YOUR DUI ARREST
Being arrested for DUI is a serious matter and can leave you – or a loved one – nervous and upset. You may not know what to do or where to turn for help. You may have heard stories from a friend about what could happen. Maybe you went on google right away to do searches on what to expect and you’re trying to piece information together. You may soon get scary letters in the mail from lawyers advertising their services and telling you that you can face a long jail sentence, hefty fines and a long license suspension.
All of that MAY be true, but not necessarily in your specific case. If you’ve been stopped by police and got detained for a potential DUI, or you had an accident and you were taken to the hospital, or other scenario where you think a DUI charge may be coming, then you need a lawyer right away. If you’re in this situation you should consult with an experienced, knowledgeable DUI attorney as soon as possible. Pennsylvania DUI law is complicated so you’ll need expert advice from a legal expert. DUI Attorney Kathryn Roberts is an expert in handling DUI cases and will promptly and compassionately help you resolve your charges.
If you or your family member was arrested on a DUI, usually you would be release on a low bail or even unsecured bail (on your own honor). But if for some reason a person is detained in jail for a DUI charge, the next step is to seek release from jail while the case is pending. For a DUI case, judges would typically set bail at ROR (released on your own recognizance) or unsecured bail with a dollar amount (that you would only ever owe the court if you completely disappeared on the court system and case).
If it’s not your first offense, or you are from out of state and have no connection to the area where the DUI is charged, or you have other criminal offenses on your record, you may have to post bail and it could be more significant. And if your DUI involved a serious accident with injuries to yourself or others, bail could also be set high.
In addition, if you were on probation or parole at the time, you could be detained in the jail on a probation or parole violation for getting a DUI charge and might not have the ability to post bail at all (frequently judges set no bail on violations).
If bail was set in your case, someone will need to contact a bail bondsman in the area where the case is and inquire about how to post your bail.
Your next step is to retain an experienced DUI attorney to represent you. Your attorney will analyze the evidence in your case and help prepare a challenge to the charges. Since there are many aspects to a DUI case, your experienced DUI attorney will determine how best to challenge the evidence. Even if you feel you should plead guilty because of a failed sobriety test or because you gave your blood and the alcohol level was high, before making that decision you should discuss your legal options with a DUI expert, your DUI attorney. Attorney Kathryn Roberts is that expert for you!
From the perspective of Attorney Kathryn Roberts:
JUST ARRESTED ON A DUI?
A DUI is a crime. The case will be handled in the criminal court of the county where it occurred. So if you’ve been arrested on a Pennsylvania DUI charge, you’re probably shaken and may not know where to turn next.
If your case is pending in Lehigh or Northampton County, I can help. I am not a lawyer that travels to many counties and knows little about any particular county. I spend all my time in the counties of Lehigh and Northampton only, and have spent my entire career in the Lehigh Valley. If you have a pending DUI charge, or believe you will be charged shortly, or you have a loved one that was arrested for a DUI, it’s time to take action. The first step is to consult with an attorney who spends all her time in the court jurisdiction you are facing.
In Lehigh and Northampton County, if you are arrested/detained for a suspected DUI and transported for a blood draw (even if you ultimately refuse the blood draw), you have a reasonable chance of being released on bail.
The process of detaining or arresting someone on suspicion of DUI is different than actually being charged. You can be charged the same day, or charged much later on. This process is hard for people arrested to understand, but once explained by an attorney, not difficult to understand. So if you or a loved one has been arrested and detained on a suspected DUI, and then released, and you’re not sure if charges were actually filed or when they will be filed, call me and I will explain
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Once a person detained for a DUI is released from jail, it’s critical to start building an aggressive defense on a DUI case that may be filed shortly. In Pa, a DUI arrest is handled in the DUI criminal court. Everything that happens (including license suspensions) related to the DUI arrest will occur as a result of the DUI case in criminal court.
If you have been arrested for a DUI and charges filed or charges coming, there are a number of things to do to get ready. When I represent people in DUI cases, we analyze the evidence, including the chemical test and field sobriety test, discuss which police department and which actual police officers were involved, and discuss how to prepare aggressive challenges. All of the evidence in a Pa DUI case is open to challenge, no matter how damaging the evidence might seem.
If you’re like many drivers arrested for Pennsylvania DUI, you may be tempted to plead guilty just to put it behind you. It’s understandable, but you should know that there may be excellent reasons to fight your case. Call me to discuss what your options really are.