DUI Law Firm Breckenridge, CO
If you have been arrested and charged with a DUI, it is imperative that you talk with our DUI law firm Breckenridge, CO at Zweig Law, PC. You must understand that it could have an effect on your career not only now, but well into the future. Our firm has known of cases where the arrested suffered from decades of repercussions just because of a DUI. If you are concerned about this, call our Breckenridge DUI law firm to find out whether or not there are any solutions.
If you are found guilty of a DUI, it is possible to be disqualified from certain driving license, including a pilot’s license and a commercial driving license. Your eligibility for any professional licensure in the future might also be affected. Due to the potential consequences of a DUI, it is worth your time to talk with a member of our legal team about how you may be able to avoid the most severe punishments.
Employer Concerns
Employers may have concerns with employing people who have a recent criminal record. The reasons often include:
- A criminal record can make it difficult for an employer to license or insure you.
- An employer might view the applicant as being a high-risk employee, irresponsible, or prone to stealing.
- A DUI conviction could lead the employer to feel that they don’t want to associate their image or brand with you.
The aforementioned might sound harsh, and unfair, but this is very possible. That said, a DUI doesn’t mean you won’t find employment. Even if your career or job isn’t directly affected by the DUI, the associated penalties could impact it.
The Consequences of a DUI
People who are convicted of a DUI usually move forward with life and overcome the challenges they had been presented with after receiving help from our Colorado DUI law firm in Breckenridge. These challenges are broad, but in relation to employment, could include:
- License Suspension – If you lose your license, and you might, you will need to find another way to get to work. This may be costly and unreliable.
- Insurance Loss – If your job involves you having to drive, your employer may be unable to insure you. This could actually result in a loss of your job.
- Mandatory Firing – Some employment contracts will state that a DUI or criminal conviction is grounds for firing. If this should be true, you may lose your job.
- Job Application – Most job applications will ask you whether you have any convictions or a clean driving record. Lying on these applications is not recommended and could result in immediate termination if you are hired.
- Professional License – Doctors, nurses, lawyers, and other professions may require you to have a professional license. This license should include all arrests and convictions. It is possible to lose this license if you get a DUI. Without this license, you may not be able to work.
- Missed Time from Work – Without a Breckenridge, CO DUI law firm on your side, you may have to miss work because of court appearances, community service, jail time, alcohol treatment, classes, and so forth. Too much time off work could cost you your job.
How a DUI May Affect a Child Custody Agreement
If you were charged with a DUI, you may be wondering if a conviction might affect your current child custody agreement. A DUI conviction will result in a wide range of punishments. Depending on how the court rules and the circumstances surrounding your arrest, you may be sentenced to jail time, required to pay fines, have your license suspended, and be ordered to attend mandatory alcohol rehabilitation classes. Another consideration for parents is that their child custody agreement may be affected. In fact, there is a very real possibility that your child’s other parent may attempt to leverage your DUI conviction and seek to revoke your custody or visitation rights. If you were charged with a DUI, consult a DUI law firm in Breckenridge, Colorado without delay for insight into how a conviction may impact your custody agreement.
Factors that Determine if a Child Custody Agreement Should be Modified
Though your child’s other parent may demand that your DUI conviction is sufficient reason to amend your child custody agreement, the court will likely view this differently. In most cases, a Judge will not respond with a knee jerk reaction to revoke your custody rights; rather, they are far likelier to consider the following factors when making their decision:
- You have been convicted of one or more DUI charges in the past.
- Your child was present in your vehicle when you were pulled over by a law enforcement officer.
- Your driver’s license has been suspended in the past for any reason, including but not limited to a DUI conviction.
- Your lifestyle is considered dangerous in some way and may be detrimental to your child’s welfare or best interests.
- You have been arrested and convicted on other criminal charges in the past.
When you present your case to the family law judge, it’s important that you are truthful and it’s also important that you provide clear information about why you do not feel it is necessary to amend the child custody agreement. Having an experienced DUI law firm in Breckenridge, Colorado, and one that also handles family law cases, by your side can speak on your behalf to the court and provide compelling information based on the circumstances of your case.
If your child custody agreement and divorce has not yet been finalized, the concerns you may have regarding how a DUI conviction could affect the outcome is reasonable and understandable. The family court judge is expected to consider the best interests of your child over your or the other parent’s best interests. The Judge may not be confident that you can safely and responsibly care for your child if they suspect you may have a drinking or drug problem.
It is critical that you contact a DUI law firm in Breckenridge, CO to represent you in traffic court for the best possible outcome in your DUI case. If the charge is dropped or reduced to a less serious crime, you may not have to be concerned about the other parent seeking changes to your child custody agreement.
How You Can Make Your DUI Case More Complicated
Let us say that you are driving along the Colorado highway and trying to make it to your destination when you are pulled over on suspicion of driving under the influence. This scenario can happen to any driver – including those who have not actually drunk anything. How you respond to a situation like this can largely depend on its outcome. To ensure your case (if you have one) is made easier, it is recommended that you consider these “don’ts”. Here, our DUI law firm in Breckenridge, CO explains some of the things you should not do unless you are set on making your case much more difficult than it should be.
Do Not Be Rude
If you have ever heard of the old proverb: “A soft answer turns away wrath.” you should certainly put it into action at the time of your DUI arrest. Regardless of how upset you might be because you have been pulled over, or whether or not you are guilty, there will be nothing good that comes from being rude to the police. At best, your behavior could be enough to arrest you, and at worst, the officer will make things complicated. As a DUI law firm in Breckenridge, CO, we would recommend that no matter what is going on, be polite.
Don’t Avoid Handing Over Your Documents
You should avoid driving without your license, registration, and/or proof of insurance. If you do not have these documents, you can be ticketed. Ideally, before the police officer has arrived at your window, you should have these documents ready to go. If you are looking everywhere for them, or they are falling out of your hand, it might cause the officer to believe you are not in control of your faculties. In the event that you do not have these documents, and you are arrested for a DUI, please call a Breckenridge, Colorado DUI law firm.
If You Were Drinking, Don’t Admit to It
It is common for a driver to think that a police officer will be more understanding if they let him or her know that they had a drink a short while ago. When the officer asks you whether you have drank, they are looking for context. Rather, they are simply determining whether there is a reason to arrest you. Even saying you have had one drink is enough to assume probable cause. It is your right to politely decline answering anything. Yes, you might be arrested by staying silent, but by giving no probable cause, you can improve your chances of winning your case.
As a DUI law firm Breckenridge, CO residents trust, we would recommend that you let the breathalyzer or blood test speak for itself if you are going to be arrested. Then call a DUI lawyer for help.
Wait Until You’ve Been Arrested Before You Submit to Testing
The police officer will likely ask you to submit to a field sobriety test or breath test. When speaking to you they might carefully word their questions in a way that makes it sound like you have to take these tests. Unless you are under 21, or are on probation for a DUI, you don’t have to submit to these tests until you have been arrested. By submitting the tests prior to your arrest, you essentially give up your rights. It is also difficult to pass some of these tests even when you are sober. Furthermore, an on-site breath test typically cannot be used in a court of law; however, it can act as probable cause for an arrest. Once you have been arrested, you are technically, and legally, required to submit to any requested tests. If you refuse them at this point, you can face very harsh penalties. Following your arrest, it is your right to ask to speak with a DUI law firm in Breckenridge, Colorado.
Call a Breckenridge, CO DUI Law Firm
Zweig Law, PC is a DUI law firm in Breckenridge, CO that handles many different criminal cases. Given the fact that our firm has several lawyers, we also have family lawyers who can act as vital support in your DUI case. This makes a big difference in how cases are handled, as well as their outcome.
You can fight a DUI. Call Zweig Law, PC to speak with a lawyer at our DUI law firm in Breckenridge, Colorado right away.