- April 6, 2018 |
- Category: DUI and Courtroom Process
- Category: Past Cases
If you’ve been charged with DUI in an Ohio court, your initial court appearance will typically take place within five days of the DUI incident. The initial court appearance is called an arraignment. You should receive a citation from the arresting officer that includes a considerable amount of information, including the charges you are facing, the date of your arraignment and the location of the court in which you must appear. If you’re going to obtain a DUI lawyer to represent you, it’s important to do so immediately, before your arraignment.
The Ohio Traffic Rules, specifically Rule 8, govern the arraignment and state that the hearing is to be conducted in open court. The court is required to read the charges out loud and will often provide information about the potential penalties you’re facing. The court is also required to obtain a formal plea from you, which can be guilty, not guilty or no contest. If you’re facing a DUI charge anywhere in Ohio, it is extremely important to consult with a DUI lawyer before you get to this point in the case. If you choose to plead guilty and waive your right to an attorney, the judge can immediately sentence you to substantial penalties, including six months in jail and a three-year license suspension, even on a first DUI offense.
In many Ohio jurisdictions, the DUI attorney can file paperwork that makes it unnecessary for you to attend the initial court hearing. I find this can be very helpful for people who live out of state or who have difficulty getting time off work. However, it may be beneficial to attend so that you and your attorney can address pressing matters like driving privileges, vehicle immobilization, or an appeal of the administrative license suspension. Once you obtain a DUI lawyer, ask whether it would be helpful for you to attend the initial hearing.
I realize that your first court appearance is probably somewhat intimidating, but it is relatively painless experience. With the right DUI lawyer, you’ll probably walk away realizing that the case is not as bad as you first imagined.
No Ohio DUI/OVI arrest is perfect and the best Ohio DUI/OVI lawyers know this. Most Ohio DUI/OVI investigations include a number of witnesses, including police officers and the personnel who collect, store and test chemical samples. These witnesses are human and they make mistakes.
There are over a million laws in the United States and thousands in the state of Ohio alone. I am a top Ohio DUI lawyer who focuses his entire practice on just one. Because of my considerable experience and concentrated practice, I understand the Ohio DUI/OVI laws better than most attorneys in the state. I am passionate about Ohio DUI/OVI defense and I get results. If you have an Ohio DUI case and want a top Ohio DUI/OVI lawyer to represent you, please give me a call.
