What You Need To Know About First Offense OUI Charges
If you have already been arrested for operating under the influence or DUI, you may be tempted to plead guilty and to settle the matter immediately. If you are facing a first offense, however, you may need to consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately. The minimum penalty under the law may initially seem acceptable but you must think about the far-reaching consequences of accepting a guilty plea.
You may think initially that it is preferable to accept a plea now rather than having to wait until a trial to have a chance to drive again. However, you will want to sit down even if you do intend to plead guilty. There are a number of different services that can be provided by a Massachusetts OUI lawyer even if you simply want to plead the case out and move on with your future.
These include a full analysis of the facts of your case so that you can have a better understanding of what is going on, going forward, quick action and resolution once you have come to a decision, saving money because some of the civil penalties may be dropped if you plead guilty, peace of mind ensuring that you are not taking advantage of by any offers that are presented by the other side, and more. If you are prepared to plead guilty or a continuance without a finding to a first offense OUI, you can anticipate that you will have a pre-trial conference scheduled. You will want to have an attorney on your side to assist you with this, even if you plan to plead guilty.
The consequences of being convicted of a crime or pleading guilty can be high and you will want to have an attorney who is thoroughly knowledgeable about the best way to protect yourself. You can avoid many mistakes by retaining a lawyer who cares about your future. Even a first offense is serious, and there’s a good chance that your Springfield criminal defense lawyer can tell you more about this.