San Francisco DUI Attorney Law: Know Your Rights before You Get Arrested

In San Francisco, DUI laws are a big deal.  Whoever you are, you can get arrested for driving under the influence.  DUI crimes can adversely affect your records, employment, and reputation.  If you’re aspiring to get hired by a large company, you might find it very difficult if you have a DUI record.  And it takes years before that record can be removed!  A single offense in DUI can cost you a great deal of money, time, effort, and embarrassment.  In these difficult times, facing legal charges is something that you don’t want to experience, no matter the level of seriousness.  Police officers in San Francisco are conducting drunk-driving tests, or sobriety tests, on a regular basis in an effort to stop road accidents due to DUI.

But sometimes, things happen just because they do.  And in the case DUI happens to you, you don’t want to be left hanging.  As a citizen in San Francisco, California, you must be very much aware of your rights during DUI proceedings.

What are your Rights?

1.     The Right to Be Represented

It is a fundamental right of any person to obtain due process of law.  It’s actually found in the constitution.  Therefore, it is your right to be represented by a lawyer.  When charged with DUI, contact a San Francisco attorney law office as soon as possible.  Make sure you hire a highly experienced attorney to make sure you’ll have bigger chance of winning the case.  The lawyer will be there to uphold your rights and make sure you are respected during the entire proceedings of the case.  He/she has the duty to carry out the necessary legal actions to uncover the truth and help you deal with the charges.

2.     The right to jury

During DUI cases, the accused has two options when it comes to the court proceedings.  You can either choose to have a jury, which will be composed of several people to decide whether you are guilty or not, or, if you don’t want to have a jury, you can simply opt for the judge to decide on your case.  Your San Francisco attorney law counsel will give you advice on which option is better for your situation.

3.     Right to Question the Accuser

You also have the right to question the person who accused, or charged you, with committing DUI.  For example, the police officer did not use a breathalyzer, or any form of sobriety test, but still you were arrested.  Your lawyer can therefore question the legitimacy of the accusations and can have the case dismissed because of the lack of proof.