Defending Yourself Against a DUI in Milford, Connecticut

• You Don’t Have to Volunteer Extra Information to the Officer. In Connecticut, if you are stopped for a DUI, you are only required to provide an officer with your driver’s license, your proof of registration, and your proof of insurance. You do not have to engage the officer in conversation or answer any further questions. They may ask you, “Have you been drinking tonight?”, or “How much have you had to drink tonight?” You are not required to answer those questions, and should not do so. You do not need to volunteer any additional information to police. They are likely trying to establish probable cause for a DUI arrest.
• You Don’t Have to Take a Field Sobriety Test or a Preliminary Alcohol Screening. Field Sobriety Tests are the maneuvers cops have people perform when they pull them over on suspicion of DUI, ostensibly to test their sobriety. The tasks can be as simple as walking in a straight line, but may be so difficult that they would be hard to perform sober.

Preliminary alcohol screenings, meanwhile, are breathalyzer tests conducted on the spot, which police often ask you to take if you are being pulled over on suspicion of a DUI.

If you are pulled over on suspicion of a DUI in Milford, Connecticut, you do NOT have to take either of these tests. Though police officers may make it seem compulsory, Connecticut State Law does not require you to take either a Field Sobriety Test or a Preliminary Alcohol Screening. Many drivers take these tests when asked, either because they don’t know the tests aren’t mandatory, or because they feel that this is their chance to “prove” to the officer that they aren’t impaired.

The fact of the matter is that officers are rarely “convinced” by these tests. They are usually only looking for probable cause to close their DUI arrest. It is often best not to submit to these tests, especially if you have not yet spoken to an attorney on the matter.

• Call an Attorney as Soon as You Can. In some cases, officers will claim probable cause to arrest you for a DUI. However, just because they arrest you does not mean that you will be convicted or sentenced. An experienced, knowledgeable DUI attorney can examine your case from all angles, and in many cases can get you a more favorable outcome than you might initially think. In some cases, a skilled DUI attorney can get charges significantly reduced or even dismissed. In others, sentencing can be deferred treatment programs, community service, or other alternatives to sentencing.

In a Milford, Connecticut DUI case, you may have an opportunity to call an attorney as soon as or before you are arrested. If so, take the opportunity. A well-versed Connecticut DUI attorney may be able to stop the case from progressing right then and there. If not, you have the best shot at a good outcome if you bring in a Connecticut DUI attorney as soon as you possibly can. The earlier an attorney is brought in, the more damage control they can do, and the better off you will be.

If you are facing a DUI in Milford, Connecticut, DUI Attorney Steven Tomeo is the right attorney for your DUI case. Attorney Tomeo has extensive training and experience in Connecticut DUI law, both in and out of the courtroom. With his stellar negotiation and case building skills and his deep knowledge of Connecticut DUI law, Milford DUI Attorney Steven Tomeo has what it takes to get results for his clients. Don’t let a DUI derail your life. Call Steven Tomeo and Associates now at (860) 764-2744 for a free consultation on your case.