It is scary.

The fear of realizing what could have happened and the fear of what will happen, these are legitimate concerns when trying to understand your DUI arrest.

When faced with a DUI, especially your first DUI, it is imperative to find a DUI lawyer.

Find an attorney who is familiar with DUI offenses and has the connections and expertise to gain the best possible outcome.

Below are some key characteristics to look for when deciding on legal counsel to help in a DUI arrest.

• Make sure the attorney is ABA (American Bar Association) approved in your state.
• Find out if there are any complaints against the attorney. If there are, decide how pertinent they are to your case and if they warrant continuing the search.
• Does the lawyer have an established payment arrangement – one that meets your needs?
• Are they available to handle your case from start to finish? Make sure the DUI attorney has the resources to handle all aspects of your case.

Finding a DUI attorney to help you fight your DUI offense, may help lighten the harm to your financial, social and overall well being.

According to Ontario Court Justice Randall Lalande, Harvey Whidden’s constitutional rights were violated when he was pulled over on June 13, 2008.

Whidden had been waved into a vehicle safety inspection lane operated by the police because his windshield had a crack in it.

When Whidden pulled over, police noticed empty beer bottles in the bed of his pickup truck. Police also noticed he smelled like alcohol, and his speech was slowed.

The police asked Whidden to take a breath test, but the officer didn’t have a breathalyzer with him. While they waited for a breathalyzer to be brought from the station, the police officer didn’t allow Whidden to use his cell phone to call a DUI attorney.

The judge ruled that since the officer knew Whidden had a cell phone, he should have allowed him to use it to call an attorney.

According to the judge, the police waited about three hours when Whidden was at the police station and formally issued a demand for a breathalyzer before allowing him to call a lawyer.

Source: The Sadbury Star

Glen has more than 10 years experience practicing DUI law, and his current thoughts were spurred on by a user discussion on DUI checkpoints over at answerology.com.

You might have seen a few more checkpoints up as police forces around the country set up more than usual over the holidays. The effectiveness of these checkpoints in catching drunk drivers varies.

Recent holiday checkpoints produced hundreds of arrests in some counties, and almost none in others. Either way, they affect all motorists and you should know your DUI rights and what to expect if you encounter a sobriety checkpoint or field sobriety test.