Challenging DUI Evidence and Investigations – Jackson Driving Under the Influence Lawyer

When you are investigated for driving under the influence (DUI), many disturbing images may flash through your mind including thoughts of job loss, jail time, a criminal record and career limitations.  There are many people that presume that the evidence typically at the heart of a DUI prosecution is objective and scientific in nature so that an arrest essentially ensures a conviction.

The reality is that police officer observations often are impacted by a predisposition to believe a drive is intoxicated even before conducting a DUI investigation.  Further, standardized field sobriety tests (SFST) may do nothing more than confirm that someone is injured, ill, overweight or uncoordinated.  The reliability of chemical testing of blood alcohol concentration (BAC) via breath, blood or urine also can be compromised by many factors like residual mouth alcohol, improperly calibrated breath testing devices and contamination from alcohol swaps at a blood test injection site.

Jackson DUI Defense Strategies – William Kellum III Tenacious DUI Defense Advocate

People arrested for DUI in Jackson or the surrounding areas of Mississippi can maximize their likelihood of avoiding the harsh consequences of a DWI conviction by asserting their constitutional rights and immediately obtaining legal representation.  Mississippi DUI attorney William Kellum III often seeks dismissal of DUI charges or an acquittal at trial through a variety of defense strategies that include:

• Challenging the legal basis for the initial stop
• Establishing poor SFST results are the product of factors other than alcohol
• Attacking the accuracy or credibility of witness testimony
• Revealing causes like illness for for red watery eyes, slurred speech or lack of coordination
• Demonstrating that SFST procedures and required scoring protocols were not followed
• Exposing contamination or mishandling of blood specimens used in blood alcohol concentration (BAC) testing
• Using cross-examination to force an officer to highlight all of the examples of exemplary driving performed by the accused
• Contending that our client’s BAC level rose over the legal limit between the time of the arrest and chemical testing (Rising Blood Alcohol Defense)
• Investigating whether the mandatory waiting period was honored before conducting a breath test (Mouth Alcohol Defense)
• Revealing other reasons for unreliable BAC breath testing, such as low carb diets, diabetes, mouthwash, gender and other factors

These are only a few of the DUI defenses that Jackson DUI attorney William Kellum III uses to protect his client’s driver’s license, freedom and reputation.  Because of the political pressure imposed by MADD and similar groups, law enforcement agencies and prosecutors aggressively prosecute Mississippi DUI cases.  If you are convicted of a first offense DUI, you may experience severe penalties that can include:

• Maximum 48 hours jail time
• $250-$1000 fine
• Ninety day driver’s license suspension

These penalties increase dramatically for a second Mississippi DUI conviction:

• Jail term from five days to a year
• $600-1,500 fine
• Two year driver’s license suspension
• Required installation of an ignition interlock device (IID)

DUI convictions may also result in other adverse consequences like mandatory participation in counseling and education programs, community service, probation, an impounded vehicle, alcohol treatment assessment and more.

At our Jackson, MS DUI law firm, we know that the damage from a DUI conviction to your career, reputation and family relationships can last long after you have served a sentence, so we work aggressively to exonerate our clients. Jackson DUI defense lawyer William S. Kellum III represents clients in Jackson, Brandon, Clinton, Canton, Brookhaven, Greenwood, Hattiesburg, Indianola, Madison, Meridian, Natchez, Pearl, Ridgeland, Vicksburg, Yazoo and other surrounding cities and areas.  We offer a free consultation so that we evaluate your situation and answer your questions so call us today at (601) 969-2709 or send us an email to schedule your initial consultation.