When you are arrested for a DUI in Scottsdale, Arizona, you will want to do everything possible to improve the outcome of your case. These are things you should start working on within 24 hours of your arrest as they will be very likely to make the difference between a conviction and possibly having your charges totally dismissed.
Hire a DUI Attorney
Before too much time passes, you will want to hire a Scottsdale DUI attorney who has been successful in defending against DUI charges. Once you have hired someone, you should talk to them about your charges and what options are available for defending yourself against these charges. This is not something you should attempt to do yourself as the criminal justice system is a maze of laws, procedures, protocols and time lines. When you try to navigate these things alone, without help from a good Scottsdale DUI defense attorney, you will be on a fast track to a conviction.
Get a DUI Screening
No matter when you end up in court, make sure you have a DUI screening completed. Your attorney will likely advise this from the beginning, but even if they do not give you that advice, you should do it. It shows that you are taking responsibility for your actions. Even if you did nothing wrong, it is best to have this done ahead of time. Should there come a day where you are convicted of a DUI in Arizona, then you would end up having to do this screening anyway, so you cut down on potential future obstacles.
Create a Detailed Narrative of the Incident
Whether you write, type, or find some other way to document the incident, it is important for you to do so before you forget about the specific facts that occurred when you were confronted by a police officer – including statements that both of you made. Make sure you include points about:
- What and when you ate and drank
- Any drugs or medication you took or had in your system
- Weather conditions and landscaping including things like large puddles, branches from wind gusts, or even hailstones
- What the terrain or landscaping was like in the area you were pulled over in
- What damage was done to any of the vehicles involved
- Any injuries that you or another person who was involved in the incident suffered
This is something your attorney will want to review to determine if any of your Constitutional Rights were violated.
Medications and Physical Limitations
It is possible that the medications you are on or any physical limitations you have could have impaired your ability to perform the field sobriety tests. They could do so in such a way that an officer may have improperly concluded that you were impaired when you were driving. None of these should be reasons for you to receive a revoked driver’s license.
Get Documentation of Your DUI
When you were pulled over, you should have been given documents relating to your citation, ticket, and/or arrest. It is important for you to give these to your attorney. They will want to see the dates and understand the information in them, so they can understand how this will affect your charges. This will also help them build a better defense for you.
Contact the Arizona MVD (a.k.a. Motor Vehicle Department) to get a Hearing
Typically, the Scottsdale police will take your driver’s license and you will receive a notice of suspension. However, if you have an out-of-state license or are charged with a drug-related DUI, this will be somewhat different. In either case, you will only have 15 days during which you can request an MVD hearing (a.k.a. Admin Per Se hearing). This time starts on the day you first received the notice, which is usually your date of arrest. It is important to understand that this is a second civil matter, separate from your criminal charges. What this means is you are dealing with two different entities:
- The Arizona State or County Court and Prosecution
- The Arizona MVD
Make a Note of Your Court Date, Time, and Location
You do not want to make the mistake of forgetting about or showing up late for your designated court date and time. When you do so, the Scottsdale court can immediately issue a warrant for your arrest. You have no excuse for this either, since all the information you need is on the citation itself. Sometimes your attorney can show up on your behalf, but do not assume that this is how it will work. You must show responsibility, especially if you want to try to avoid getting a revoked driver’s license.
Get Your car Back if It Has Been Impounded
Law enforcement agents in Scottsdale, Arizona can impound your car for 30 days if you are arrested for DUI. You are responsible for all fees associated with this. You can request an impound hearing – an information hearing that is typically conducted by phone. This is the only way you can get your vehicle released from the impound lot, so make sure you do this immediately.
Take Photographs of the Location and Vehicle Involved in the Stop or Arrest
It is possible to challenge the police’s stop if you have photographs showing a lack of support for things the police were relying on as a reason to stop you. This is why it is so important to take photographs of anything that is related to the scene or referenced by the police – including objects you may have hit and any barriers that may have existed at the time of the incident.
Take Care of Your Insurance, Registration, Fines, and Tickets
When you have a revoked driver’s license there will be many things you must take care of. First and foremost, if you were cited for not having insurance or for having proper registration, it is important for you to get proof that you did indeed have these things in place. While you are working on this, you should also take care of any previous problems you have had with your driver’s license that you’ve let pile up because these will grow worse after you are convicted of a DUI.
It’s Time to Get Serious!
When you’re ready to take control of your DUI charges, you should reach out to us at Alcohol Screening Scottsdale at 602-682-7017. While the police have already made up their mind that you should be convicted and prosecuted, you can still do things to help your case. We offer several services, including DUI screenings, rehab suggestions, and even help to get over an addiction to alcohol. Please reach out to us today and let us help you start getting your life back online. There is no reason to wait even one more day!