One of the first things new clients tell us when we meet is that the cops had no right to pull them over. Some insist that the police followed them for miles until they made the slightest mistake. Others claim that the cops were waiting outside a bar all night waiting to pull customers over. While these things do happen, it is rare. The cops look for certain signs to let them know if a person is driving while under the influence. Our DUI attorneys are very familiar with these signs. When we review our clients’ arrest records, we typically see similar language in them. For example, the officers will often state that the driver was weaving in and out of their lane at the time of their traffic stop. They know that this is enough to give them reasonable suspicion to pull you over. They also know that there is no way for your DUI defense lawyer in Idaho to prove them wrong.
There are other things the cops look for when pulling someone over for suspicion of DUI. We will discuss several of them here. We will also explain what the cops look for after they’ve pulled you over. What you do in the moments after the office approaches your window will make the difference between being acquitted or being convicted. If you have recently been arrested and charged with DUI, you owe it to yourself to hire a DUI defense lawyer in Idaho.
Police Officers Are Trained on the Signs of Someone Driving Under the Influence
When police officers go through their training, they are taught how to spot someone driving while under the influence. It’s their job to keep drunk drivers off the road. If they don’t know how to identify potential drunk drivers, they can’t do their job effectively. Some of the signs that a person is driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol include the following:
- Weaving in and out of the lane
- Stopping at a red light or stop sign for too long
- Windows wide open when it is freezing cold outside
- Radio blasting at 1 a.m. or 2 a.m.
- Driving well below the posted speed limit
Some of these may not seem so obvious. However, police officers are human too. They know what kinds of things they did when they were young and reckless. People think that they will stay awake and alert if they let the cold air in or blast the music. The cops know this. Your DUI attorney knows it too.
Law Enforcement is Also Specially Trained to Recognize the Signs of Impairment
Once the police pull you over, they know what things to look for. If they already suspect that you’re drunk driving, they will be looking for specific signs as confirmation. Some of the things they are looking for include:
- Slurred speech
- Odor of alcohol or marijuana
- Bloodshot eyes
- Open containers of alcohol
- Drug paraphernalia in plain sight
- Nervous and sweaty behavior
- Incoherent responses to questions
Of course, there are many more telltale signs that somebody is driving under the influence. All the police need to justify your DUI arrest are a few. While the standard required to arrest someone for DUI is slightly higher than it is to pull you over, there isn’t much of a difference.
Your DUI Attorney Will Have to Prove the Officers Didn’t Have Reasonable Suspicion to Pull You Over
What your DUI defense lawyer in Idaho must do is poke holes in the state’s case. If the prosecutor isn’t willing to drop or reduce the charges, then your DUI attorney has no choice. All they can do is submit evidence showing that the police didn’t have reasonable cause to arrest you. For example, your lawyer may be able to prove that you weren’t weaving in and out of your lane. There may be a dashcam from the moments before your traffic stop. This could help prove what really happened.
Another example of how your DUI attorney can challenge the charges has to do with the arrest itself. If you passed the breathalyzer test or field sobriety test, your attorney would use this in your defense. They can even use statements made by the arresting officer to prove that they didn’t have reasonable cause. It all depends on the facts of your case.
Your DUI Defense Lawyer in Idaho Will Do Their Best to Get the Charges Reduced or Dismissed
If you’ve been arrested and charged with DUI, there are probably a million things running around your mind. You’re worried about how long you’ll be forced to stay in jail. Even once you’re out, you’ll have to find some way to get the charges dismissed. You can’t afford to have a DUI conviction on your record. And you have no idea how you’d survive without a driver’s license for six months or a year. That’s why you should call a skilled DUI attorney immediately after your arrest. We suggest you call us from the jail with your proverbial one phone call. If you don’t have contact information, call a friend or family member and ask them to call one of our DUI defense lawyers in Idaho for you.
Once you’ve retained our services, we will review the your case. We will need to reach out to the prosecutor and get a copy of the charges. We can also ask the police to send over a copy of your arrest record. This will let us know what the police found, how you responded to their questions, and a copy of you performing the field sobriety test. We will also ask you to tell us what happened. While there’s never a guarantee that we can get the charges reduced or dismissed, we will try our best. Typically what happens is that your DUI attorney will negotiate a favorable plea deal with the prosecutor. This is the hope anyway.
For now, the important thing is that you reach out to a seasoned DUI defense lawyers in Idaho. Schedule a date and time to come into the office so we can get started on preparing your defense.