DUI and DWI Defense

A Charge With Two Cases Inside It

A DUI charge in Ohio, formally operating a vehicle impaired, runs on two tracks at once. There is the criminal case, with fines, possible jail, and a record. And there is the administrative license suspension, which can begin within days of the arrest. The deadline to challenge that suspension is short. Acting early is often the difference between keeping limited driving privileges and losing the license entirely.

A first charge is frightening, and many people assume there is nothing to be done. That is rarely true. A DUI case has a great deal of moving machinery, and any part of it can be questioned.

What We Look At First

• Whether the traffic stop was lawful to begin with.
• How the field sobriety tests were administered.
• Whether the breath or blood test followed the rules.
• Whether the testing equipment was calibrated and maintained.
• Whether the license-suspension deadline can still be met.
• Whether driving privileges can be requested in the meantime.

If You Were Just Arrested

Write down what you remember while it is fresh: where you were stopped, what was said, and what tests you were asked to take. Do not discuss the case with anyone but a lawyer. Then call. The administrative suspension runs on a deadline, and the sooner we begin, the more options remain open.

A First Offense Has Options Worth Protecting

A first DUI is not a foregone conclusion. Depending on the facts, a charge can sometimes be reduced, and limited driving privileges can sometimes be preserved. Those options narrow as time passes, which is why the first call matters.