Being charged with a DUI on Shaw Air Force Base is stressful at best. The repercussions of these charges can have a major impact on your military career. Luckily, you may be able to mount a defense against those charges with help from an experienced South Carolina DUI defense attorney. But before you can present your best defense, it’s helpful to understand some common strategies that your attorney may use when representing you in court. Let’s take a closer look.
Questioning the Legality of the Stop
Not all traffic stops or roadside DUI tests are legal, even if the police want you to think they are. In fact, stops must meet several requirements to be legal and for your DUI charges to stick. For the stop to be legal, the officer must have a justification for the stop in the first place. This typically means stopping you at a DUI checkpoint, pulling you over for violating a traffic regulation like speeding or driving recklessly, and other similar reasons. If the officer stopped you for no good reason, the charges may not stick and your case may be dismissed. Your South Carolina DUI defense attorney will look into the reasons for your stop, review the police report, and help you understand if this type of defense is worth pursuing.
Challenging Accuracy of the Test
Believe it or not, BAC screening equipment needs to be calibrated and maintained regularly for those tools to render accurate results. The police are required to give your attorney access to the tools’ maintenance records. If the equipment wasn’t maintained according to standard or the officer performing the test inaccurately, the accuracy of the results can be called into question. In some cases, this can provide enough reasonable doubt for your case to be dismissed.
Identifying Errors During the Arrest
Officers are required to follow the law themselves when arresting you on suspicion of DUI. If they violated the law by not reading your Miranda rights or exercising excessive force, your arrest and DUI charges may not be valid. Your attorney will look into the events that happened leading up to and during your arrest to make sure the arrest was performed legally. If they identify errors, they may be able to get your charges dismissed.
Questioning the Validity of Evidence
In some instances, your attorney may be able to question the validity of the evidence against you. If the police handled blood alcohol test results incorrectly or broke the chain of custody, the test results can’t be guaranteed to be accurate. Similarly, if officers tested your BAC level much later, it may not accurately reflect your BAC level while you were driving which could call the validity of the evidence into question.
Work With an Experienced Shaw Air Force Base DUI Defense Attorney
Presenting a strong argument in court can mean the difference between dealing with a DUI conviction and having your charges dropped. The best way to present a strong defense is to work with a South Carolina DUI defense attorney who understands the nuances of DUI arrests on Shaw Air Force Base. This way, you’ll have a legal expert who understands the unique challenges you’re facing and the strict protocols and rules all base members are required to follow.
The right attorney will do their best to represent your case and get your charges reduced or dismissed entirely.
Schedule a Consultation Today
If you’ve been charged with a DUI at Shaw Air Force Base, don’t try to represent yourself. Instead, work with the experienced DUI defense attorneys at Truslow & Truslow. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and let our team help you with your case.