Cantonment DUI Defense Lawyer 

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The DUI defense lawyer in Cantonment, Florida at The Alice Harris Law Firm can help you if you are facing DUI charges or arrest. Under Florida law, you could face DUI charges if you are found to be driving while under the influence of drugs that result in impairment, or if your blood alcohol concentration is found to be above 0.08. Driving under the influence charges are described under Florida Statute 316.193. You can face arrest for driving under the influence if police officers believe that your “normal faculties are impaired” due to any controlled substance.

First time DUI conviction carries fines of $500 to $1000, possible imprisonment, or required residential drug abuse treatment programs. You could also lose your driver’s license for as long as one year. These penalties don’t include the collateral consequences of a DUI, which can include having a criminal record, difficulty obtaining certain jobs, and certain government benefits. Individuals can also be barred from obtaining a commercial driver’s license. Individuals can also face higher costs for insurance in the future if they have a DUI on their record.

If you are facing DUI charges or arrest, your future, your reputation, and your driving privileges are on the line. The collateral consequences of even a first-time DUI can be serious and can impact your ability to obtain certain jobs, obtain government benefits, earn certain types of licenses, and can impact your pocketbook. Under Florida’s implied consent laws, any person who operates a motor vehicle in Florida consents to take a blood or breath alcohol test under Florida law. If you refuse to submit to these tests, you could lose your driving privileges for up to one year, and your refusal to submit to testing could be used as evidence against you in trial. Because of these laws, Florida police can get strong evidence that could support a DUI conviction if you have been stopped on suspicion of a DUI.

The DUI defense lawyer in Cantonment, Florida at The Alice Harris Law Firm can review the circumstances of your stop and arrest, review the evidence against you, and help you explore your options under the law. In some cases, individuals might be able to have their charges reduced or dropped or agree to participate in diversion or drug and alcohol programs to have their first-time charges reduced or dropped. In other less common situations, circumstances surrounding the arrest and testing of an individual can result in evidence being inadmissible in court. If you are facing DUI charges, or have been arrested, this can be a highly stressful time for you and your family. The DUI defense lawyer in Cantonment, Florida at The Alice Harris Law Firm is here to help.

Florida Pretrial Diversion Program for First-Time DUI Offenders

 If this is your first-time DUI and you have not been convicted of a felony crime, you might qualify for Florida’s first-time DUI diversion program. Participation in the program is voluntary, and completion of the program’s requirements could result in DUI charges being reduced to reckless driving charges. Program requirements can require payment of fines and fees, required attendance of a DUI school, required attendance of a victim impact class, 10-day impoundment of your vehicle, payment of any law enforcement costs associated with investigating your case, and the requirement that you might have to submit to random urine screening. If your DUI charges involve a higher blood alcohol concentration level, you might be required to undergo additional program requirements, including higher fines and mandatory use of an ignition interlock device.

While a diversion program might be a good option if the state’s evidence is strong, a diversion program may not be the right option if you feel you were wrongfully charged with your DUI, if police violated your Constitutional rights during your police stop or during investigation, or if field sobriety tests were incorrectly administered or poorly calibrated. If you have been arrested for a DUI, or are facing charges, reach out to the DUI lawyers in Cantonment, Florida at The Alice Harris Law Firm. Our DUI lawyer can review your case, help you understand your options, and pursue the options that are best for you.

How a DUI Defense Lawyer in Cantonment, Florida Can Help You 

The DUI defense lawyer in Cantonment, Florida at The Alice Harris Law Firm can help you by reviewing your case, the nature of the charges against you, and help you navigate the criminal justice system, including exploring DUI diversion programs and other options. Sometimes individuals who are facing DUI charges might benefit from pursuing diversion programs, while others might benefit from fighting their DUI charges in court using DUI defense strategies. What are some DUI defense strategies that your Cantonment, Florida DUI lawyer at The Alice Harris Law Firm can explore?

• Civil Rights Violations. If you are under arrest, you have certain rights under the law, including the right to remain silent and the right to speak to your lawyer. If police fail to read you your Miranda Rights, this could also be seen as a procedural error. If police deny you these rights, your DUI defense lawyer in Cantonment, Florida may be able to fight to have your charges dropped.
• No Probable Cause. Police must have probable cause that you violated traffic law or another law to stop you. Some examples of probable cause include weaving out of your lane, driving with a broken taillight, missing license plates, running red lights or a stop sign, speeding or driving too slowly, and other traffic violations. If police didn’t have probable cause to make the stop, any evidence gathered during your stop could be potentially dismissed.
• Improperly Administered Tests. Police officers may use field sobriety tests or blood alcohol tests to gather evidence at the scene. If police officers fail to provide you with clear instructions or fail to follow standard procedures for field sobriety tests, the evidence gathered could be questioned or possibly dismissed. For example, certain medical conditions could result in “false positive” sobriety tests. An improperly calibrated or maintained breathalyzer could also result in false positive results. Your Cantonment, Florida DUI defense lawyer can also look at the chain of evidence and how evidence was handled in your case.
• Intent to Drive. Sometimes individuals face DUI charges when they aren’t actually driving. If you tried to sleep off your intoxication in your vehicle, and police find you behind the wheel but not driving, you could potentially face DUI charges or arrest. In this case, your DUI defense attorney could try to prove that you had no intention to drive and intended to wait until your BAC was lower before driving home.
• Issues with Prescription Medication. Sometimes doctors or pharmacists may prescribe medication that can lead to impairment without warning their patients about these risks. If this is your situation, you may have a defense.

These are just some of the ways that a DUI lawyer in Cantonment, Florida at The Alice Harris Law Firm may be able to help you. If police evidence is strong, but this is your first-time DUI, you may have the option to pursue a diversion program instead. Our DUI lawyer in Cantonment, Florida can review your case and help you navigate the criminal justice system.

Contact Our Cantonment, Florida Drunk Driving Lawyer Today

The Cantonment, Florida drunk driving attorney at The Alice Harris Law Firm is here to take your phone call 24/7 if you have been arrested or charged with a DUI. We are here day or night to review your case and help you explore the next steps. When your freedom, your reputation, and your future is on the line, you need a Cantonment, Florida drunk driving attorney on your side. Contact The Alice Harris Law Firm today.

Available 24/7 for a Free Phone Consultation

We Also Offer Meetings Via Zoom