In Michigan, a new DUI law that was meant to strengthen drugged driving laws has simply resulted in confusion, and additional headaches.
The law is targeted at testing for impaired drivers, but has been poorly worded. However, the newly modified statutes have caused a lot of confusion, and many judges have thrown evidence on sobriety tests out of court. Cases have been dismissed because of inadmissibility of the evidence.
Last month, legislators in Michigan amended the law on field sobriety tests. New standards were imposed as part of the changes, and these were supposed to make it easier for officers to arrest persons for driving under the influence of drugs. However, according to critics of the modification, the law failed to clearly define the testing involved, and as a result, there has been confusion in the way that the test results are interpreted. There have been different interpretations of the law across Michigan by both lawyers as well as judges. Those conclusions have led to many judges ruling that the field sobriety test results are not admissible in court as evidence.
Getting started on a legal defense is critical after you are arrested for DUI. A DUI conviction comes with stringent penalties attached, which include not just jail time, but also suspension of your license, and a DUI education program. In certain cases, like repeat offenses, you are also required to get an ignition interlock device installed in your vehicle.
If you have been arrested for DUI, speak to a Los Angeles DUI lawyer and discuss your legal options.
