West Jordan Utah Drunk
Driving / DUI /
DWI Defense Attorney
Prosecutors and judges in
West Jordan take drunk driving charges
seriously. Being in
actual
physical control of a vehicle or driving while intoxicated
can result in substantial fines, jail time, losing your license, having
an ignition interlock
device required in your car, and other probation conditions.
You could also be facing felony enhancements for
subsequent DUI convictions. As an experienced
Utah
criminal defense lawyer, Stephen Howard can help.
West Jordan DUI Defense - Better Than "Aggressive"

When it comes to
Utah DUI defense, "
aggressive"
isn't good enough. Defending a DUI in Utah requires a solid
understanding of the testing standards and
procedures, medical issues
that may result in flawed test results, how the results of these tests
are analyzed, Fourth
Amendment law that may affect the admissibility of illegally obtained
evidence, and more.
You need to go beyond an "aggressive" defense. If you are
facing a DUI charge in West Jordan or anywhere in Utah, you
need an
experienced attorney who not only knows how to
fight hard, but more importantly, can fight smart.
West Jordan "Drunk Driving" - Not Just Alcohol
Utah's
drunk driving laws apply to more than just alcohol. The
typical
DUI charge involves allegations that a person's blood or breath alcohol
level is above 0.08, or that the person is so
intoxicated
that they are unable to safely operate the vehicle. This is
often proven by use of a blood test or breath test
("Intoxilyzer" test).
A prosecutor may also try to prove intoxictation
without
these tests by introducing evidence poor performance on field sobriety
tests (FST's) or a reckless driving pattern.
Even if a person has not had any alcohol to drink,
prosecutors can file
charges based on a person having a "measurable amount" of a controlled
substance metabolite in their blood or urine. Even if you are
not currently under the influence of any drug or
medication, some controlled substance metabolites can stay in
your system for days and
even weeks after the drug was used. If blood or urine tests
are positive for the presense of a drug or drug metabolite, you may
find yourself facing prosecution. Sometimes these
tests indicate
only the
presence of lawfully prescribed and medically appropriate medications.
But a prosecutor may still file charges against you.
You need a strong defense attorney on your side.
Consequences of a DUI Conviction in West Jordan Utah
The
consequences of a Utah DUI conviction can be serious. Even a
first time DUI will often result in jail time. The fines are
substantial, and the conditions of probation can be heavy. If
an injury occurs, the consequences go up dramatically. If
someone is killed in a DUI-related accident, you could be facing
automobile homicide charges.
Even
without a conviction, the Utah Driver License Division can suspend your
driver license for 120 days for a first DUI charge, or for two years if
it is your second or subsequent DUI charge. The Driver
License
Division can take action even before you go to court unless
you
request a hearing within 10 days from the date you are cited with DUI
or other alcohol-related offenses. You have the right to be
represented by an attorney at this hearing. But unless the
hearing is requested within 10 days, the Driver License Division will
take action on its own.
Defending your
Utah
DUI
charge right the first time is critical. Subsequent
convictions
can result in enhanced penalties and felony charges. You need
an
experienced Utah defense attorney on your side.
With offices in downtown Salt Lake City, Stephen Howard is pleased to
serve clients in West Jordan and throughout Utah. He has
a track record of achieving
real
results for his clients.
Contact us to schedule
an initial consultation with
Salt
Lake criminal defense lawyer Stephen Howard.