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If you don’t take action within 7 days, your license will be automatically suspended. A qualified Highlands Ranch DUI lawyer will deal with the DMV and the court on your behalf. Our top priority is ensuring you get to keep your license, beat your DUI, and get back to your life.
Everyone makes mistakes, but a DUI can easily come along with severe penalties and strain your life.
When you’re facing DUI charges, it’s crucial to act quickly. Your driver’s license will be suspended automatically within seven days of your arrest. A Highlands Ranch criminal defense lawyer can help you by dealing with the court and the DMV on your behalf.
Our law office aims to ensure you keep your license and mitigate the consequences of your DUI charge so you can get your life back on track.
Since driving under the influence poses dangerous safety risks to everyone on the road, the penalties of a DUI charge are severe. Penalties also increase for every additional charge you get. But jail time and fines aren’t the only impacts a DUI infraction can have on your life.
Aside from the obvious financial burdens of getting a DUI as well as the risk to your freedom, a DUI can impact your life in other ways, especially if you have multiple infractions:
Beyond these consequences of guilty verdicts, the DUI incident itself will result in significant financial burdens outside the fines you’re ordered to pay.
There are additional costs associated with being arrested for a DUI of which people aren’t always aware.
Some costs you’ll be on the hook for include:
When you consider all of the financial costs associated with a DUI charge in Colorado, it’s clear that you need the help of an experienced Highlands Ranch criminal defense attorney to mitigate the burden.
A Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI) charge is considered a lesser charge than a Driving Under the Influence (DUI) charge. The main difference between DUI and DWAI is the driver’s blood alcohol content (BAC).
If your BAC is greater than 0.05% but less than 0.08%, you’ll be charged with a DWAI. You’ll be charged with a DUI if your BAC is above 0.08%.
When facing a DUI charge, you face a complex legal system that’s difficult to navigate. our law firm can help you through the process and build a solid DUI defense strategy to fight against your charge.
Police can’t just perform traffic stops on any car they see on the road. They need what’s called “reasonable suspicion” to pull you over.
Some examples of reasonable suspicion include:
DUI lawyers are experts at complex criminal defense matters that question the validity of law enforcement suspicions. Even if you were truly intoxicated, your DUI case could be dismissed if it’s found that reasonable suspicion did not exist.
The chain of custody refers to the movement of collected evidence from one party to another.
For example, if you take a blood test, several individuals will handle your sample, and several things can go wrong during the process:
An experienced DUI lawyer could examine the chain of custody in your DUI case and possibly get a dismissal if proper procedure wasn’t followed.
When you’re arrested for a DUI, you still have rights. Law enforcement isn’t always respectful or careful with citizens’ rights during an arrest, and if yours were violated in any way, this might be grounds for a DUI dismissal.
Remember that you have:
A DUI attorney in Highlands Ranch with expert knowledge in criminal charges will be able to identify ways procedure wasn’t followed, or your rights were violated during the arrest process.
When facing a criminal offense in Colorado, your freedom and future are at stake, and fighting a DUI can be a challenging legal road to walk alone. Reach out to an experienced DUI lawyer in Highlands Ranch, CO, at our law offices for legal services to ensure the best possible outcome for your case. We have a proven track record of successfully helping clients with criminal cases. You’ll get an honest assessment of your case after a free consultation.
Nick was very knowledgeable and friendly when I asked him about a traffic ticket. He answered all of my questions in a timely manner. Right Law Group is an excellent criminal defense law firm and the attorneys are top notch. 10/10 will recommend to family and friends.
I called Right Law group to ask about a speeding ticket. I spoke with a lady named Rachelle. She was very helpful with answering my questions. At the end of our conversation I felt she understood how I was feeling. I appreciated her willingness and the time she spent with me. Thank you.
I can’t stress enough how helpful and professional the staff were. Nanette was stellar! She exceeded all of my expectations. Thank you for helping me and for getting back to me so quickly.
Chelle was great meeting. Even though we did not end up needing to work with her. We were super impressed with her knowledge and professionalism. If we ever have the need she will be my first call.
The thing that's impressing about Alexis and her team is nothing's sugar coated. She and her law firm is very straight forward. They will tell you what to expect each step of the way. They care about their clients, very exceptional!
I called in and spoke to Rachelle about a speeding ticket I got a few months back. She was super helpful and helped me thoroughly understand the process of what will happen. She was very helpful and very knowledgeable. Thanks Right Law Group and thank you Rachelle!
Excellent customer service. I worked with Mailyn and she was so polite and nice to work with. Definitely knows her business. Will continue to use this company. I would recommend right law group to anyone that needs legal help.
Very responsive and professional in all communications. I would highly recommend this firm and their services.
So far this law group has been fantastic. I get updates on my case all the time. They keep me informed, which makes me feel better. Extremely nice personnel who are very helpful and answer all your questions.
The process begins with either an arrest or a summons. The accused is either arrested or served with paperwork summoning them to appear in court. During an arrest, Miranda rights may or may not be read to you. Officers are only required to recite your rights if they intend to question you about potentially incriminating things.
In most cases, you're entitled to have a reasonable bond set after you've been arrested. In situations involving domestic violence, the police will request input from the victim before setting a bond. Bonds are set to ensure that a person appears in court at their court dates. If they don’t show up, they forfeit the money that was paid for the bond.
Whether you are arrested or given a summons to appear, the court must make sure you understand what crimes you are being accused of committing. This is called advisement of charges. The District Attorney will detail the specific charges against you, and the Judge has to make sure you understand what possible penalties are associated with that charge in the state.
A preliminary hearing is a way for your defense attorney to challenge the District Attorney’s right to bring charges against you by making them prove that there is reason to believe you committed a crime. The Judge is not deciding your guilt or innocence, but rather whether or not there is probable cause to charge you with the crime in question.
This court date comes after your attorney has reviewed all of the reports and evidence in your case. Here’s where your attorney will engage in plea negotiations with the DA. If they can reach an agreement on the case, you may be able to take a plea bargain. If they cannot reach a resolution, your case will be set for an arraignment or trial date.
An arraignment is the final date for you to decide how you choose to plea. Guilty or not guilty. If you plead guilty, then the case is set for a sentencing date. If you plead not guilty, you and your attorney will then set the case for trial.
A motion hearing is when an attorney makes a request that requires a decision from the judge. For example, motions to suppress evidence or statements. These motions can limit the information that goes before a jury if it benefits your case, and there are legal grounds for doing so.
A pretrial readiness conference is held at some point before trial. It usually is held about a week to a month before the date trial is set to begin. This court date ensures everyone is ready to go to trial on the set date. It is also a time for lawyers to bring up any issues they may have to be addressed before the day of trial.
After a jury is selected for trial, the District Attorney’s responsibility is to present the case to the jury. The DA must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you are guilty of the crime. Otherwise, the jury must find you innocent. Your attorney will be able to cross-examine all of the witnesses, present evidence, and ultimately help you navigate this process.
At sentencing, the Judge must decide the appropriate legal penalty for the crime you plead guilty. The Judge’s decision is based on the listed penalties for the specific charge, recommendations from the presentence investigation, your criminal history, as well as statements made at the sentencing by the District Attorney, your attorney, you, and any named victims of the crime.
Colorado has no lookback or “washout period” regarding DUI charges. This means your DUI will stay on your record for your lifetime, and any subsequent DUIs will be impacted by it.
Your first DUI offense could include jail time, fines, and public service. An ignition interlock device will be required for any DUI offense, typically for eight months to two years following license reinstatement.
Colorado law requires anyone suspected of drunk driving to submit to a breath or blood test. This is called an “express consent” statute, and the chief deputy district attorney can use your refusal to submit to the DUI test against you in court.