DWI Defense LP

DWI/DUI Defense Lawyers

Charlotte and Concord, North Carolina – Criminal Defense Lawyers

Dedicated to Quality Legal Representation

If you have been arrested for DWI in North Carolina, it is important to realize that this is not a simple traffic violation. The consequences of a DWI conviction can seriously affect your present and future way of life. Loss of driving privileges, present and future employment troubles, and future travel restrictions are a few common results of a DWI/DUI conviction. If you are not a U.S. citizen, a DWI could contribute to your deportation.

After a North Carolina DWI arrest, a DWI/DUI defense lawyer can help you protect your rights. DWI defense lawyer Bill Powers is a certified instructor in the use of the Intoxilyzer 5000 and has conducted seminars for other lawyers on the intricacies of the machine whose reliability is often a pivotal piece of evidence in a DWI criminal trial. He is also board-certified in criminal law advocacy by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and is a member of the National College of DUI Defense, Inc.

The DWI defense lawyers at the Charlotte, North Carolina law firm of Powers McCartan invite you to contact us to schedule a free initial consultation.

While our law firm practices in a number of legal areas including personal injury, the defense of people charged with DWI/DUI is a major focus of Powers McCartan. Our DWI/DUI defense lawyers stand strongly on the side of the rights of our clients who have been accused of driving while impaired.

Some key aspects of our DWI defense practice include the following:

Investigating the Circumstances Behind Your Traffic Stop

For some reason, you were stopped by the police while driving. Law enforcement agents are expected to be able to state what that reason for the traffic stop was. Were you weaving unsafely between lanes? Did you roll through a stop sign? Or did you simply have a “look” about you that made a police officer suspect you as a possible impaired driver?

When we defend people charged with DWI in Charlotte or Concord, North Carolina, we insist that the state meet its full burden of proving that there was a justifiable reason—not just a pretext—for the traffic stop.

Examining All Procedures of the Arrest

In support of DWI criminal charges, a Charlotte or Concord, North Carolina police office collects various types of evidence. Challenging the arrest is not only a matter of challenging field sobriety tests such as the breath test or field sobriety tests designed to measure coordination. Other aspects of the arrest are worthy of investigation –  including an examination into what you were told, and when. As a certified Intoxilyzer 5000 instructor and an attorney with over 10 years of experience, DWI defense lawyer Bill Powers can examine the accuracy of Breathalyzer or Intoxilyzer results as well as coordination tests and radar guns.

Challenging Field Sobriety Tests: The Validity of Coordination and Intoxilyzer Test Results

Challenging field sobriety tests sometimes takes the form of appealing to the sensibility of a jury with regard to a coordination test. For example, if a person was unable to stand on one leg for thirty seconds, does that verify being impaired? Many other explanations are often reasonable, including obesity, knee problems, fatigue, distraction by cars zipping by, and simple nervousness.

The DWI defense lawyers of Powers McCartan insist that the state meet its responsibility to justify the use of the results of the Intoxilyzer test if it is going to penalize the person severely by taking away his driver’s license or sending him to jail.

The Intoxilyzer results are often the central piece of evidence used in a Mecklenburg County or Cabarrus County DWI prosecution. DWI defense lawyer Bill Powers realized how important it was to fully understand the workings of this machine if he planned on challenging field sobriety tests with full understanding, so he obtained training and became certified in its use and instruction.

He has delivered lectures and seminars to other DWI defense lawyers on the subject of why the Intoxilyzer results might sometimes be unreliable. For example, a machine may have been improperly maintained or may not have been calibrated prior to its use at the time of a DWI defendant’s arrest.

There Are No Pat Answers: Every Case Is Unique

Challenging field sobriety tests by seeking answers to questions about DWI cases is the job of a diligent DWI/DUI defense lawyer. No two Charlotte or Concord, North Carolina DWI arrests are the same. There is no “pat answer” that will “get a DWI arrestee off the hook.” A diligent DWI/DUI defense lawyer will examine every fact, and analyze every key piece of evidence in light of up-to-date laws related to driving while impaired.

We may be able to help you keep your license and minimized or avoid jail time in Mecklenburg County or Cabarrus County. Insist upon your rights. Contact a DWI defense lawyer at the Charlotte, North Carolina DWI defense law firm of Powers McCartan.

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