Hardin Valley, TN DUI Defense Attorney

Being pulled over by a police officer can be a hassle, and a traffic ticket can lead to issues that could affect your driver's license or the amount you pay for auto insurance. However, a traffic stop can be much more serious if a police officer suspects that you are under the influence. Because of the risks of driving while intoxicated by alcohol or drugs, the charges you may face for driving under the influence (DUI) and the penalties of a conviction can be serious. You will need to understand how to address these charges, and with the help of a skilled lawyer, you can take steps to minimize the penalties that could affect your life.

At The Baker Law Firm, our attorney can provide representation in DUI cases that involve arrests in Hardin Valley. He can review what happened during your arrest to help you determine the best options for defending against DUI charges. He will help you protect your driving privileges and your record while working to avoid a conviction and limit the impact that your case may have on your life and your future.

Legal Help in DUI Cases

Our lawyer will review what happened when you were pulled over and arrested. He can look at the procedures followed during a traffic stop, the reasons that an officer provided for arresting you, and chemical tests that were used to determine whether you were intoxicated. He may evaluate the officer's reason for stopping your vehicle, the procedures followed during field sobriety tests, and errors that could have affected the results of breath or blood tests. By taking the time to understand your situation, explaining the steps that will be followed during the legal process, and working to defend you against a conviction, he can provide the guidance you need to resolve your case successfully.

First-Time DUI Charges

If you have never been arrested for DUI before, you may be unsure about what will happen during your case and what penalties you may face. A first-time DUI may lead to Class A misdemeanor charges with a mandatory minimum jail sentence of 48 hours. While the maximum sentence is one year, our attorney can take steps to minimize the time that you may be required to spend behind bars. While a conviction will result in a one-year driver's license suspension, he can help you obtain a restricted driver's license to ensure that you can continue driving for work, school, or other essential purposes.

Multiple DUI Charges

If you have one or more previous DUI convictions, the penalties you may face after being arrested for drunk driving are likely to be more serious. For a second DUI offense, you could be sentenced to jail for a minimum of 45 days. After a third DUI conviction, you could be sentenced to up to 120 days in jail. You will also be likely to face much higher fines, and a license suspension may last for multiple years. Our lawyer will work with you to determine the best options for defense against multiple DUI charges, and by working to prevent a conviction, he can help you avoid serious penalties.

DUI Charges Involving Injuries to Others

If you are accused of injuring someone else while driving under the influence, you may face increased penalties, even for a first-time DUI offense. Vehicular assault charges may apply in DUI injury cases, or you could be charged with manslaughter if someone was killed in a car accident. Our attorney can review what happened to determine the best ways to defend against these charges. He may take steps to show that you were not responsible for causing an accident, and he will help you resolve your case successfully.

The Role of Field Sobriety Tests

After stopping drivers who are suspected of DUI, officers may ask them to perform field sobriety tests. These tests involve physical activities that are meant to measure a person's level of intoxication. They may involve walking along a straight line or balancing on one foot. Depending on a person's performance, an officer may determine that they are impaired, and the results of field sobriety tests may serve as the reason for an arrest.

Field sobriety tests are far from foolproof. They are based on the observations of officers, who may be looking to confirm their suspicions that a driver is under the influence without considering other reasons for their behavior. Various issues can affect the ways a driver responds to an officer's instructions or performs certain physical tasks. Damage to the surface of the road or a lack of lighting could lead a person to trip or become unsteady. Some medical conditions can affect balance. A person may be anxious about their performance, which could lead them to make mistakes.

Our lawyer can look at field sobriety tests that were performed before a DUI arrest and argue that an officer came to the wrong conclusions about a person's level of intoxication. He can review body camera and dash camera footage, look at whether an officer had the proper training, determine whether tests followed standardized procedures, and argue that factors other than alcohol or drug use influenced the results of the tests.

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