If you are arrested for DUI in Norfolk, you face harsh penalties if you are convicted—even if it is your first offense. In addition, you will have a permanent criminal record that will have long-term consequences in your life after you complete your sentence.
Mounting a strong defense can result in the charges being dismissed or reduced to a less serious offense. Depending on the issues in your case, it may be beneficial to hire an expert witness to prove the defenses you are raising.
Expert Witness That Are Used In DUI Cases
An expert witness is someone who has the qualifications—based on his education, training, and experiences—to give an opinion on an issue in your case or evidence being used against you. Here are some common expert witnesses that may be able to help you fight the charges you face:
- Law enforcement official. A police officer or other law enforcement official will have a detailed understanding of the procedures that must be followed when stopping you for DUI and conducting field sobriety, breathalyzer, and blood tests, and whether they were violated in your case. If these procedures were not properly followed, your constitutional rights may have been violated or test results may be invalid. This could result in the charges against you being dismissed.
- Forensic toxicologist. A common type of expert used in DUI cases is a forensic toxicologist who has a detailed understanding of how alcohol is absorbed in the body, how this affects blood alcohol content (BAC), and different medications that can result in a false positive breathalyzer or blood test. In addition, he also can spot errors in how these DUI tests were administered that could affect the test results.
- Field sobriety expert. Detailed rules must be followed when the police stop you for DUI and ask you to submit to field sobriety tests. Failure to properly conduct these tests can render the officer’s findings invalid and may eliminate the probable cause for the officer to arrest you. A field sobriety expert may be able to help you prove this.
- Accident reconstruction expert. If you were involved in a car accident when arrested for DUI, you may need an accident reconstruction expert to establish that your intoxication did not cause your crash. He has the training and expertise to use the police report, photos of the accident scene, and other evidence to create a computer-generated reenactment of how your collision occurred.
How to Locate the Expert Witnesses You Need
How do you find the expert witness you need to fight your DUI charges? Your best strategy is to hire an experienced DUI attorney. He can identify the defenses in your case where an expert witness would be useful and will have a network of qualified expert witnesses. To learn how we have successfully defended clients charged with DUI and how we can assist you, call our Norfolk office to schedule a free consultation today.
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