If it is your first time being charged with OUI, like most folks, here are a few things you should know right off the bat:
- You most likely aren’t going to jail, if you hire a competent lawyer, unless you are already on probation for something else, have a prior criminal record, or there was an accident and someone else was seriously hurt or killed.
- Very few people will know or find out about this. Its not big news for the rest of the world.
- Yes, your driver’s license is in jeopardy, and already may be suspended for a period of time if you refused or failed a breath test. But if getting your license back is the most important thing to you, it is possible to get it back very quickly, much sooner than the end of the suspension you may have right now.
- The case against you is probably not nearly as hopeless, or as good, as you think. Even a failed breath test is not the end of the world. But things you said to the police may come back to haunt you. Because of the stress, frustration and fear you were experiencing at the side of the road and when you were arrested, you are probably the least qualified person to assess your case.
- The police report is not evidence. A jury doesn’t see it. What is written in the police report may not sound to you like it has much to do with what really happened. That isn’t unusual, to be honest. But the police officer will have to testify live, in person, at a trial. He can’t just read his report. He will get cross-examined by your lawyer. There may be other sources of information that will show inaccuracies in the officer’s report, and his memory. Don’t read the report and give up. Lawyers look at police reports very differently than you do.
- There can be a lot of unexpected consequences of an OUI charge, depending upon how it is resolved. If you are found not guilty at trial or the case is dismissed by a judge, of course, you have nothing to worry about. But if you are found guilty, or if you plead guilty, or if the case is Continued Without A Finding, there may be what we call “collateral consequences” of the disposition. Simply, the OUI case can affect other, unexpected, areas of your life, from your right to own firearms, to your ability to participate in children’s school events, even your ability to travel outside the United States. And some of these consequences can be forever. There are lots of potential consequences that may or may not apply to you. You need to know before you make any decisions about how to proceed with your case.
- OUI cases are not simple. And they aren’t inexpensive. Even if you just want to resolve it as soon as possible and accept the consequences, you need to be represented by someone who knows what he or she is doing. (See the last paragraph above. ) If you want to assert your right to a trial and fight the charge, you will want a lawyer who has experience and training in OUI cases. A lawyer who can answer all your questions, and who can advise you about the things you don’t even know to ask about. Someone will always be willing to take your case for less money. Always. But you wouldn’t choose your doctor that way. Don’t choose your lawyer that way, either. The reality is, you get what you pay for.
So, if you’ve been charged with OUI in Massachusetts, here’s what you should do:
