Florida DUI Arrest: What Should You Do When They Are Arresting You?

A Florida DUI arrest can be very frightening for many people, especially those who have never been in trouble with the law before. From the minute that the red and blue lights are behind you to the minute that your case is resolved one way or the other, you may be unsure of what you should do.

The first step that you should take is getting through the actual Florida DUI arrest without hassle or problem so that you do not hamper your court case with additional charges such as resisting arrest, failure to comply with a police officer and others. When you are first issued a Florida driver’s license, you are giving your agreement to submit to tests such as breath, blood or urine whenever asked to do so by an officer of the court. If you do not, you are breaking this agreement and it could result in the automatic suspension of your license for a period of one year.

If an officer believes that you are impaired by either drugs or alcohol, the next step in your Florida DUI arrest will be to be booked into the jail. You may be able to be bailed out and will be given the chance to ask for an attorney to represent you. (This will be explained to you during the reading of your Miranda rights). After being bailed out, you will be given a hearing date and forms and information that you will need to read over, fill out and file. Having an attorney at this point is helpful because they can guide you through the process.

After a Florida DUI arrest, you may have several court hearings. Your case may be continued while the attorneys discuss what information they each need to give to the other (called discovery) and what should happen in your case. For instance, each side might offer a solution that they think is fair and the other side will review it and make a counter offer. What they come up with is called a plea agreement and may or may not be acceptable to you. The attorney cannot force you to take it, only suggest it and tell you what the alternatives may be.