Someone who has been arrested for a DUI should call several attorneys in order to get not only a consultation, but an estimate as well. At first, the most important thing would be to make sure the person got out of custody, so they could try to contact the bail agent or an attorney to help them get out. If a loved one was in custody, then they may want to contact either a bail agent, bail bondsmen or better yet, they should contact an attorney right away.
The attorney would have the ability to contact the jail or the police station directly and might be able to secure a release or get somebody out without having to post bail, which would save a lot of time, trouble and of course money. If they cannot personally get the person out, then they can bring in the assistance of the bail bondsmen to get the person released from custody. This would often come at a reduced cost from an attorney rather than coming from a loved one or an individual themselves.
Should the Person Refrain from Any Discussion on Social Media Sites?
In today’s day and age, everybody is connected through the internet. Facebook and Twitter are very popular for sharing information, but the person would need to be very careful about what they shared. Any exchange of information that is not given to the attorney directly, but is disseminated to the world, can result in prosecutors or police officers finding that information.
District attorneys, prosecutors and police officers will go on the internet and look for information, particularly if somebody was involved in an accident. Always be very careful about what is displayed on the internet because the victims of traffic accidents may go looking and bring that information to the attention of the district attorney.
The person should not make any admissions or disclosures on social media or on the internet because it could have potentially negative consequences. Take down any social media postings regarding the incident and do not put up anymore social media postings that could result in an incriminating statement.
A lot of times people will be out for an evening and will take pictures of the night, so there will be pictures on social media showing them out having dinner or drinks, which may give the wrong impression if they had been arrested for driving under the influence or if there was an accident that led to a DUI, because there would be pictures of that person earlier in the night drinking and partying.
Should Someone Take Note of Potential Witnesses Who Might Testify?
DUI cases are very fact-specific, and what can or cannot be done would depend on the particular circumstances, the particular evidence in the case, and what the jury may ultimately do to make a decision. A lot of the time, people with a DUI case think there are no witnesses, which is incorrect. There are actually a lot of witnesses involved in a DUI case, some of whom would be professional witnesses like police officers, who would testify regarding what they observed.
There might be other witnesses as well, like passengers in the car who were with the person at the time or if the person was transported by the police department and they had a busy night, then there might be other people in the police car who would also count as witnesses to what they saw, what the person said, how the officers behaved, and the investigation that the officers did.
Witnesses can also be people who were present throughout the events of the day or the evening such as the person they had dinner with or who they were with at the club afterwards. If they were at a wedding or some social gathering, then there might be other people who saw whether the person did or did not drink and for what period of time. Witnesses can be found all the way back to the middle of the day even if the person was arrested at 2 o’clock in the morning.
If the person was arrested and placed in a police car, then there might be witnesses who the person would come into contact with afterwards. There might be a registered nurse or a phlebotomist who was involved in the blood draw, or a breath test machine operator, and most certainly, if the person was arrested, there could be booking personnel at the jail. These people would testify as to what the person looked like and how they acted, and whether they were able to walk, talk, and understand questions.
When the person has been booked, they may also come into contact with the bail bondsmen relatively close to the time of the event, and the bondsmen would also be able to give information as to how the person appeared and how they were able to respond.
Should the Person Consult Their Family or Friends?
When someone has been arrested for a DUI, there would really not be much they could do to go back in time and change that situation. Instead they can focus on the future and what the ultimate outcome may be. Turning to a support system often makes the process just a little bit more bearable, but since it would be a difficult and very private situation, many people would not want to share this personal experience with friends or family members.
There are other places to reach out to get support, places which are understanding and provide guidance in situations like these. One such place they could go to would be their attorney, because the attorney would have experience knowing what the process was like, what the person was feeling, what to expect and where to go from there.
There are also resources as far as therapy may be concerned, either one-on-one or a group scenario. Groups like Alcoholics Anonymous have open meetings where the person can just come and listen to other people’s experiences. If more intensive treatment is needed, then that would be something they could discuss with their attorney.
The person could also turn to close friends and close family members who would understand the situation and they might be surprised how many people do not go around publicly showing it but have been in a similar situation, so it can be helpful to know that the person is not alone when going through a DUI case.
For more information on Being Charged with a DUI, a free initial consultation is your next best step. Get the information and legal answers you’re seeking by calling (310) 424-3145 today.
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