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DUI Traffic Lawyers Sunshine Coast, QLD
If you’re facing charges for driving under the influence (DUI), it’s imperative that you seek the assistance of a highly experienced DUI lawyer. Smith Criminal Law are the Sunshine Coast’s leading experts when it comes to both drink driving and drug driving charges. We’re here to help!
Driving under the influence (DUI) is a significant offence, and it is important to understand the details of the charge. DUI charges are often incorrectly assumed to be the same traffic offence as a drink driving charge, when DUI is in fact a far more complex charge. If you’ve recently been charged with driving under the influence in the Sunshine Coast region (or anywhere else in Queensland), legal advice and representation will be essential to achieving the best possible outcome for your drug driving or DUI case.
A charge of drink driving requires the police to prove that a driver had a particular blood alcohol level while driving. DUI charges, comparatively, do not require the police to prove certain amounts of influencing drugs or alcohol. If a police officer reasonably believes that your driving has been impaired by a drug or alcohol, they have the right and legal obligation to request a blood sample for analysis. Both drink driving and drug driving create the potential circumstances for dangerous driving and as such, are considered significant and serious traffic offences. If a drug is detected in your blood, you will be charged with driving under the influence and there is a risk of licence disqualification.
It is important to note that driving under the influence does not only relate to alcohol or illegal substances; a DUI charge may be brought based on the use of prescription drugs such as Valium or other medications that affect drowsiness or concentration.
If charged with driving under the influence, your driver’s licence will be immediately suspended until the charge is resolved (either through the Sunshine Coast Magistrate’s Court or through withdrawal of the charge). This is where you need an expert DUI lawyer to get you the best outcome in court.
Smith Criminal Law: The Sunshine Coast’s Expert Traffic Offence Lawyers for DUI Charges
DUI can lead to a variety of penalties including thousands of dollars in fines, sustained loss of driving licence or licence disqualification and/or significant jail time. For this reason, you need the expertise of an experienced DUI and traffic offence lawyer on your side. Smith Criminal Law have been the leading experts in the field of both drug driving and drink driving offences on the Sunshine Coast for a number of years. We’ll take the time to understand the traffic offences alleged against you before entering a plea of guilty or innocent in the Magistrate’s Court.
It is important to consult with an experienced DUI lawyer who will be able to plan strategies that will lead to the most favourable outcome possible. At Smith Criminal Law, we can help you to understand the options available to you.
For a case to be made against you, police need to be able to prove that you were driving a vehicle (or supervising a learner driver) while under the influence of alcohol or a drug.
In the case that you are able to definitively prove that you were not under the influence of any drug or alcohol, the DUI law experts from Smith Criminal Law can build a defence based on relevant and appropriate medical testing or supporting expert evidence that will prove that your driving was in fact not impaired. Where possible, our expert traffic lawyers will work to save your driving licence from suspension, giving you the very best chance of achieving a just and fair outcome.
When appearing in the Magistrate’s Court for a drink driving offence or DUI charge, you will be up against a Police Prosecutor who specialises in prosecuting traffic offences. It is therefore imperative that you have a defence team on your side who is able to match such a level of specialisation and professionalism. At Smith Criminal Law we pride ourselves on retaining the most experienced and knowledgeable DUI lawyers on the Sunshine Coast. We are among the most resourceful and skilled Queensland traffic lawyers in the State, making regular appearances in the Magistrate’s Courts across the Sunshine Coast. Such regular presence in front of the various judicial members who sit in the Noosa, Maroochydore and Caloundra Magistrate’s Courts means we’ve not only had time to build up a rapport with the Magistrate, but we also understand the ins and outs of a court appearance, meaning we’re well equipped to fight for your best interests.
If you wish to plead not guilty, there are a number of ways to proceed. Our experienced DUI and drug driving lawyers know how to bring together a compelling defence based on the following factors, if relevant to you:
- Due to genuine error, you reasonably believed yourself not to be under the influence at the time of driving.
- You were aware that you were under the influence but nonetheless were required to drive either because you were being forced to (under duress) or because the circumstance required it (a life-threatening medical emergency requiring you to drive to a hospital).
Where appropriate, our skilled lawyers can interrogate police sample collection processes in order to ensure your rights are protected every step of the way. Whether the traffic offence you were charged with occurred on the Sunshine Coast or anywhere else in Queensland, our traffic lawyers will be able to liaise with the appropriate authorities to receive and admit medical samples (for example, saliva or blood samples) as evidence in your case.
It is worth noting that there the legal definition of DUI is not the same as driving with a relevant drug present in your system. A DUI traffic offence can be categorised as a high range drug driving offence where police are able to prove that the driver was impaired at the time of operating the vehicle. Simply having a relevant drug present in your system has the possibility of falling into a low range category, however, advice should be sought with regards to this on a case by case basis.
If it is determined that you should enter a plea of guilty, our DUI and drink driving lawyers will provide numerous avenues of advice through which to proceed in order to protect your freedom, finances and driving licence. We can make informed recommendations and assist in bringing together supporting materials (such as a letter of apology or suitable character witnesses) to substantiate an appeal to the Court for a lesser penalty.
No matter your situation, the team from Smith Criminal Law are here to help. Our DUI charge and drink driving lawyers have helped thousands of Sunshine Coast residents successfully dispute their charges, allowing them to get on with their lives and move on from what is undoubtedly an extremely stressful period in their lives. Licence disqualification is not inevitable and doesn’t have to be the outcome of your case. Contact us today to discuss our fixed fee and flexible payment options today.
With extensive experience and a strategic approach, there is no one better on the Sunshine Coast to represent you.