Greenville DUI Defense Lawyer
A DUI charge has the potential to wreak havoc on your life. A DUI can cost you your job, your relationships, and your reputation. At the De Bruin Law Firm, our Greenville DUI defense lawyers are experienced in criminal matters and take pride in building strong defenses for our clients. An arrest does not necessarily have to result in a conviction, and our lawyers will work hard to protect your legal rights.
South Carolina DUI laws
In South Carolina, a driver may be arrested for driving under the influence if the driver’s blood alcohol content is 0.08 percent or higher. A conviction may result in fines, community service, jail time, and a suspended license. With each subsequent DUI conviction, the penalties become more severe.
However, not every arrest for DUI will result in a conviction. To protect your legal rights, it is important to discuss your case with an experienced DUI defense lawyer as soon as possible. Statements that you make to police officers, prosecutors, and other individuals may be used against you. Therefore, it is important to hire a lawyer so that your lawyer may speak on your behalf and protect your interests.
Defenses to DUI charges
If you have been arrested for DUI, there may be one or more defenses available in your case. With the assistance of your defense lawyer, you will be able to provide support for these defenses and possibly have your charges reduced or dismissed.
The Breathalyzer is used to measure the amount of alcohol in a driver’s blood. The officer will have the driver blow into the Breathalyzer, and the Breathalyzer will then provide a reading that shows the driver’s blood alcohol content. However, the Breathalyzer must be used correctly and calibrated properly for it to provide an accurate reading. In addition, there may be legal reasons that a driver’s breath shows a high Breathalyzer reading. For example, some have argued that mouthwash may trigger a higher reading. In some diabetics, the Breathalyzer results are skewed because of unique biological characteristics.
There are also numerous defenses available for failed field sobriety tests. A field sobriety test is a way for law enforcement to measure how impaired a driver is. There are three field sobriety tests. In the walk and turn test, a driver must walk a straight line, turn, and walk back, following the officer’s specific instructions. The officer will also perform a horizontal nystagmus test, during which the officer will look for involuntary movements in the driver’s eyes that occur with heavy drinking. Finally, the officer will ask the driver to stand on one leg and count, again with specific instructions.
In each of these tests, the officer is looking for physical signs that the driver is impaired. Is the driver able to balance on one leg? Do the driver’s eyes involuntarily move back and forth? Can the driver count coherently? If the driver fails these tests, the officer may arrest the driver for driving under the influence.
However, there are legitimate reasons for failing a field sobriety test. Physical conditions are often the culprit. In addition, environmental conditions, such as an uneven walking surface, may also cause a driver to fail a test. With a strong DUI defense lawyer, you may be able to argue that you should not have been arrested.
Were you arrested for DUI?
If you were arrested for DUI, it is important to speak with a lawyer immediately. Lawyer Aaron De Bruin has been named one of “Greenville’s Elite Criminal Defense Lawyers” by the Greenville Magazine in 2013, 2015, 2016.
To schedule a free consultation with our DUI defense lawyers, call 864-372-2896 or visit greenvilledefense.com today so that we may begin working on your case.
