Raleigh DWI Defense | Understanding YOUR Case

So, today's Raleigh DWI Attorney Blog focuses on some of the fun questions I get as one of the Raleigh DWI Defense Lawyers in the area. As a practicing attorney, it is common place for people to approach you and ask for my thoughts on their case (or their friend's case, cousin's case, etc.). I also enjoy the hypothetical that comes with the position as well (what if......). Hypothetical questions are always fun because the person asking is usually looking for a professional view on a fictitious scenario and therefore has less at stake. However, for those that approach me about their Raleigh Criminal Charges, Raleigh DWI Charge or Wake County Traffic Ticket, they are very concerned about the outcome and therefore want me to give the best case options they have available to them. Normally, when speaking with the individuals, I have no problem sharing with them my opinion on how the case would be handled and what outcome I believe they could expect. What can become frustrating very quickly is when they questionor starts sharing with me what they have heard from friends and family. All-to-often, their cousin's friend's girlfriend had this exact charge dismissed. Or their Aunt in Wyoming faced something similar and the she got a slap on the wrist. It can be very difficult explaining to someone how those cases can be (or more often then not, are entirely) different from their current case. See, the reality of traffic, DWI, and Criminal Defense is there are so many variables that play into the outcome that any one individual's outcome can be entirely different from the next, even if they are in the same county. It's like asking why your surgery recovery time was different then someone 20 years younger then you who had the same surgery (or worse, had a different surgery). Being an Attorney, like most any other professional, requires an refined understanding of many minute variables which can impact the outcome of any one endeavour. For the practice of law, some of the more obvious are the State and county in which the charges were brought, the laws governing them, the prior criminal record of the Defendant, the District Attorney handling the case and the Judge if there is a trial. What a lot of people don't realize is there are many, many more factors that play into any one case. Who brought the charges, where there problems with the evidence, where there problems with the stop, what about any searches, any witnesses, are the witnesses for the State competent, are the present, etc.? As example, I provide free consultations for people calling about their Raleigh DWI charges, or any other North Carolina Criminal Charges or traffic tickets they received in the Research Triangle Area. The most popular by far are the North Carolina DUI/DWI Charge calls. Whenever I provide the potential client a case evaluation, I always tell them that I am making my best educated guess based on the facts as they have conveyed them to me. However, I won't know anything for sure until I have had an opportunity to speak with the Police Officer and take a look at their notes. I do this because, what the Defendant may remember about that night can be different then what the Officer remembers, and the Officer's Testimony is usually the one I have to work with (because putting a Raleigh DWI Defendant on the stand will lead to cross-examination about them drinking and driving and that hurts our case). In addition to someone else's experience with the same or similar charges, the other part of this is that of what other family or friends are telling the individual how the case should be handled. I always enjoy hearing what people with no prior legal experience are telling these individuals about the lawfulness of the Police Officer's conduct or how the case should proceed to lead to an out-right dismissal of charges. The reality is, you speak with an attorney about your case because they have an extensive education and (hopefully) experience in this area and can properly advice you about your individual case. So, this blog is dedicated to those who want legal advice but are letting what other people tell them influence their expectations. If you are facing charges in North Carolina, or anywhere else for that matter, speak with a local attorney about your case. If you have received charges in the Research Triangle Area, contact the Matheson Law Office today at 919-335-5291 for a free consultation.