What Will You Do if You Are Pulled Over?
If you are stopped for drunk driving, you have an important decision to make. Do you plead guilty immediately? Or do you contact a lawyer to represent you? Operating Under the Influence (OUI) is a serious charge — trying to fight it without the help of a defense lawyer can be very costly. You could lose your driver's license, serve time in jail and pay more for auto insurance.
I am attorney Stephen E. Dawley. I have more than 30 years of experience defending people in Massachusetts against drunk driving and OUI/drug charges. I can help you fight these charges and argue for you to keep your driver's license. Please call my Framingham office at 508-283-3095 for an appointment. You could also send an e-mail if you prefer.
Consequences of OUI Convictions
A conviction for OUI (sometimes known as a "DWI or DUI") will remain on your record for life. You may lose your license for a year or more, pay hefty fines and even spend time in jail. You may run into trouble when seeking career or educational opportunities in the future. An OUI conviction will also likely cause your auto insurance rates to increase.
Depending on the circumstances, I might be able to request a 24D disposition. This gives the judge the opportunity of granting what is known as a "continuance without finding," wherein you will not be convicted or forced to plead guilty right away; you will (essentially) be placed on probation with conditions. After you have met all the conditions given, the charge will be dismissed — you will not have an arrest or a conviction on your record. You may still qualify for what is known as a "hardship license" that will allow you to drive to work or school and to perform essential household errands.
Fighting Drunk Driving Charges
I will examine the circumstances of your drunk driving arrest to see if everything was handled properly. Was the stop legal? Were the reasons for the stop valid? What was the officer's reasonable suspicion for the stop? Were there allegations that you were drifting over the line, had broken taillights or you had changed lanes without signaling? Were you stopped at an illegal roadblock?
It is also important to examine the validity of field sobriety tests, blood alcohol tests and breathalyzer tests.
Call Today
I will meet clients at the jail if necessary. Please call 508-283-3095 or send me an e-mail today.
