If you were charged with an OWI, or operating while under the influence, it is important that you hire an OWI lawyer to help you fight the charge. An OWI is a criminal charge that can impact not only your ability to drive, but also your ability to get certain jobs in the future, the amount your insurance will cost, and even your ability to travel in certain countries. A great OWI attorney will use defenses to help raise reasonable doubt in front of a judge or jury. Here are a few of the common defenses that an OWI lawyer may raise to help fight an OWI charge. 

No Probable Cause Existed to Pull You Over

A police officer must have probable cause to pull you over. They cannot simply pull you over because you were leaving a bar or a dispensary. If you did not commit any traffic infractions, an OWI defense lawyer may raise the case that there was no probable cause to pull you over. They may even request footage from nearby cameras or the officer's dashboard cam to show there was no reason to pull you over. 

You Were Not Operating While Intoxicated

Another common defense that an OWI attorney may use to fight an OWI charge is that you were not operating while you were intoxicated. For example, if you pulled over to the side of the road or were in a parking lot, and an officer came up behind you to ensure you were safe, they may make a case that you have keys in your hand and your vehicle is not at home. But, in many states, if you were not actively driving, you may not have met the criteria to be charged with an OWI. 

There Are Issues With the Breathalyzer Results

Another defense an OWI lawyer may use pertains specifically to alcohol-related OWI charges. A lawyer may raise issues with the breathalyzer test. The test may have been taken too long after you had your last drink or the breathalyzer may not have been properly maintained and calibrated, invalidating any results. An attorney may work to discredit the breathalyzer results in order to win your case. 

A great OWI lawyer will look at the specifics of your case and work to get the charges against you reduced or dismissed. If that is not possible, they may decide to take your case to trial. At trial, they will use a specific defense, such as the three listed above, to try to get a judge or jury to have reasonable doubt that you committed the crime. Click for more info about how an OWI attorney can help you if you have been charged with an OWI.  

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