Stamford DUID Lawyer
An individual that has been charged with driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) in the Stamford area should be aware of the serious penalties they could face if convicted. Connecticut laws regarding impaired driving are extremely strict, and even the presence of certain prescription medications in an individual’s system can result in them facing the same penalties as if they had been pulled over for drunk driving.
Connecticut law contains a blanket prohibition on driving under the influence of any drugs, giving both judges and prosecutors wide discretion to punish those individuals who were driving in an impaired state after taking drugs.
A Stamford DUID lawyer can help you defend against these types of charges and will fully explain all the legal elements that will ultimately play a role in your case. An experienced DUI lawyer will help you explain your situation to the judge and argue for leniency while looking out for your best interests every step of the way.
Severity of a DUID Charge
Whether or not the prosecution decides to bring DUID charges against a given defendant will depend on the type of drug taken, how much was ingested, and whether or not they can prove to a judge that the defendant’s ability to drive was impaired as a result. No matter the circumstance, a Stamford DUID attorney can employ a strategy that can help ensure a successful result on behalf of their client.
A DUID conviction carries the same penalties as a conviction for drunk driving in Connecticut, including potential jail time, probation, and the suspension of driving privileges.
Whether or not the defendant has a prior record of either a DUI, DWI or DUID will also affect the potential penalties they face, with repeat offenders risking a permanent loss of their driving privileges.
As the law is relatively silent on the precise requirements to convict for a DUID charge, the abilities of both the defense lawyer and the prosecution will play an important role in determining the outcome of these types of cases.
An experienced Stamford DUID lawyer may be able to successfully argue to the judge for more lenient sentencing depending on the circumstances surrounding the initial arrest, or may be able to have the charges dismissed entirely by preventing the prosecution from establishing the requisite impairment in the defendant’s driving ability.
Laws Regarding a DUID
Driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) is illegal in Connecticut. It is illegal to operate a motor vehicle while under the influence of liquor or any drug or both. Driving a car while under the influence of a drug is thus akin to driving drunk in Connecticut, with the same potential consequences.
However, while there are set thresholds in the statute governing how much liquor or alcohol must be consumed for a person to be considered under the influence, no similar information exists to determine how much of any other substance must have been inhaled or ingested to convict a driver of DUID under this statute.
DUID charges can be brought upon evidence that any number of drugs were taken by a defendant prior to a traffic stop, including certain medications if they were not validly prescribed by a doctor.
A determination of whether or not a defendant was under the influence of a controlled substance is done on a case-by-case basis. The judge will take into account both the type and amount of drug that was taken by the defendant in making this determination.
Because no set threshold exists to determine the amount of each type of drug that would implicate the statutory proscription against driving under the influence, the prosecution must prove that the defendant’s mental, physical, or nervous processes were affected to the point that they lost the ability to drive safely. There are many ways to defend against these types of charges that a knowledgeable Stamford DUID lawyer can effectively utilize.
Benefits of an Attorney
Being accused of driving under the influence of drugs can be overwhelming. Depending on the type of drugs at issue, these charges can lead to other criminal charges being filed against you, and can result in severe potential penalties.
With so much at stake if the prosecution is able to convict you, it is in your best interest to obtain the experience of a Stamford DUID lawyer to help immediately to ensure your rights are protected.