Being convicted of a DUI can result in harsh consequences. If you have been charged with impaired driving and your case doesn’t go your way, you may face a complete or partial loss of your driving privileges. You may also have to pay court fees, spend time behind bars and face mandatory community service. A DUI conviction can leave a permanent mark on your record, affecting your future opportunities.
Thankfully, after you are arrested, a prosecutor may determine that there is not enough evidence to take your matter to trial, in which case they may ultimately opt to drop your case.
If the charges aren’t dropped, can they be reduced?
There are several circumstances wherein you might be able to have your DUI charges reduced if you are unable to get the charges dropped. You might be able to get a DUI reduced to careless driving, for instance. The following factors increase your chances of having DUI charges reduced:
- You have never been convicted of drunk driving before.
- Your blood alcohol content was almost at the permitted level.
- When you drove while intoxicated, nobody was injured and there were no accidents.
- There was not enough reason for the police to have you arrested.
- You were not observed driving recklessly by anyone.
- The police did not administer an appropriate field sobriety test.
Your case may also potentially be dismissed by the court if the police made any errors while making your arrest. If the charges are not dismissed, accepting a plea deal could potentially reduce them.
Ultimately, you will almost certainly need to seek assistance to have charges dropped or reduced, as this process is both complex and consequential in nature.
