Oakland County Drunk Driving Attorneys
Michigan’s Elite Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) Defense Firm will Protect and Defend you in Oakland County, MI
Oakland County Operating While Intoxicated Attorney
Drunk Driving (DUI), also known as Operating While Intoxicated (OWI), is a serious offense with potentially serious consequences. If you are charged, you need the protection of experienced Oakland County drunk driving attorneys. Prosecutors charging felony and misdemeanor drunken driving offenses in Oakland County, Michigan, are particularly hard-nosed.
OWI is the only crime where you can be convicted based upon a police officer’s opinion, which means it is an opinion crime. Can you name one other crime where you can be convicted without harming any person or property? Frequently, the prosecution centers its case around the opinion of a police officer. In the typical OWI case, the arresting officer may allege that the motorist exhibited signs of intoxication: the odor of an alcoholic beverage, bloodshot and watery eyes, slurred speech, and an unsteady on their feet. These observations are subjective. Every motorist is presumed innocent, and the prosecution has the burden to prove guilt beyond any reasonable doubt. Only the most experienced and successful Oakland County Drunk Driving Attorneys have a track record of achieving extraordinary results in these complex, subjective cases.
OWI Penalties Are Serious In Oakland County, Michigan
DWI is politically unpopular in Oakland County, Michigan. As a result, legislators regularly try to give prosecutors and courts more tools to pursue convictions and increase the severity of the penalties in DUI cases. Some might argue that judges, prosecutors, and politicians rig the system to facilitate convictions. Advocacy groups such as MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) lobby for more stringent and harsh OWI laws and encourage law enforcement to make more arrests.
A DWI is one of the most common criminal offenses in the Oakland County, Michigan courts. Even in misdemeanor cases, you face possible jail sentences if convicted due to political pressure and some of the toughest judges in Michigan. Furthermore, a jail sentence may be in addition to:
- substantial fines,
- lengthy periods of community service,
- months or years reporting to a probation officer,
- loss or restriction of your driver’s license,
- costly and time-consuming alcohol or drug therapy, and
- numerous other intrusions which may invade your privacy and your wallet.
If your driver’s license is revoked, you will not be able to drive again until Michigan (or another state) grants you this privilege.
People with a DUI conviction may have trouble obtaining or keeping a professional license (doctors, lawyers, nurses, etc.) or a security clearance, preventing current or future employment. An alcohol-related conviction could interfere with obtaining loans or prevent you from traveling to other countries such as Canada. The Oakland County Michigan Drunk Driving Attorneys with LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. are your best hope for avoiding the consequences of a conviction.
An Experienced DUI Lawyer Can Help You – There is Hope
Suppose you have been arrested or charged with Operating Under the Influence of drugs or alcohol. In that case, it is critical that you have a lawyer who understands all the potential evidence in DUI cases, including breath testing, blood testing, and the pseudo-science of standardized field sobriety testing. All the nuances and complexity specific to DWI trial advocacy make drunk driving defense one of the most complex fields in criminal defense. The attorneys at LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. have this experience and are ethical, knowledgeable, and dedicated. We are also criminal defense specialists who exclusively handle criminal cases instead of the jack-of-all-trade lawyers who handle multiple areas of the law and are experts at none of them.
The problem occurs when innocent people get caught up in overzealous police actions, or the police feel justified in violating a person’s civil rights to justify an OWI arrest and conviction. More innocent people get convicted of OWI than any other crime. DWI is a serious crime, and too many people are seriously injured and killed by individuals driving under the influence. We all want our roads to be safe. However, the Oakland County Michigan Drunk Driving Attorneys at LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. strongly believe that the playing field must be leveled for you if you face being charged with a crime by the government and all the power that it has behind it. Let us show you how we can turn the tables to your advantage!
DUI Plea Bargaining and Trial Lawyer
Not all DWI cases are headed for trial. A savvy, respected lawyer can negotiate a plea bargain with the prosecutor in many cases. The attorneys at LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. have the poise, tact, experience, and professionalism required to be an effective plea negotiator. Although achieving a dismissal of all charges is our highest priority, there are cases where a plea bargain to a reduced charge is in the client’s best interest. Sometimes a quick plea agreement is in the best interest of the client. Other times, it takes perseverance, persistence, and significant effort on the attorney’s part to obtain a satisfactory plea agreement. However, if a plea agreement is not possible, it is critical to have an attorney who understands how to try a DWI case. When a case is aggressively and intelligently defended, there are even circumstances when an OWI case can be reduced to reckless driving, careless driving, or other civil infraction.
How does a lawyer achieve an extraordinary resolution in a case? By being a credible threat. We are very well known in Oakland County, Michigan, and widely considered among the top OWI trial lawyers. Prosecutors and judges know they do not treat our clients fairly, that we will fight the charges, and do whatever is necessary to protect their rights.
Drunk Driving Attorneys with a Track-Record of Success Handling Cases in Oakland County, Michigan
Many people arrested for DUI feel they have already been pronounced guilty of a crime. If you’ve been ticketed or arrested for DUI, you should speak to one of the experienced DUI attorneys at LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. We will help you discover how your case can be successfully resolved before you make an ill-advised decision to plead guilty or no contest. LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. has a better pool of resources than other law firms in Oakland County, Michigan. We are backed by a team of highly experienced investigators and leading forensic and toxicology experts. These specialists can sometimes help us disprove your breathalyzer or blood test results to win your case.
If you, or a loved one, is charged with operating while intoxicated or driving under the influence of alcohol, a controlled substance, or prescription medication, contact the Oakland County Michigan drunk driving attorneys at LEWIS & DICKSTEIN, P.L.L.C. We will put decades of DUI defense experience to work for you.
Call us today at (248) 263-6800 for a free consultation or complete a Request for Assistance Form. We will contact you promptly and find a way to help you.
We will find a way to help you and, most importantly,
we are not afraid to win!
