Typically, a number of ways exist to handle any given situation. When facing criminal charges, you may benefit from reviewing your defense options to determine what may best fit your circumstances and yield the best outcome possible.
In particular, there are many ways to handle a charge for DUI. You may have a solid defense due to a particular detail of your case, or you may need more time to construct a defense.
Common defenses
While the following types of defense may not suit your situation, they could give you insight into the possibilities.
- Mistake of fact: If you drove after consuming alcohol or taking a prescription medication, you may have done so because you genuinely believed the intoxicating effects had worn off.
- Necessity: You may have found yourself in a scary situation, and though you had consumed alcohol, you may have believed that it was better for you to drive than remain at a location where you may have suffered harm.
- Entrapment: If for some reason an officer encouraged you to consume alcohol and drive, you may have the ability to argue that entrapment took place.
- Duress: Driving under duress is similar to that of necessity. If someone is forcing you to drive after you consumed alcohol, you may do so in hopes of avoiding harm.
- Involuntary intoxication: You could also end up behind the wheel after consuming alcohol without your knowledge. For instance, someone may have given you an alcoholic drink and told you it did not contain alcohol, or someone may have spiked your drink without your knowledge.
If you do not think that any of these defenses specifically suit your case, you do not have to panic. As mentioned, a number of different tactics could exist that would better suit your situation.
Finding the right path
To determine the proper defense for your case, it is smart to enlist the help of an experienced DUI defense attorney.
