Ralph had just received his third "driving under the influence" arrest. He was going to represent himself in court, but his father, Sam, told him that this would be a really big mistake. When Ralph heard this, he asked Sam why he should even consider getting a DWI attorney.
Although Sam wasn’t a lawyer, he told his son that he learned the hard way when as a young man he received a "drunk driving" arrest, represented himself in court, paid three thousand dollars in penalties and fines, and served 30 days in the local jail. As he mentioned to his son, after he got out of jail, he found out from a lawyer friend that had he hired a DUI lawyer to represent him in court, he probably would have had his fines and penalties significantly reduced and he may have never served any time in the county jail.
What a DWI lawyer Can Do in a DWI Arrest.
When Ralph heard this he knew he needed more DUI facts so he asked his dad for more information about what a DUI lawyer can do in a "drunk driving" arrest. His dad then stated the following: "If you have prior DUI convictions, hiring a DUI lawyer to represent you is strongly recommended. Why? Because DUI lawyers know how to get prior convictions removed from your record, thereby possibly reducing your penalties to a great extent should you be convicted.”
When Ralph listend to his dad explain this, it was as if his eyes were opened for the first time about the importance of hiring a ”driving under the influence” attorney. Stated more precisely, Ralph realized that he needed a DUI lawyer.
The Whole Story About Taking a Field Sobriety Test
He then told his dad that he had heard a lot about field sobriety tests. As a consequence, he asked his father what a field sobriety test was.
His father responded with the following: “Ralph, field sobriety tests are administered by the police in order to find out if a person has been operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol, drugs, or both. Field sobriety tests are often based on coordination and agility. The 'rationale' underlying these tests is that if a person is impaired from drugs, alcohol, or from both, his or her coordination and agility will be negatively affected and the person’s 'performance' on these tests will suffer.”
Ralph’s father then wanted to underline the following: "Ralph, remember that you cannot be legally forced to take any field sobriety tests when you are stopped by the police. The police officer that administers the tests is the only 'evaluator' of your performance and is therefore frequently documenting only the things that you do incorrectly or fail. As a result, in the vast majority of cases, a polite refusal to take any field sobriety test is appropriate.”
Near the end of their conversation, Ralph said that was starting to comprehend more about “drunk driving” laws and what ”driving under the influence” lawyers can do for a person who has received a ”drunk driving” arrest, but he was still wondering why he was stopped by the police in the first place. In his own words Ralph asked his father the following question: “Dad, why was I stopped by the police? Precisely what were they looking for”?
His father answered Ralph in the following manner: “Ralph, there are many different reasons why you could have been 'pulled over' by the police. Some illustrations include the following: weaving in and out of traffic, missing a front license plate, tinted windows, speeding, involvement in a traffic accident, driving erratically, and expired registration tags. What is more, an anonymous individual may have reported you to the police after seeing you leaving a restaurant, a sporting event, a party, or a bar 'under the influence' and getting behind the wheel of your vehicle. In short, there are many possible reasons why you were 'pulled over' by the police.”
After getting “educated” about "drunk driving" arrests, the role of DUI attorneys, and the fact that he didn’t have to agree to take any field sobriety tests at the time of his arrest, Ralph decided that he would without question hire a ”drunk driving” attorney to represent him in court.
Ralph Becomes Encouraged That He Will Always Drink In Moderation and Never Face Another "Driving Under the Influence" Arrest
Something else, however, happened after he had talked to his father. Ralph finally started to understand the critical nature of DWI arrests and as a result, he came to a decision that from this point forward, he would always drink responsibly so that he would never again have to go through another DWI arrest.
His father smiled at Ralph and told him the following, “son, it took me until I was thirty-five years old to realize what you just told me. I am really proud of you.
Ralph thanked his father and then said, "if I can always drink in moderation, I will never need to hire a DUI attorney again!"
Does Ralph Need Alcohol Treatment For His Alcoholism or For His Alcohol Abuse?
There was, however, one thing that neither Ralph nor his father thought about, namely, if Ralph needs alcohol rehab for his alcoholism or for his alcohol abuse. In fact, Ralph may be required by the court to get rehabilitation for his abusive and careless drinking.
