CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — Navigating a criminal case can be stressful and confusing for any defendant. If you’re concerned about your freedom and rights after being charged with DUI, don’t waste time before hiring a skilled and aggressive defense lawyer.
DUI charges carry serious legal ramifications, and the attorneys at Schatz Anderson & Associates understand the importance of every case. You’ll get no better defense for an alcohol or drug-related driving offense than from their experts.
The lawyers at Schatz Anderson & Associates, Utah’s premier DUI defense firm, have helped drivers from Salt Lake to St. George avoid jail time and keep criminal convictions off their records.
Founding partner Jason Schatz is often asked by clients how they can still be charged with DUI if their blood or breath alcohol level is under the legal limit of .05%.
Utah has the lowest legal limit for DUI in the United States as well as a “zero tolerance” policy that makes it illegal for people under age 21 to drive with any detectable amount of alcohol in their system. Penalties for driving while intoxicated in the Beehive State can include loss of driving privileges, fines, community service and jail time.
Under Utah law, a person can be arrested for DUI if they’re impaired by alcohol or drugs, including legal prescription medications, to a degree that renders them incapable of safely operating a vehicle – even if they’re below the legal limit. Evidence of impairment might include erratic driving, slurred speech or poor balance and hand-eye coordination as demonstrated by a field sobriety test.
However, Schatz said that a small amount of controlled substances in a person’s body doesn’t automatically mean they’re impaired and therefore guilty of DUI. Driving patterns and physical characteristics that may lead police to believe someone is under the influence could be caused by other factors, including fatigue, injury or a medical condition. In order to secure a DUI conviction, the prosecution must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that alcohol and/or drugs undermined the defendant’s ability to drive safely.
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“A skilled DUI attorney may be able to present evidence showing that the drugs or alcohol in a person’s body is not, in fact, causing impairment,” he added.
Choosing an attorney to represent your case is one of the most important decisions you can make when facing a potential conviction. Serving communities across Utah since 2003, the criminal defense experts at Schatz Anderson & Associates are committed to helping clients fight for their rights and stay out of jail.
“An arrest is not a conviction,” Schatz said. “Don’t let it become one.”
With fully staffed offices in both Salt Lake City and St. George, Schatz Anderson & Associates have represented more than 5,000 DUI cases statewide. Although DUI defense accounts for roughly 75% of the firm’s caseload, they represent many types of criminal cases — from misdemeanors such as drug possession and domestic violence to felonies including aggravated assault, auto theft, drug distribution and robbery.
To schedule a free consultation, call 435-251-9647 or visit their website.
Written by ALEXA MORGAN for St. George News.
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- Schatz Anderson & Associates | Address: 321 N. Mall Drive #0-201, St. George | Telephone: 435-251-9647 | Email: [email protected] | Website.
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