Reasons to Work With an Attorney In an Idaho DUI Case
By Cody Long | Published on February 21, 2012 | 0 Comments
For a driver, being accused of operating a vehicle under the influence of an alcoholic substance can be a major game changer. The penalties for being convicted of a DUI in Idaho are simply too severe for an inexperienced lawyer to handle his case alone. That’s why attorney Cody Long of the Long Law Office says people who are accused of drinking and driving should contact a law office in Boise immediately after they have been taken into police custody.
Long goes on to explain that most laypeople do not know all the defenses available in these types of cases. A defendant who is being accused of drinking and driving may have defenses to his arrest or to the charge of DUI that he is not aware of. For example, Long says the police may have done something wrong during their arrest or when administering the field sobriety tests that would rule the tests invalid.
Field sobriety tests – the most common of which are the walk and turn test, the one-leg stand test, and the horizontal gaze nystagmus test (HGN) – must be demonstrated correctly by the police officer before the driver is asked to participate. If an officer does not demonstrate the test, or if he demonstrates it in an incorrect way, then the results should not be relied on to prove the validity of a DUI case in court.
As an attorney at a top Boise law office, Long says the courts may still attempt to move forward in a case where the field sobriety tests were invalid under the assumption that the driver in question does not realize that the tests were demonstrated incorrectly. In those situations, and many others, Long says it pays to work with a qualified expert who understands the intricacies of Idaho’s DUI law.
Long believes that drivers who are arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs should contact an attorney from a Boise law office right away – the sooner, the better. Occasionally, Long will get a call from someone whose trial is just one-week away, and the attorney says there is little he can do for a client with such a tight deadline. An attorney from a Boise law office should get involved in the case as early as possible to engage in the discovery process, to send discovery requests to the prosecutor, and to investigate any police officers involved.
Meridian, Idaho 83642
*Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. You should not rely on this article as a legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances, and you should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel. Publication of this article and your receipt of this article does not create an attorney-client relationship.