As you may be aware, it is unfortunately far too easy to unintentionally drive drunk. Because alcohol metabolizes differently depending on a variety of factors, you may feel quite alert and sober even when your blood-alcohol content reads above the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
Chances are that if you are facing drunk driving charges for the first time, you have wound up in this position because of the kind of mix-up we just mentioned or because of an uncharacteristic mistake on your part. You are likely frustrated, angry and anxious about the situation. Thankfully, keeping a few things in mind should help to calm your fears and put things in perspective.
First, if you hire an attorney who is experienced in drunk driving cases and who seems like a good fit for your situation, you are likely in good hands. You may not be able to avoid legal consequences entirely, but a good attorney can help to ensure that you understand the process, that you are educated about your options and that you avoid harsh punishments when possible.
Second, you may be able to get this offense expunged from your record in the future. In order to keep this option potentially viable, you will need to avoid further infractions and you will need to speak to your attorney about other related requirements.
Third, please remember that you are not alone. As we previously mentioned, it is surprisingly easy for even the most responsible adults to incur a drunk driving infraction once. If you take good care to ensure that it never happens again and you get an experienced attorney to represent you, this frustrating experience can be made as painless as possible and will eventually be simply a mistake you only made once.
Source: Findlaw Blotter, “1st-Time DUI: 5 Things You Should Know,” Jenny Tsay, March 7, 2014