Knowledgeable Attorneys Offering Smart, Strategic DUI Defense
The attorneys at Fury Duarte PS are prepared to defend your rights and your freedom if you’ve been charged with drunk driving, vehicular manslaughter/homicide, or related offenses. We understand the science behind alcohol impairment and testing, we are well-versed in Washington DUI laws, and we have a strong record of success representing clients who have faced such charges.
Do You Have To Comply With Everything The Officer Asks?
If you are pulled over in Washington, you are required to comply with questions about your identity and requests to present your license. If the police officer suspects that you have been drinking, he or she may ask you to submit to field sobriety testing, which is a set of physical coordination tests meant to reveal signs of impairment.
You have the right to refuse to take these tests without an immediate penalty. If your case later ends up in court, however, your refusal to take the tests could be interpreted as evidence that you thought you were impaired. (This is according to a state Supreme Court ruling. Other states interpret refusal differently).
Field sobriety tests are somewhat subjective, and you could fail for reasons other than intoxication, such as a physical disability. If you refuse the test, it may be worthwhile to cite a specific reason other than alcohol.
At the roadside, the officer will also likely ask you to submit to a breath-alcohol test, commonly known as a breathalyzer. There is no penalty for refusing this test. However, once you have been arrested and asked to take a different breathalyzer or blood test, refusal would result in a one-year suspension of your driver’s license. Only you can decide (based on your suspected level of impairment) if refusing the second test is worth the suspension of your license.
We Examine All Evidence Critically
The details matter in any criminal case, and DUI charges are no exception. This area of law is so complex that specific classes are taught on the subject. In fact, one of our attorneys teaches such a class.
We will carefully examine all pieces of evidence, from toxicology reports to dashcam footage of the traffic stop to service and maintenance records of the breath-testing devices used in your case. We have a strong knowledge of the scientific principles behind alcohol impairment and tests to measure it, and if there are problems with the prosecution’s case, we will find them.
Once we assess the strength of the evidence, we will advise you of your legal options, weighing the likely outcome of any option you may choose.
Talk To A Tenacious DUI Defense Attorney Today
With an office in Bellevue, Fury Duarte serves clients throughout the state of Washington. To take advantage of a free initial consultation with one of our attorneys, call us at 425-329-8900 or fill out our online contact form.