When it’s your first DUI offense, it may be easy to feel stressful, but knowing how the game is played can be the key to making your trial a successful one, including the time when you should seek the services of a New Jersey DUI & DWI lawyer. It may be a complicated problem with strict penalties, but with the right information and legal guidance, it’s possible to protect one’s rights.
Becoming Familiar with the Legal Standard
New Jersey has a DUI charge that a person can face when he or she has the blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 or above or when police suspect that he or she has been impaired by drugs or alcohol without a certain reading. Regarding first time offenders, the law has graded penalties according to the level of BAC and therefore, the specific reading is a key point in your case.
Penalties will be provided in Case of a First-Time DUI
The consequences may be severe although this is the first time. Basing on the level of BAC, you can be fined:
- Suspension of the license or ignition lock.
- Hefty fines and court fees
- Compulsory alcohol education courses.
- Raised car insurance policies.
- Possible jail term, most particularly when you have a BAC of 0.15 and above.
The law of New Jersey stipulates that many first-time offenders have to have an ignition interlock device (IID). This device will not allow your car to start in case of alcohol presence detected and installation and maintenance is on you.
The Court Process
Upon the charge, you will be taken to the municipal court. In the process, the judge will hear the evidence, the arresting officer can give testimony and the prosecutor can give evidence. Being a first-time offender, you may wish to be lenient, yet the law in New Jersey doesn’t give much room to plea-bargain, and that’s why having a lawyer is of utmost necessity.
A lawyer can review whether:
- The traffic stop was lawful
- The field sobriety tests have been conducted properly.
- Calibration of the breathalyzer machine was done.
- The arrest infringed your rights at one time or another.
Any problems in these respects can be a basis of lessening or dismissing your accusations.
Defenses that May be Defensible in the Case of First-time Offenders
This may be your first offense but you can have options. An experienced lawyer can object to:
- Validity of the breathalyser test.
- The validity of the observations of the officer.
- Whether there were medical conditions or medications which may have influenced results.
- Whether or not the roadside stop or arrest is legal.
These plans will have a great effect on the case.
Long-term Effects to be Taken into Account
A first-time DUI is not just a one-time event that will impact only your present day, but it also has the potential of impacting your future. You can have difficulties with employment, increased insurance rates, and the inability to obtain some licenses. This knowledge of the long-term effects is useful in underlining the need to establish a robust defense.
Take Action Early
The first time of being accused of a DUI is very stressful, and the faster you respond, the more likely that you will reduce the impact. It’s better to hire a well-informed lawyer who will be able to explain what you can do and guarantee that you will keep your rights intact throughout the process.