Austin DUI Attorney



When a driver gets into legal trouble with the law because he's been arrested for DUI or DWI, he needs to retain a good lawyer because judges have come down hard on people who drink and drive. A good attorney can mean the difference between a simply attending a driver's education class and or spending time incarcerated in a jail. Sometimes, innocent people who do not even drink are arrested, yet they are subject to the same punishment as criminals. If you are arrested for driving while intoxicated in Travis County, you need an Austin DUI Attorney.



Austin police are vigilant to spot and pull over drunk drivers who drive erratically or swerve from lane to lane. Once stopped for apparent careless or reckless driving, the officer will ask to see the driver's license and vehicle registration. If the driver seems impaired, or if the officer smells alcohol, the officer will ask the driver to perform a sobriety test. Most drivers who are impaired because of the effects of alcohol will fail to pass a sobriety test. Once this happens, the officer is likely to make an arrest and/or perform a Breathalyzer test based on probable cause, and the car will be impounded. During the entire process, the officer will ask the driver if they've had anything to drink, or are any other substance. If the driver lies, this can result in additionally charges of lying to a police officer.

If the drunk driver has an auto accident that involves injury or damage to property, the stakes become higher. Besides criminal court, if the victim decides to sue he might face going to civil court. Losing a civil suit and not having insurance can mean years of garnished wages to make restitution or pay medical bills. Without proper representation by an attorney, not only is the driver likely to see a reduction in wages for many years, but also he's also likely to find himself in a high-risk insurance category, causing premiums to skyrocket.

Yet, most people don't know their rights when it comes to DUI and the law. They think that their having a few drinks automatically entitles the police to make an arrest. Fear and ignorance compounds the problem and causes them to jeopardize their chances to avoid being charged with a crime. Once they are arrested, the first phone call they should make should be to a lawyer. A good DUI lawyer will examine the merits of the case. They are trained to spot problems in the prosecutor's case, and navigate a course that will minimize the punishment, should any be forthcoming.