As a Massachusetts OUI lawyer who has represented numerous clients dealing with an OUI charge, I understand it can be extremely difficult. In this blog I want to offer some guidance on how to get through the charge. For many people it is their first time ever being arrested or facing any type of criminal charge. So the stress and anxiety of being charged with a crime is high. Here are a few things that I believe will help you to deal with the situation.

First offense OUI is easy to be charged with. Essentially, it’s a crime of opinion. The officer’s opinion could simply be wrong. However, once you are charged, you have to go through the process and be found not guilty in court to avoid a conviction.  There are very few counties in Massachusetts that will negotiate an OUI, meaning reduce it to negligent operation.  As a generally rule, in 99% of the cases, you will have to go to trial to avoid an OUI conviction.

There is a good chance of winning such cases. Keep in mind, regardless of how the case turns out, whether it is guilty or not guilty, it is a misdemeanor offense, and an offense that many people have gotten through. You are highly unlikely to go to jail for a first offense OUI. I typically tell my clients, whether it be continuing to go to school or work, try to stay on the same course as before you had the charge.

The best advice I can give you is that, when you hire an attorney you are confident in, you can put the case out of your mind. For the most part, when I am representing a client, while there are certain things I may need, there are not a lot of requirements and/or demands on the clients’ time. I will require the client complete my intake form, I may request some medical records and schedule a meeting, but the cases, while they typically take between 6-9 months, much of the work will not involve the client. The client will have to go to court, sometimes I can have the clients appearance waived, but typically a lot of my work can be done without interfering with your work, time, or goals. To keep a good perspective that this charge is easy to get charged with, many people have gone through this same process and remember your life will move forward.

If you experience any fears, concerns, or anxiety, feel free to call me. Many of my clients mentioned that even after they called the night after their arrest, they felt better after simply talking to me. You may have some fears and anxiety that are not justified. You may not understand the court process, which is common, or your image of what may happen is different from the reality of it. While I cannot eliminate the uncertainty of the process, I can at least help you as to what steps we will take along the way so that you know what is going on regarding your case.

If you are charged with an OUI in Massachusetts, feel free to call Attorney DelSignore at 781-686-5924. To see case results of clients who have been found not guilty, view our recent case results.

For further reading, you may want to read some books my Shawn Anchor, his writing is terrific on dealing with stress and anxiety in your life and would apply to an OUI charge or any other stressful circumstance you may face in your life.  One of his most noteworthy books is called the Happiness Advantage.  I also recommend a book called the Power of Habit if you are dealing with alcohol issues in your life.  Even if you are found not guilty, if you feel that you have issues with alcohol you can take action on your own to deal with those issues and the Power of Habit is a great book by Charles Duhigg.