(732) 582-5076Aggressive Advocates Focused on Defending Our Clients From Unfair Outcomes
Law enforcement officers have the right to pull you over if they suspect that you are driving while intoxicated. You may be arrested during this traffic stop if your BAC is above 0.08%, which is the legal limit. You can also be arrested if you are showing signs of intoxication — even if your BAC is below the legal limit. This arrest can change your life — and not in a good way. If you or a loved one find yourselves in this situation, it’s important to understand your rights and how to best move forward. A Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey DWI lawyer may be able to assist.
At The Hernandez Law Firm, P.C., you’ll work with a dedicated criminal defense attorney who will stop at nothing to secure a favorable outcome on your behalf. DUI charges can result in license suspension, substantial fines, community service, alcohol/drug treatment classes, jail time, and a variety of other negative outcomes. Like all criminal charges, a conviction for impaired driving can also follow you throughout your life — affecting your ability to secure housing, education, and employment. With today’s easy access to mugshots online, it can even affect a person’s dating life.
The Hernandez Law Firm will work hard to help avoid such outcomes. We serve clients in Ocean County and the surrounding area, and we offer a free initial consultation for potential clients. This means you have nothing to lose by reaching out to learn more.
Experienced Criminal Defense Attorney Aggressively Defending Our Clients
Some people think that the only consequence they could face for driving recklessly is a traffic ticket, but that’s not the case. Someone could suffer serious or fatal injuries as a result of reckless driving, and if this happens, the accused could face an assault by auto or vehicular homicide charges. Lanoka Harbor, NJ DWI lawyers frequently handle cases like this, and when it comes to impaired driving, the government typically doesn’t have to prove other reckless actions. In these instances, you could face an indictable offense.
If this happens, losing your driver’s license is far from the most serious outcome you might face. Indictable crimes are punishable by a minimum of one year in prison. Reckless driving could negatively impact you for the rest of your life if you are convicted of the crime. That’s because aggravating factors often turn run-of-the-mill DWI cases into major offenses — at least that’s how prosecutors will frame the situation when presenting their case. Fortunately, you don’t have to go through this alone. Even if police claim you failed field sobriety testing and a breath test, it may be possible to avoid a conviction.
For this reason, it’s best to fight the charges with the help of attorney Steven Hernandez. We’ll provide the strongest defense possible and fight to prevent criminal charges from ruining your life.
Disorderly Persons Offense Attorney Helping Clients Keep Their Criminal Records Clean
The state of New Jersey classifies a number of crimes as “disorderly person offenses,” including harassment, shoplifting, possession of drug paraphernalia or less than 50 grams of marijuana, and simple assault. The penalties for these crimes can vary, but if you are convicted of any disorderly person offense, it’s possible you could have to spend time behind bars. While DWI charges do not fall under this category, they are heard in the same municipal court. Additionally, aggravating factors could result in additional charges that do qualify as disorderly persons offenses.
Unfortunately, jail time isn’t the only consequence of such offenses. A conviction will remain on your criminal record, which means it could affect your ability to find housing or employment in the future. Prosecutors will likely try to convince you that the repercussions of your DWI case will be minimal — especially if this is your first offense. They may seem like they’re trying to help with leniency. In reality, their primary goal is to secure a conviction without having the courts expend any of their time. Because of this, they certainly won’t be entirely forthcoming about the effects of a criminal record.
That’s why it’s so important to work with Lanoka Harbor, NJ lawyers in these cases. The legal penalties you’ll face can be disastrous, but for many people, it’s the ongoing repercussions that cause real problems. To avoid these outcomes, you will need an attorney who you can trust to fight your charges and put your best interests first. Steven Hernandez will work tirelessly to minimize the penalties and help you reach the best possible outcome in your case. Contact The Hernandez Law Firm to discuss your case today.
How Can You Build an Effective DWI Defense Strategy?
When most people come into our law offices, they’re under the assumption that building a defense against their DWI charge starts then and there. In reality, everything a person does from the moment they’re pulled over will affect their DUI/DWI case. You always want to obey the orders of police officers, and even if you’re sure of your innocence, you should never resist arrest. However, this doesn’t mean you have to answer questions — and refusing to do so is your first step in building an effective DWI defense strategy. Provide basic information (e.g., name, license), but that’s all.
If Ocean County police believe you’re under the influence of drugs or alcohol, you will likely be placed under arrest. The first thing on your to-do list following an arrest should be contacting experienced criminal defense attorney Steven Hernandez. Many criminal defense attorneys focus on reaching a quick resolution instead of reaching the best possible resolution, but not Steven Hernandez. For over a decade, he has used his extensive experience to tirelessly help each of his clients reach the best possible outcome in their case.
Of course, it’s not enough to have a Lanoka Harbor, NJ DWI defense attorney on your side who deals with impaired driving and related practice areas. You need someone who understands how a conviction can impact your life. You need someone who understands that plea deals are necessary in some cases — but they won’t simply accept such a deal just to speed things along. More importantly, you need someone who recognizes that all DUI charges are unique, and someone who understands the various potential defenses that can avoid a conviction.
What Legal Defenses Are Most Likely to Work for DWI Charges in New Jersey?
DUI lawyers in cities near Lanoka Harbor, NJ are experienced with the intricacies of New Jersey law. While our state categorizes DUI/DWI as a traffic offense, the potential penalties certainly resemble those used in criminal cases. Fortunately, this means you’re entitled to due process under the law — and that includes the right to defend yourself of the charges levied against you. If you find yourself accused of impaired driving in New Jersey, the following defense strategies may present your best chance at avoiding conviction:
- Improper administration of field sobriety tests
- Faulty breath analysis machines
- Failure to maintain testing equipment
- Officers untrained in administering tests
- Medical conditions affecting blood alcohol content
- Improper arrest procedures
- Constitutional violations
- Failure to read or violation of Miranda Rights
- Lack of probable cause
- Illegal/improper traffic stop or checkpoint
- Improperly calibrated equipment
- Physical ailments affecting field sobriety tests
- Non-ideal sobriety test conditions (e.g., uneven surface, inadequate lighting)
While each of these defense strategies are appropriate in some cases, none of them are universally effective. This is why hiring a Lanoka Harbor, New Jersey DWI lawyer is likely in your best interest. At The Hernandez Law Firm, we’ll review your case and conduct our own independent investigation in order to identify the legal defense strategy that offers the best opportunity for a favorable outcome. Presenting an irrelevant defense is a quick way to face the consequences of conviction, but fortunately, a legal professional can help avoid such outcomes.
Contact our law offices today for a free consultation.
Do You Need to Practice Law to Negotiate a Plea Deal?
If you ask any legal professional — ranging from a life-long criminal defense attorney to a former prosecutor for the state — they’ll tell you that seeking legal representation is critical. There’s an old saying along the lines of, “A person who represents themselves has a fool for a client.” Even attorneys who are charged with crimes typically hire outside counsel. The reality is that it’s difficult to build a logical defense strategy when you’re emotionally involved. However, does someone really need an attorney or legal experience of their own to make a plea deal?
After all, the prosecutor is likely offering you a deal that they say is fair. Perhaps they claim your blood alcohol content and field sobriety testing mean that a conviction is unavoidable. You don’t really need to understand case law and how the system works to recognize a good deal when you see one, right? Unfortunately, this belief has undoubtedly caused countless people to face unnecessary consequences. Even if the evidence against you seems overwhelming, simple mistakes or oversights by police officers, prosecutors, and others can result in evidence being excluded.
This is why it’s important to work with a Lanoka Harbor DUI lawyer even if you believe a plea deal is in your best interest. An attorney may be able to review your situation and identify weaknesses in the government’s case. In many situations, The Hernandez Law Firm has been able to have charges dismissed outright — and if the prosecution refuses to do what’s right, we have no problem taking your case to trial. Of course, a plea deal will sometimes be the best option. In these instances, a skilled legal professional will likely be able to secure a more favorable agreement on your behalf.
Contact a Lanoka Harbor DUI Lawyer Today
Whether you’re arrested in Egg Harbor or East Brunswick — or anywhere in between — the consequences of a DWI conviction can seriously disrupt your life. You can fully expect the municipal prosecutor to come at you with everything, and even if they promise leniency, this is often done with the knowledge that the government’s case isn’t nearly as strong as they claim. Anyone taken into custody near Lanoka Harbor needs to understand that they have rights and options, and the best way to do this is to seek out experienced legal representation.
At The Hernandez Law Firm, P.C., you’ll have a legal professional on your side who won’t stop working for you. Few attorneys are willing to fight as hard as our law firm — because we’re fighting based on a true belief in the system. When we represent clients, it’s not because of a drive to help guilty people walk free. It’s because no one should be convicted if the government can’t effectively prove its case within the confines of the law. If state attorneys can bend the rules to target allegedly guilty people, they can do it to target anyone.
You need a vigilant crusader for justice on your side, and that’s exactly what you’ll find when you walk through the doors of our law offices. Contact us at (732) 582-5076 to schedule your free initial consultation. We’re here to help.