As I discussed in my previous post, DWI charges in New York and New Jersey can effect people from all walks of life and have very serious consequences. Getting an experienced lawyer involved early can make the difference. Evidence needs to be obtained and preserved. For instance, are there credit card receipts or restaurant bills that can be obtained and demonstrate how much alcohol was consumed? Are there bartenders, waiters friends or family members that need to be interviewed and if there was an accident has the car and/or scene been photographed? Put simply, there are a myriad of facts that can be sought and preserved to obtain evidence to be used for your case.
Yet despite all of these potential avenues of attack and the severe consequences of a guilty plea, many attorneys simply recommend that their clients plead guilty without thoroughly investigating the case and without fully explaining all of the consequences of a guilty plea.
This is a scary period of time. You cannot afford to lose your head. The bottom line in all of this is simple. Consult an experienced attorney that you trust as soon as possible. Make sure that the lawyer you hire handles DWIs and then follow his or advice. Ask questions. Make sure you understand your rights and your responsibilities. All too often your actions after your arrest including when you hire an attorney and who you hire can have a significant effect on the outcome of the case.
Peter Tilem, is a practicing criminal defense lawyer in White Plains, New York and is Of Counsel to Fischer Porter & Thomas in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey. He is a former prosecutor in Manhattan and has handled numerous DWI cases as both a prosecutor and defense attorney.