OUI Lawyer – How an OUI Lawyer Can Help You Avoid Serious Penalties

An OUI lawyer can help you avoid the significant penalties that come with a conviction of this crime. These include jail time, license loss and enrollment in drug or alcohol programs.

An officer will pull you over if they have reasonable suspicion that you are driving while intoxicated. During the stop, the officer may ask you to take a field sobriety test or breathalyzer. Depending on the results of these tests, the officer may decide to arrest you.

If you are arrested, you will be formally charged with OUI at your arraignment in Portland District Court, Bridgton District Court or West Bath District Court. This is where the court will set bail for you to ensure that you appear for your future court dates.

You will have the opportunity to question (cross examine) the officer during this hearing and present witnesses that challenge the prosecution’s case. A competent OUI attorney can find errors in the administration of FSTs, unreliable chemical test equipment or other issues that weaken the prosecution’s case.

A skilled OUI lawyer can also negotiate with the prosecutor to reduce your charges or to get a disposition like a Continuance Without a Finding (CWOF) for first-offense OUIs. The new law in Maine expanding “look back” periods for felony OUI convictions has withstood constitutional challenges based on the ex post facto clause. An OUI lawyer with experience as a former prosecutor can use that knowledge to your benefit.