Getting Pulled Over for DUI in Gloucester Township, NJ: What to Expect and How an Attorney Can Help

Getting pulled over anywhere for a DUI is scary, but in New Jersey the penalties can be worse than other states. Even if you’re just passing through Gloucester Township on your way somewhere else, a DUI charge here can affect your license and driving privileges back home too. This article will walk you through what to expect if you get charged with DUI in Gloucester Township, New Jersey, and explain how working with an experienced local DUI defense attorney can help.

The DUI Process from Start to Finish

So you’re driving through Gloucester Township and you see those flashing red and blue lights behind you. Your heart sinks. You know you had a few drinks at dinner, or took some cold medicine that made you drowsy. The officer approaches your car, asks for your license and registration, and starts asking you questions. How much did you have to drink tonight? Where are you coming from? They’re looking for signs of intoxication in how you talk and act.

Next comes the field sobriety tests – walking heel-to-toe in a straight line, standing on one leg, following a pen with your eyes. These tests are hard for anyone to pass perfectly sober, but especially if you’re tired or nervous. Oh no, you couldn’t keep your balance or missed touching your nose. Now the officer is asking you to take a breathalyzer test back at the station. You don’t have to take it, but refusing comes with its own huge penalties.

You blow into the machine and see your blood alcohol level is over 0.08%, the legal limit. The handcuffs click closed around your wrists. You’re officially under arrest for DUI. They take your mugshot, fingerprint you, and throw you in a holding cell for the next 12 hours or until a sober friend can come get you. This is really happening. What next?

The Charges and Penalties You’ll Face

Simply being arrested for DUI in New Jersey brings penalties, even before you’re convicted. Your license is immediately suspended, you’ll have to pay around $3,500 or more in fines and fees, and you may spend up to 12 months in jail.

The specific charges and penalties depend on factors like your blood alcohol level at the time of arrest and whether you’ve had a DUI before. For a first offense with a BAC between 0.08-0.10%, expect:

• Up to 30 days license suspension
• $250 – $500 fine
• Possible 12-48 hours in jail
• DUI school
• Possible ignition interlock device installed in your car

Penalties go up sharply for repeat DUIs or BAC over 0.10%. Fines reach $1,000+, license suspension lasts months or years, and you could serve serious jail time.

How a Gloucester Township DUI Lawyer Can Challenge Your Case

Don’t just plead guilty and accept the penalties! Meet with an experienced DUI defense attorney serving Gloucester Township as soon as possible. An aggressive lawyer can pick apart the prosecutor’s case, get charges reduced or dismissed, and help you avoid conviction.

Here are some of the ways a knowledgeable attorney can fight a Gloucester Township DUI:

• Challenge whether the traffic stop was legal in the first place
• Question the accuracy and procedure of your breathalyzer test
• Argue the officer lacked probable cause to make the arrest
• Point out flaws in the field sobriety testing conditions
• Negotiate a plea deal for reduced charges
• Get your license suspension period minimized

A local lawyer like Katherine O’Brien of Gloucester Township understands all the nuances of DUI cases in the New Jersey courts. She can obtain police reports, analyze the evidence, and build the strongest defense to beat your charges.

Don’t Go It Alone – Consult a Gloucester Township DUI Attorney Today

Being arrested for DUI anywhere is scary; being arrested in a state with strict penalties like New Jersey is downright terrifying. But with an experienced DUI defense lawyer from Gloucester Township on your side, you can get the charges reduced or dismissed and move on with your life.

Don’t take chances with your freedom and driving privileges. The sooner you call a lawyer after your arrest, the better. Consultations are confidential – you have nothing to lose. Local attorneys like Katherine O’Brien offer free case reviews and flexible payment plans.

Contact a Gloucester Township DUI lawyer today and start fighting back against these life-changing charges. With an attorney’s help, you can get your license back, avoid huge fines, and keep a DUI conviction off your record for good. This too shall pass – you’ll get through this.