Mercer Island DUI Lawyer
Our Mercer Island DUI attorney can help defend you against a Washington State criminal DUI conviction and help you stay out of jail. If you have been arrested for DUI in Mercer Island, it is imperative that you take action right away to protect yourself from a criminal conviction. You need the help of a Mercer Island DUI attorney who understands the law and is able to help you navigate through the legal system. Washington State has some of the toughest drunk driving laws in the nation. Give yourself the best chance of staying out of jail and keeping your driver’s license with the right Mercer Island DUI lawyer on your side.
Call our office today at (206) 771-4343 to speak to a Mercer Island DUI lawyer
License Suspension and DUI
If you were arrested for DUI in Mercer Island or anywhere in Washington State, you must request a hearing with the DOL to contest your license suspension. You have only 7 days from the date of your arrest to request the hearing. If you fail to respond within 7 days of your arrest, the department of licensing will automatically suspend your license 30 days after your DUI arrest.
At our law firm, our Mercer Island attorneys will handle the DOL hearing for you to help you keep your license. You will know exactly what the prosecutor in your case is likely going to be offering and how to attack the weaknesses in the prosecutor’s case against you. Our team can help you take much of the guesswork out of your case with the Mercer Island DUI lawyer on your side.
Call our Mercer Island criminal defense attorney today at (206) 771-4343
FAQs Answered by a Mercer Island DUI Lawyer
Should I have taken Field Sobriety Tests?
As Mercer Island DUI attorneys, our advice is to never perform Field Sobriety Tests (FSTs). They do more harm than good. First, there no objective way of measuring these tests so there is always the danger of the driver’s performance being skewed by the officer in order to help the prosecution’s case. Second, the prosecutors use these test as additional means of prosecuting drivers for DUI. Even if the driver’s BAC is below the legal limit, the prosecutor will still attempt to use the FSTs to show that the driver was impaired.
Should I have taken a portable breath test?
As with FSTs we discussed above, Portable Breath Test (PBT) is also voluntary. And as with the FSTs, we also recommend that drivers decline PBTs. The PBTs are not admissible at trial. So if you “blow” below the legal limit it will not help you in your case. However, if you “blow” above the legal limit, the test results can be used against you in DOL hearings to suspend your license.
The officer did not book me into jail and released me after the arrest, does that mean I will not be charged?
Officers have discretion whether to book DUI suspects or to release them. Depending on the driver’s criminal history record, his or her cooperation with the officer, and other factors, the officer may release the driver after processing them for DUI. In such cases, the driver will receive a notice of their court date by mail.
If you need additional information or have questions that were not answered here,
please call our Mercer Island criminal defense lawyer at (206) 771-4343
For more information about DUIs in Washington State, please see our home page.
