Experienced, Affordable, OWI, Drunk Driving Defense. We take payment plans.
Experienced, Affordable, OWI, Drunk Driving Defense. We take payment plans.Experienced, Affordable, OWI, Drunk Driving Defense. We take payment plans.Experienced, Affordable, OWI, Drunk Driving Defense. We take payment plans.
Arrested for Drunk driving? Attorney Doug Dern protects your rights by fighting for you so, you get the best outcome
Experienced, Affordable, OWI, Drunk Driving Defense. We take payment plans.
Experienced, Affordable, OWI, Drunk Driving Defense. We take payment plans.Experienced, Affordable, OWI, Drunk Driving Defense. We take payment plans.Experienced, Affordable, OWI, Drunk Driving Defense. We take payment plans.
Arrested for Drunk driving? Attorney Doug Dern protects your rights by fighting for you so, you get the best outcome
In the State of Michigan if you get a 3rd OWI in a life time it is a 1 to 5 year felony. It carries mandatory jail. Minimum of 30 days. That is if you have a clean record and do everything right. Courts are tough on OWI 3rd offenses or even cases where there is an accident and someone is inquired or killed. Felony OWI's in Michigan can be very serious charges.
DOWNLOAD A FREE BOOK
How to Beat a Drunk Driving Arrest. This 10 page eBook explains how to win your case. Actual methods on how to beat a drunk driving case.
If you been arrested you need to watch this video. It is important
This is how you fight an OWI Arrest
Check out this great video as it explains what you can do to win your case. Never plead guilty and remember their is always a defense.
I WILL HELP YOU- NEVER PLEAD GUILTY
Understanding OWI-DUI- Drunk Driving
OWI means Operating while intoxicated. This is a Michigan term. DUI means driving under the influence. This is a generic term used to describe drunk driving in general. Drunk driving is a broad term that could mean a number of things including OWI and DUI. There are other drunk driving charges such as driving while impaired, child endangerment, felony OWI, Driving under the influence causing great bodily harm. and of course super drunk. The standard OWI has 2 elements of the crime. 1. The State must prove you operated a vehicle and 2 the State must prove that your blood alcohol level or BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) was over a .08. Generally, a first offense OWI is a 93 day misdemeanor. A second offense OWI is usually a 1 year misdemeanor with mandatory jail time and a revocation of your drivers licence. It is possible you could never drive again. A OWI 3 is a felony. A felony OWI is 3 within a lifetime. It is a 1 to 5 year felony. Do you want to trust your freedom to just any lawyer? A lot of people that get an OWI first offense do not take them very seriously because often they can be reduced to an impair driving and a no jail deal can be worked. And there are a lot of attorneys that take advantage of this situation. They will do a first offense OWI cheap. I call this the meet them, greet them, and plead them approach. I think this should be taken more seriously, A full investigation of your case should be done. Even on a first offense. And a second offense there is much at stake, A mandatory jail sentence, and heavy fines, and life time revocation of your drivers license. A felony drunk driving carries mandatory jail and most likely you will never drive again, plus you will have a felony. Most people that get arrested for OWI are not criminals. You are having a few drinks at the bar after work and you are driving home and get stopped and take a field sobriety test and the next thing you know you are in jail. It can happen to anyone. But there are defenses. Remember the only witness to your case is the arresting officer. Usually only one officer. They make mistakes.
Are there any defenses to a Drunk Driving Arrest?
Of course there are. There are always defenses. The basic defenses are 1. Was there probable cause for a stop. 2. Was there probable cause for an arrest, 3 Was there there any malfunctions in any of the instruments used to measure you BAC. 4. You are actually innocent and are a victim of over zealous police work.
Probable cause to a stop uses a standard called a Terry stop. This comes from a United States Supreme Court ruling in Ohio v. Terry 392 U.S. 1 (1968) that says under the Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution a police officer cannot stop you unless there is a reasonable articulate suspicion that criminal activity may be afoot. A common issue the cop says he pulled the defendant over for swerving or running a stop sign and the in car video shows differently. A motion to dismiss can be filed and the defendant's attorney shows the video to the judge and the case is dismissed.
Under a Michigan ruling called People v. Rizzo 253 Mich App 151 (2000) after the cop has stopped you there must be a second Terry standard to investigate you for an OWI. In other words, the cop can't just walk up to you and say you ar drunk you need to step out of the car and take these tests. There must be something or some reason why they feel they can continue their investigation. I.e. smell of alcohol, blood shot eyes, slurred speech.
There are a number of ways to challenge the DataMaster Breathalyzer machine. Machines make mistakes and malfunction. If there was a blood draw done there are ways to challenge the blood work. And sometimes things just do not fall into place with the police testimony. By the same token sometimes the police did everything right. At that point you need an experienced attorney for get you through it and get the best possible outcome.
Attorney Doug Dern
My name is Doug Dern. I consider myself to be a drunk driving attorney. I been practicing law for 19 years. I fight for your rights. I am sickened by the assumptions of guilt with the court system. As soon as you are arrested the court force you to start taking random alcohol testing before you are even convicted. Is that fair? That is what you are up against. It is such an assembly line system of justice. I want you to be treated fairly. I want your rights to be protected. I want you to have a chance. I am not your typical attorney. I understand where you are coming from when you come into my office. I know you don't want to be going through what you are going through. I know it is painful, embarrassing, scary, and a mistake. I am not afraid to take your case to trial. Sometimes you have to. There is so much at stake that you just can't plead guilty. You must make the State prove every aspect of their case. Sometimes you win. If you are looking at going to prison why wouldn't you go to trial? If you are looking at never driving again why wouldn't you go to trial. I am that attorney that will really fight for you. I am the guy that is a student of drunk driving defense. If you need a lawyer because you have been arrested for OWI or DUI call me. Lets sit down and talk.
HOW MUCH TROUBLE AM I IN
If you are convicted
But on a first offense won't I get an impaired?
But on a first offense won't I get an impaired?
If you are convicted you are in more trouble then you may think.The residual effect of a drunk driving conviction can last for a very long time. Your car insurance will increase to levels that can be considered a nightmare. If you are convicted of shop lifting, domestic violence, or armed robbery your car insurance will not be raised. But
If you are convicted you are in more trouble then you may think.The residual effect of a drunk driving conviction can last for a very long time. Your car insurance will increase to levels that can be considered a nightmare. If you are convicted of shop lifting, domestic violence, or armed robbery your car insurance will not be raised. But OWI your insurance will increase substantially. Probation and drug tests for up to a year sometimes longer. License suspensions. It can not be expunged . And if you are convicted of a 2nd or 3rd offense it gets worse
A second offense OWI carries mandatory jail and a revocation of your license. A 3rd offense is a felony. Let that sink in. So, when you have a first offense OWI shouldn't your attorney fight it? Shouldn't you take it to trial? Short of a hard crime like murder, bank robbery, violent assaults, guns crimes, drunk driving receives the harshest penalties. of any crime. Shop lifting, domestic violence, assault, fraud and other such crimes do not have the residual effects of drunk driving convictions. And the one that gets me is the way the courts can control every element of your life while you're on probation. Its expensive.
But on a first offense won't I get an impaired?
But on a first offense won't I get an impaired?
But on a first offense won't I get an impaired?
Most likely, on a first offense you will be offered an impair and a no jail deal. But this can be deceptive. The penalty for an impaired driving is a little bit lighter then a DUI or OWI. For example, less points on your drivers license, a lower fine, and a restricted license. But truthfully, in the bigger picture this might not be such
Most likely, on a first offense you will be offered an impair and a no jail deal. But this can be deceptive. The penalty for an impaired driving is a little bit lighter then a DUI or OWI. For example, less points on your drivers license, a lower fine, and a restricted license. But truthfully, in the bigger picture this might not be such a good deal. You still will be labeled a drunk driver for the rest of your life. You will pay high insurance. You will still be under the long arm of the law in the system with probation and drug and alcohol testing. And it will be very expensive for a long time. There are plenty of reasons why one should take a first offense to trial. The prosecutors act like giving you an impaired is a great deal and they are doing you a favor. But things can go wrong for them in trial. There are defenses as mentioned elsewhere in this website. A good drunk driving attorney knows it and will advise you to maybe turn down the States offer. Is it a gamble to turn down their offer and proceed to trial? Sure, but not as great as you might think. The difference between and impaired and an OWI is very nominal long term. A good OWI lawyer should be doing their work by filing motions to suppress and or dismiss and do a fair amount of investigation and trial prep before they advise you to take any offers. And yes, go to trial if need be. Taking a first offense OWI to trial is not the worse thing you can do. Even if you loss the consequences between accepting an impaired and going to trial and losing and have an OWI are almost the same. Especially, big picture. And if it is a super drunk and there is no offer then going to trial should be obvious. And in a lot of jurisdictions on a Super drunk they do not make offers you are excepted to plead guilty when you walk into court.
Attorney Fees
But on a first offense won't I get an impaired?
Attorney Fees
In my opinion a lot of attorneys will take your $1500 and as soon as the ink is dry they are telling you they can get it knocked down to an impaired driving and you won't do jail. Seriously? An attorney needs to do the work. There is a lot of science to the anatomy of a DUI case. There are hours of investigation to be done before an attor
In my opinion a lot of attorneys will take your $1500 and as soon as the ink is dry they are telling you they can get it knocked down to an impaired driving and you won't do jail. Seriously? An attorney needs to do the work. There is a lot of science to the anatomy of a DUI case. There are hours of investigation to be done before an attorney can tell you to plead to an impaired. Your attorney has already made up his mind that you are guilty and there are no defenses to your case before he has ever reviewed the evidence. In my opinion that is a little bit like stealing.
And then there is the Super drunk. This is the money maker for everybody. Your money. A .17% BAC.. The Super Drunk of OWI with a high BAC carries very harsh penalties. Be ready for heavy license suspensions and blow and go or interlock device. and enhanced fines and probation. And maybe even jail time on this one. If the prosecutor makes no offer why wouldn't you take it to trial? And yet, everyday I see lawyers changing $2000 because its a Super Drunk and they have no intention of going to trial they are planning to plead you as soon as they get your money. Their strategy is to plead you down and if they can't do that then they will try to get an easy sentence. They have no intention of trial on your case. This goes on. Don't fall for it. On a Super Drunk an attorney ought to be preparing for trial out of the gate. Remember you are presumed innocent until proven guilty and the only person on your side here is your attorney. Why would you not take a Super Drunk to trial? There are always defenses. A good attorney will charge you for their time, effort and work. A good attorney will not just charge you and plead you guilty the first court appearance. Remember that.
That said I believe in doing a hard days work at an affordable fee. My prices are fair and reasonable.
Yes, You can win your case.
Watch this video to learn how to win a drunk driving case.
Video
This is why you should never plead guilty. Watch this video. Stop the attack on your freedom 810-632-9160 this could be the most important call you ever make
Contact Us
Doug Dern Owi-Dui- Drunk Driving Attorney Michiga
11636 Highland Road, Hartland, Michigan 48353, United States
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.
