, and other penalties. You might be imprisoned. Or you could lose your work or at least be less employable.

Indeed, a DUI charge is serious business, so here are six things you should do right away if you have been arrested or charged.

Find Someone To Drive You Home

Depending on the county, you may be freed from jail shortly after being charged if someone posts your bail, or you may be required to stay overnight until you sober up.

Whatever situation you are in, the greatest thing you can do is secure a ride home. Because your license would have been suspended immediately upon the offense, Driving while revoked Missouri you do not want to risk driving home and adding another penalty to your record.

Make Your Court Date a Priority

Before you are released from jail, you will receive a notification specifying your court appearance date. Whatever you do, do not lose, dismiss, or forget this day.

And so, mark your calendar with the date and hour of your court appearance. Contact your employer and any relevant person to ensure that you do not have any conflicting appointments scheduled for that day.

Assess Your Legal Needs

While some lawyers may try to convince you that you must always engage a dui lawyer to represent you in court, this is not true.

In fact, most DUI cases are straightforward, and judges believe your blood-alcohol content (BAC) is sufficient evidence to convict you. Moreover, with harsher DUI regulations passed recently, there’s very little leeway for evading a DUI arrest and its associated consequences.

However, there are some situations in which hiring an attorney is advantageous. The most obvious one is if you want to enter a not guilty plea at your court appearance.

Was the breathalyzer inaccurate, or did you fail the breathalyzer test while not drinking that night (due to nervousness or other factors)? You need a dui attorney to aid prove your innocence.

Furthermore, an attorney can assist you in navigating many of the stages outlined in this post to guarantee that everything goes as easily as possible.

Even if you choose to plead guilty and convicted, an attorney’s counsel can assist you in completing necessary processes more quickly, allowing you to regain your license and resume your normal life more swiftly.

So, depending on the factors, decide whether hiring a DUI lawyer will be useful to you. If you think so, call one right away.

Make Transportation Arrangements

While you await your court appearance, you will not be allowed to drive. As such, make alternate plans. Occasionally, the court will award you a hardship license, allowing you to drive to work or school. If not, you will need to plan for transportation to these locations or familiarize yourself with your area’s public transportation system.

Get Ready for Your Court Appointment

You will have to do different things based on how you intend to plead. If you are pleading guilty, you will just need to show up looking good and provide any documents that has been demanded of you.

If you are pleading not guilty, you will need to do a lot more preparatory work, which you can accomplish effectively with the help of an attorney. This could entail writing down what transpired that evening, gathering testimony from witnesses, and so on.

Investigate SR-22 Insurance

Even if your driver’s license is presently suspended, begin researching SR-22 vehicle insurance right now. Download an SR-22 form and call your insurance company to discuss what your new insurance rates will be. Know that your insurance prices may increase and remain there for some time.

After appearing in court, there will be many more steps you must take, and it is critical that you complete any classes, probation periods, or other conditions that were assigned to you at the hearing. Consider calling a DUI attorney for assistance if you feel you need expert direction through this procedure.