Being charged and arrested for DUI in Jackson, Biloxi, Hattiesburg, Gulfport, or anywhere in Mississippi is a very serious crime and it is important to begin fighting for your DUI rights as soon as possible to improve the likelihood of getting your life back on track. Since it is not possible to plead to a lesser charge such as wet reckless in the state of Mississippi, the only way to avoid the many consequences of DUI is to hire the best possible lawyer in the hopes of having the case dismissed outright.
How We Can Help With Your Mississippi DUI
The professionals at DUIRights.com take the time to evaluate each individual case and help to provide evidence to build the strongest possible defense against the DUI charges. What many people do not know is that almost all DUI arrests violate an individual’s rights in some way, giving them extra leverage to use to have their case dismissed from court and allowing them to avoid the fines, jail time, license suspensions, and other punishments the state of Mississippi hands down for a DUI conviction.
Knowing Your DUI Rights
One of the reasons why individuals do not know their rights were violated is because they do not actually know the rights to which they are entitled. This is where an attorney who is knowledgeable in DUI law comes in handy – he or she will be able to evaluate the details of the case and pinpoint where and how the individual’s rights were violated. In order to get a full picture of what happened during the DUI arrest, the attorney may ask some or all of the following questions in order to get all the details he or she needs:
- What was the officer’s reason making the traffic stop and detaining you?
- Were your Miranda Rights recited to you?
- Did the officer see you driving the vehicle or was the vehicle not in operation when the traffic stop occurred?
- Did the officer administer a Breathalyzer test and how long after your last alcoholic drink did that test take place?
- Did the arresting officer administer proper field sobriety testing?
- Did poor weather or other outside forces affect the results of your test?
The answers to these questions and the details surrounding them will help the DUI attorney to have a full understanding of what happened during the DUI arrest. He or she will be able to easily identify if any rights were violated. This will help establish the best strategy to defend your DUI case.
Protect your rights and learn how to get your Mississippi DUI charges dismissed. Get Started Now by filling out the Free DUI Arrest Evaluation Form to get the answers you need.
Mississippi DUI Defense Tactics
No matter how guilty you may think you were at the time of the arrest, we want you to know one important thing: There is ALWAYS an aggressive and effective defense that will help you fight for the best possible outcome. In our experience, many officers do not follow proper field sobriety test procedures. In fact, challenging probable cause and the way field sobriety tests, blood tests and breath tests were administered is often a successful strategy to reduce or drop the charges. Also, many people plead guilty prematurely based on a breath test with a result above the legal limit. This is a common and costly mistake, as there are a variety of ways in having the breath test suppressed.
If you rely solely on a public defender to help you, your chances will be limited in preserving financial security and effectively winning your case. We will help you protect yourself against an unfair court system and not risk losing your license or financial security.
DUI Rights Attorneys in Mississippi
Drinking and driving in Mississippi resulted in 179 deaths in 2012, leading lawmakers to stiffen penalties. In 2014, a new law went into effect requiring participation in an alcohol safety education program and installation of ignition interlock devices (IIDs) in vehicles driven by convicted drunk drivers. Mothers Against Drunk Driving gives Mississippi its highest rating of five stars for drunk driving prevention efforts.
Reasons to Hire a Mississippi DUI Attorney
Being arrested for DUI in Mississippi is a crime involving both administrative and criminal cases. State driving agencies handle the administrative end, revoking or suspending the driver license. A state court hears the criminal case and defendants found guilty are subject to fines and jail time in addition to penalties detailed above. Fighting a DUI charge requires legal knowledge and the ability to make a convincing argument.
If the court appoints a public defender, the defendant will receive low-cost legal counsel. However, the case may never go to court because public defenders usually want to settle due to their heavy caseloads. Defendants are left with tainted driving records, temporary loss of driving privileges, and expensive fines. Some are forced to spend time in jail even if they did not hurt anyone else. This is not the outcome that most defendants desire when retaining lawyers.
DUI attorneys are lawyers working in private practices who usually charge more for services but deliver better results. They review every aspect of each DUI case they handle and use their knowledge of DUI laws and arrest procedures to identify errors. When applicable, experts and witnesses are used to explain the importance of these mistakes and prove that the defendant was not guilty. If guilt is undeniable, these attorneys use negotiation skills to have charges reduced.
How to Find a Mississippi DUI Attorney
Defendants can spend much time and effort searching for a DUI attorney but never find the best one. Locating a DUI lawyer who practices in Mississippi does not require calling every attorney in town. Using DUIRights.com saves money because DUI attorneys in our network offer free DUI arrest evaluations. Complete the brief request form on the website and a Mississippi DUI lawyer will make contact shortly. Use the free consultation to discuss the details of the arrest, ask questions about the charge, and learn more about possible consequences.