FIGHTING A DUI
It is understandable that a person who has been charged with a Montana DUI may just want the charges to “go away” so strongly that he or she will plead guilty to the charges, believing this is the most expeditious way to take care of DUI charges. In fact, this is actually the very worst thing you can do after being charged with a DUI. You have rights, and, based on the details of your arrest, your Montana DUI attorney may be able to have your charges dismissed entirely, or could potentially plea bargain your charges down to a lesser offense. It is important to understand that not only are the penalties associated with a Montana DUI conviction harsh, there are additional penalties you may not have considered.
As an example, once you have a DUI conviction on your record you could find it extremely difficult to obtain employment. Employers can—and do—look at your criminal record prior to hiring, and many will simply not hire someone with a DUI on their record, even if it was a one-time mistake on your part.
You could also find it extremely difficult to obtain vehicle insurance following a Montana DUI conviction. Even if you can find an insurance company who will insure you, the cost could be prohibitive. While it may seem embarrassing to fight your DUI, there are many excellent reasons to do so.
Disproving Your DUI Charges
Your Montana DUI attorney will look carefully at the details of your DUI arrest to determine whether there are certain aspects of the arrest which can be successfully challenged. Perhaps the arrest process was not properly followed by the police—you may have been stopped without cause, or perhaps you have specific reasons why you did poorly on the field sobriety tests.
If you took a breathalyzer test to determine your BAC level, the test may have been improperly administered, or the machine may not have been calibrated correctly.
Avoiding a Driver’s License Suspension
You may be most concerned about whether your driver’s license will be suspended. Like most of us, you likely spend a considerable amount of time behind the wheel of your car. We drive to and from work or to school, take our children to school and to after-school activities, we drive to the grocery store, to visit friends and family, to church, and we drive to recreational activities. Being without a driver’s license can make your life extremely difficult.
You must either live in an area where there is some level of public transportation, spend a fortune on Uber or cabs, or have someone drive you everywhere you need to be. You must attend a court date—which is usually just days from the time you were arrested for DUI—to determine whether your license will be immediately suspended or not. Having an experienced Montana DUI attorney by your side during this
About Us No matter what the reason, if you are arrested and charged with DUI,you could face serious penalities and consequences that could have ripple effect through your entire life.
Contact Us 1004 Division St. Billings,Montana 59101 406-591-4401 sstockdale@tolliverlaw.com
administrative license hearing can truly make the difference in whether you will be able to retain your driver’s license until your DUI trial.
Fight Your Montana DUI Charges
Fighting your Montana DUI charges is extremely important. You do not necessarily have to lose your license, your job, your financial security and your freedom simply because you were arrested on Montana DUI charges.