4 Steps To Take After Your DUI Charge

1. Switch Your Social Media Accounts To Private

A tip that wouldn't have existed 20 years ago, this is a must in the digital age. Prosecutors may pour over your public social accounts looking for evidence to incriminate you. As social media evolves, the potential 'traps' vary and multiply. Snapchat has become a pervasive and inescapable presence in the social sphere. Drinking and smoking marijuana are prime fodder for the Snapchat camera. Most presume their posts are protected by their privacy settings and are visible only to friends. In reality, if you did not explicitly set your settings this way, anyone who adds your account could theoretically view your story.

Furthermore, now that Snapchat has introduced ‘Our Story,' for a given state, college campus or event, you have the opportunity to post something that is available for public consumption and may be used against you, as in the case of one Iowa college student. Snapchat is risky precisely because privacy is assumed, so one wouldn't take measures to mark it private like the more obvious culprits Facebook, Instagram and Twitter - with their more up front privacy setting systems. As soon as you can, switch all your social media accounts to private, even if you posted nothing on the night of your arrest. The prosecutor could present an image or status update out of context to paint a defamatory picture of you. Jury opinion of your character is critical; do not give the prosecution ammunition in your case. Set everything to private.

2. Write Down Everything You Remember

No matter how insignificant, write down as much as you can remember from your DUI arrest. Spare no detail; paint as complete a picture as you can. The more your Georgia DUI attorney knows, the better a defense they can build for you. Do not let a faded memory be a discredit to your DUI defense - write an extensive account of every aspect that you can remember. What reason did the officer give for stopping your vehicle? Which tests did you undergo to determine you were driving under the influence? Where and when did the stop take place? What questions did the officer ask you and what answers did you give, if any? Be sure to share this information exclusively with your attorney. It could be very helpful down the road.

3. Find Witnesses to Bolster Your Case

While not technically a necessity, witnesses can make a huge difference in a DUI case. Speak with family and friends to ask if they would be willing to testify on your behalf. Ideally, witness testimony can strengthen your case. This can be a good counterbalance in case the prosecution calls hostile witnesses to testify against you. Keep in mind that your DUI may never even reach the trial stage, so you may not need to call witnesses to testify for you. But it doesn't hurt to have a cursory conversation with friends and family if you are comfortable doing so.

4. Contact an aggressive, experienced Georgia DUI attorney

Perhaps the most important step you can take in your drunk driving charge is recruiting an accomplished DUI attorney to represent you in your case. The caliber of the legal representation you select can be the difference between a dismissed or reduced charge and a conviction. The sooner you contact the experienced DUI attorneys at the Law Offices of Richard Lawson, the better your chances of beating your charge. Waste no time, contact Richard Lawson today.