Facing the potential of prosecution for OWI, otherwise known as operating (a motor vehicle) while intoxicated? If you answered yes, you are going to want to pay attention to the following few words. Hire an experienced attorney.
An OWI arrest and charge is one of the most arduous charges to defend in court and is definitely not something that you should be trying to defend on your own. Why? Because, unlike other crimes, while the offender is supposed to be considered innocent until guilty in a court of law, the stigma associated with such a charge is so high, the defendant is required to proven his or her innocence beyond a reasonable doubt in order to escape the penalties and Arrest Records that can ruin your life forever.
If this is your first OWI arrest, you might think that you are able to reduce the costs associated with defending such as minor crime by defending yourself or hiring an inexperienced attorney at a discounted price in order to help protect your wallet. However, this is a dangerous strategy that will ultimately require you to pay thousands in fines, spend a few nights in jail, potentially be remanded to drug and alcohol rehab for at least 30 days and more. You will also face the potential of having your license suspended and even a few days in jail, but usually only if you don’t have an attorney or your attorney isn’t of a better caliber.
Of course, if this isn’t your first arrest or conviction for OWI, you already know the score. You know that if you don’t have a competent attorney on your side, you face a much stiffer sentence. This includes even higher financial penalties, more jail time and, of course, a longer stint in rehab. You will also lose your license for up to 2 years. And the penalties just go up from there.
In short, getting behind the wheel of your car after a night of drinking or doing drugs is simply not a good idea. The least you can do is not compound the situation by appearing in court less than prepared for what is sure to come. If you’ve been arrested for OWI, do yourself a favor and make your first call to an attorney who has the experience and skills to handle your case. The second call can be to a bondsman or someone else who is willing to bond you out and take responsibility for you.
Do yourself a favor and increase the likelihood that you won’t have OWI arrest records following you around, haunting your future. Make a call to an experienced attorney today and give yourself the best chance at beating the charges that have been filed against you. There is really no other choice if you need to minimize the impact that an OWI arrest and conviction will have on your life.
