Securing Evidence in a DUI Case

One of the very first things your Sacramento DUI attorney should do when putting together your case is to secure any and all relevant evidence.

After your initial interview with your Sacramento DUI attorney, he or she should request that you make a trip to the place where the arresting officer performed the field sobriety tests. If possible, your attorney’s investigator should go with you, and one of you should carefully and thoroughly photograph the area in order to preserve the scene.

Even though it is not always the case, almost every police report claims that the field sobriety tests occurred on an area that is level and smooth. However, your Sacramento DUI attorney knows that most tests occur on a sidewalk or on a roadside. To facilitate the runoff of water, most sidewalks are made with a slope, and most roads are made with a crown. Very seldom is the area where tests are administered truly level.

The area’s lighting should also be investigated, as this can affect the field tests.

Telephone calls made from jail often occur late at night, and to someone who is asleep. Consequently, part or all of the telephone call may be caught on voicemail or an answering machine. If you made a call and it was recorded, that recording should be secured immediately, since it may reveal that your speech had no slurring. This evidence can be important to combat claims of slurred speech.

If you have been charged with a DUI and would like to discuss your case with a competent, experienced and knowledgeable Sacramento DUI attorney, please contact Param Pabla by calling (916) 285-7900.