As a part of taking on your DUI-DWI case, your lawyer will want to know about any of your past violations of the law, including any traffic infractions. You must also fully disclose to your legal counsel any pending criminal actions or traffic matters against you. This includes any speeding, reckless driving or any other traffic offenses you may be facing that are unresolved.
The reason for “cleaning” up your record is two-fold. First, if you have any other legal matters hanging over your head, it is far less likely your attorney will be able to make any deals with the prosecution regarding your DUI-DWI offense. When the prosecutor sees multiple pending offenses, he or she will surmise that your have probably committed several other acts of a similar nature without detection. Remember that the prosecutor has full access to all of the government’s computer databases and can easily discover such matters.
Second, if you are found guilty of your DUI-DWI offense, almost anything in your life can be used either for you or against you in your sentencing. By cleaning up your record, you show the judge you are taking charge of your legal problems, your life and any impaired driving tendencies. The judge may then be inclined to consider a less punitive sentence.
Take Care of Unresolved Charges
If you have other unresolved charges pending against you, it may appear to your judge that you are not deserving of leniency. He or she may take the position that a lengthy sentence in jail will facilitate resolution of the other pending cases. For certain, the judge will know that you will not be driving while you are in jail!
Finally, your attorney may be able to work out a “package” deal on all open charges, especially if all are pending within the same jurisdiction.
This is a difficult undertaking, but at least let your attorney try to wrap up all pending matters. Don’t be surprised if the prosecutor refuses to offer substantial reductions in penalties, however. Every prosecutor in America is under constant pressure to obtain as DUI convictions as possible in a non-ending effort to remove drunk drivers from their state’s roads.
But never give up hope. We have successfully had charges reduced and cases dismissed for thousands of clients. No drunk driving case is too difficult to handle.