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The DUI Process

DUI Defense in Tampa

If a police officer pulls you over for suspicion of DUI, you will be asked to perform field sobriety exercises. If the officer thinks you may be intoxicated, you will be placed under arrest and taken to a police facility for a breath test. Your license will be suspended, and you will be given a citation that allows you to drive for a period of 10 days. The DUI process becomes complicated at this point, as there are 2 cases you will be involved with- the criminal case for DUI, and the civil case for the suspension of your driver's license At this point it is crucial that you be represented by legal counsel. An experienced Tampa DUI defense lawyer from Taracks Gomez & Rickman has tried many DUI cases at the local, state and federal level. We will aggressively defend your case.

DUI Criminal Case Procedure

The criminal case process is as follows:

  • We will request a review of the suspension and file the needed reports and forms with the Florida Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to prevent you from losing your driving privileges.
  • An arraignment is scheduled. We will file the appropriate paperwork on your behalf, enter a not guilty plea, waive your appearance in court, request a trial in case it is needed, during this time we will review your case thoroughly to determine if there are legal reasons that your case can be thrown out.
  • There will be a pretrial hearing. We may try to negotiate the resolution of the case for a lesser charge such as reckless or careless driving.
  • Additional motions may be filed to suppress evidence based on unreliability of test results, an illegal stop, etc. Additional discovery (requesting documents and evidence from the prosecution) is also asked for.
  • If a settlement has not been negotiated, a trial will occur. Six people on the jury must agree that you age guilty.

Our attorneys are all experienced trial attorneys and have collectively tried hundreds of jury trials. . As former DUI prosecutors, we know the strategies the state prosecutors will take in your case, so we understand exactly what to do to counter them.

Contact a Tampa DUI defense lawyer for the strong legal defense you deserve.