How DUI Attorneys Win Motions to Dismiss a Drunk Driving Charge
The biggest difference between the best Seattle attorneys and the rest is their accomplishments in winning motions to suppress or dismiss drunk driving charges. A quality Seattle DUI attorney knows the importance of properly filing motions in order to suppress evidence or even the DUI charge itself. It is this knowledge that separates the best DUI attorneys from the inexperienced ones.
Why is it that a DUI lawyer would want to file legal motions? The reason is that motions are one of the key tools in successfully defending a DUI case. If your lawyer wins one of these key motions then the case is usually decided in your favor. Even if your lawyer is not granted one of these motions, the information obtained during the motion hearing is often used by experienced lawyers at trial.
Regrettably, most people arrested for a DUI, hire inexperienced lawyers who do not understand the importance of these motions. They mistakenly believe there is no reason to file them. In most instances however, these motions are filed because the arresting officer simply did not put enough information in the police report as to whether or not the sobriety and blood tests were performed correctly. Motions can be filed for this reason, among many others.
Once the appropriate motions are filed, Seattle attorneys treat the hearings with just as much importance as they would a jury trial. Inexperienced attorneys look at these motion hearings with little importance and shoot from the hip when questioning the officer. A better Seattle DUI lawyer understands that the cross examination of an officer must be thoroughly prepared in advance. There is usually a large amount of detail to get into when questioning the arresting officer.
The cross examination of the arresting officer is essential since most officers do not properly prepare for these motion hearings. In most instances, the officers come in without reviewing their training manuals and sometimes quickly reviewing their reports. Under these circumstances, you lawyer can test the officer throughout the cross examination. Your attorney can bring up any inconsistencies when the officer is testifying at trial.
If the arresting officer testifies poorly, the prosecutor will sometimes offer a great deal on the charges or even dismiss the case altogether. If neither of these things happens, an experienced Seattle DUI attorney has plenty of information to use during the trial. If you have been charged with driving under the influence, it is crucial you hire a DUI lawyer with plenty of success in these pretrial motions.
