People often take driving for granted, going to and from work, school, and recreation as a matter of course. Being charged with driving under the influence (DUI) can lead to serious consequences, such as fines, jail time, and loss of the privilege of driving.
If you or a loved one is accused of a DUI, a Junction City drug DUI lawyer can help you mount a defense. As the police investigate what happened, a knowledgeable DUI attorney can work to protect your rights and interests.
People who drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol can present a danger to themselves and others, which is why the law criminalizes DUIs. Drugs can affect mental state, reaction time, and ability to drive safely, making the chances of collision and injury much higher.
As defined by Kansas Statutes § 8-1567, a DUI occurs when a person drives with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher or when a driver is under the influence of any combination of alcohol or drugs (or both) that makes them incapable of driving safely. The driver’s blood can be measured for alcohol concentration by a Breathalyzer or a blood test under the statute, but the effects of drugs can make the person incapable of operating a vehicle safely without a specific threshold. Even if the drug is legal, such as a prescription medication, motorists can still get a DUI if the drug’s effects impair their ability to drive safely.
A DUI is typically a misdemeanor but can lead to jail time or community service at a judge’s discretion, as well as a fine of hundreds of dollars. More than one conviction increases the penalties, and a DUI with a child in the car can extend jail time by a full month. DUI convictions can also lead to suspension or restriction of your license for at least a year per Kansas Statutes § 8-1014.
Working with a drug DUI defense attorney in Junction City can help you fight back against a charge and potential conviction to avoid these penalties.
A defense attorney can assist before and after someone is charged with a DUI by representing their client’s interests during and after a police investigation.
An attorney could ensure that the police use proper techniques to obtain evidence and do not violate a person’s Fourth Amendment rights, which protect against unreasonable search and seizure and interrogation. Should a person be charged by a prosecutor, a lawyer could challenge the evidence of being under the influence of drugs and how the crime lab collected that evidence.
Criminal forensics are not foolproof, and everyone is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court. By hiring a defense attorney in Junction City, people accused of drug DUI improve their ability to defend against a faulty charge and the fines and jail time that can come from a conviction.
You have the right to defend yourself against an investigation and a criminal DUI charge; an attorney can help you do so effectively. With the help of a Junction City drug DUI lawyer from Addair Law, you can do everything possible to keep yourself out of jail and free to drive as you normally would. Contact our offices today for help defending against a DUI.