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The Palm Beach Gardens DUI lawyers at the Law Offices of John Olea, P.A. help people who have been arrested or those who were charged with a DUI. If you were arrested for a DUI in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, you could face the loss of your driver’s license, could potentially face jail time, fines and fees, and be required to use an ignition interlock device. You could also face collateral consequences like higher insurance rates and a criminal record that can impact your ability to get certain jobs. If you have been charged with a DUI, it is important to understand that you are innocent until proven guilty. You have the right to defend your innocence in court. A Palm Beach Gardens, Florida DUI defense lawyer can review the details of your case, and determine whether you may be able to fight to get your charges dismissed or reduced, or barring that, fight to help you get the best possible plea deal for your case.

 

You can be charged with a DUI if police officers believe you were operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If your BAC was above 0.08, you could face charges with a DUI. But even if you didn’t have a high BAC, you could still face charges for driving while under the influence if police officers believe you were under the influence of marijuana, a controlled substance, or other chemical, even prescription drugs.

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Driving Under the Influence (DUI), also called Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) in other parts of the country, is a very serious crime. Also, in Florida, it is possible to get a DUI without actually moving your vehicle.

 

It is illegal to “operate” or be in “actual physical control” of a vehicle while impaired. For instance, an intoxicated motorist who is found by police slumped over the wheel with keys in hand could be prosecuted for DUI even though the car never moved.

 

If you have been charged with DUI, contact the Law Offices of John Olea immediately.

 

Prosecution for DUI is aggressive. The Law Offices of John Olea, P.A. have the proper experience to help you defend yourself and fight back.

 

Keep in mind, Florida has “implied consent” laws. All motorists lawfully arrested for DUI must submit to chemical testing (blood, breath, or urine) for the purpose of determining the amount of alcohol or drugs in their systems. If a person refuses, they possibly face an immediate one-year suspension of their license. In Florida, it is a misdemeanor to refuse testing if have had your license suspended in the past and refuse a chemical test. (Fla. Stat. Ann. § 316.1939.)

 

The penalties for DUI may include:

 

• Substantial fines

• Jail time or probation

• Loss of your license

• Mandatory installation of an interlock device on your car

• Higher insurance rates

 

Driving Under the Influence cases can we successfully defended by the proper attorney and employing the intelligent and fair strategies.

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• Filing pretrial motions to suppress evidence

• Challenging the evidence 

• Retest the evidence 

• Review environmental factors

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A DUI defense lawyer in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida may be able to utilize various strategies to help you fight your DUI charge. Every case is unique. Contact a Palm Beach Gardens, Florida DUI defense lawyer at the Law Offices of John Olea, P.A. today. Attorney John Olea has successfully defended many hundreds of cases, from the most serious to simple infractions. John is sensitive to the fact that any charge, even a minor one, can be absolutely devastating and cause emotional, financial, and other hardships. John devotes his time and thorough attention to the individual circumstances and details of every client’s case.

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida DUI Defense Strategies

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Here are some ways that the DUI defense lawyer in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida at the Law Offices of John Olea, P.A. may be able to help you.

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• Challenge Field Sobriety Tests. Field sobriety tests have been known to produce false positives in certain situations. For example, if the officer performing the field sobriety test wasn’t recently trained in procedures or failed to perform the field sobriety test by the book, he or she could end up with erroneous results. Other issues can affect a field sobriety test. If you were fatigued, had certain medical conditions, or were nervous during the test, your results could have produced a false positive. Even seemingly minor things, like if you were a woman wearing heels, could also potentially affect your test. If the only evidence against you is an officer’s field sobriety test, you may want to speak to the Palm Beach Gardens DUI lawyer at the Law Office of John Olea, P.A. today. Our DUI defense lawyer can see when the officer who performed your field sobriety test was last trained, cross-examine the officer to see how he or she performed the test, and help you fight for your rights.

• Challenge Officer’s Observations. In general, police officer’s observations are valued highly in a court of law. Yet, your DUI defense lawyer in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida may be able to take a closer look at the conclusions your officer drew and offer possible alternatives. For example, if your officer believed you were driving under the influence of marijuana because you had red eyes, a DUI defense lawyer in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida may be able to offer other true alternatives. If you have allergies, were healing from a cold, had an eye condition or eye infection at the time, or have other medical conditions that could result in red eyes, you may be able to challenge the police officer’s assessment that you were driving under the influence. Sometimes officers may charge a person with a DUI because the person’s breath smells of alcohol. But a person’s breath can smell alcohol if he or she used a breath spray or if he or she was drinking non-alcoholic beverages that also produce a similar smell.

• Faulty breath testing equipment. Breath testing equipment can fail or produce false positives if it isn’t properly maintained or calibrated or if officers aren’t properly trained on how to use these devices. A DUI defense lawyer in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida at the Law Offices of John Olea, P.A. can review the type of device used to check your BAC, see when the device was last checked or maintained, and help you understand whether the device might have produced a faulty result.

• Procedural errors. Sometimes officers stop individuals not because they appear to be committing a crime but because they might be racially profiling. If you believe your civil rights were violated during a DUI stop or believe you were wrongfully accused of a DUI, a DUI defense lawyer in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida at the Law Offices of John Olea, P.A. may be able to help you. Our DUI defense lawyers can review the details of your stop and police reports, and also review any evidence gathered against you to determine if officers mishandled evidence, failed to read you your rights, or otherwise made errors during your arrest. If mistakes were made, evidence may be inadmissible, and your charges could potentially be dropped. Every case is unique, though. To learn more, contact the DUI defense lawyers in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida at the Law Offices of John Olea, P.A. today.

 

These are just some of the potential DUI defenses that may be available to you. A DUI defense lawyer in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida can take the time to understand your unique situation. Even if a defense like the one above cannot be used, sometimes the courts may reduce your charges if you agree to drug and alcohol treatment or other programs. Let the Law Offices of John Olea, P.A., DUI defense lawyers in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida help you. Facing DUI charges can be frightening. You don’t have to face them alone.

 

John Olea is personally available to discuss your case and answer any questions. Call 561-624-7717