How to Fight a DUI/Impaired Driving Charge in Calgary
Most drivers in the Greater Calgary Area know that driving while intoxicated, often known as impaired driving, driving under the influence, or simply "DUI", presents serious safety risks to themselves, to their passengers, and anyone else on the Calgary roads. Most also know that it is a criminal offence to operate a vehicle anywhere in Alberta while intoxicated by alcohol (defined as having a blood alcohol content or BAC above .08, although administrative penalties come into play with a BAC over .05) or by any other controlled substance, e.g. marijuana, cocaine, and prescription opiates/opioids such as Vicodin, Oxycontin, and so on.
Many Calgary drivers might not be aware, however, of how serious the legal consequences of a DUI conviction can be, or how long the criminal record from an impaired driving charge can continue to impact their lives. Under the impaired driving laws Alberta enacted in 2012, many of the penalties for a DUI are automatically imposed as soon as an arrest is made or charges are laid, before any discussion with Calgary Police or Crown Prosecutors, before any trial, and certainly before any conviction.
The penalties, which can include having your vehicle impounded and having your license suspended, are joined by even harsher penalties if you are convicted: the mandatory use of an ignition interlock device, required courses in safe driving habits, heavy fines, and possibly even jail time. A single DUI conviction can follow you for the rest of your life and cause difficulties with employers, travel plans, and more.
But there's hope.
You Don't Have to Face Your Calgary DUI Charge Alone
Though Alberta's impaired driving laws are harsh and, some would argue, overstep the proper bounds of the criminal justice system by imposing penalties before guilt is established, there is one right that these laws can't take away. It's a right that everyone accused of a crime in Canada, including those in Calgary accused of a DUI, still enjoys under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
When you are charged with a DUI in Calgary, you are entitled to seek counsel from a knowledgeable, experienced, and aggressive criminal defence lawyer. A Calgary DUI defence lawyer will help you understand your rights and options, and will develop a strategy for your defence that gives you the best chance at putting your impaired driving charge behind you quickly and completely. Whether your charge was unfairly brought due to law enforcement errors, or whether you made a single simple mistake, your life's course should not be dramatically altered.
Call a Calgary DUI defence lawyer who will help you fight your charge and keep your life on track.
Calgary DUI Defence Lawyer Susan Karpa is Standing By
Susan Karpa has spent her entire legal career working in the Calgary criminal justice system, and is one of Calgary's premier DUI defence lawyers. If you or a family member has been charged with a DUI in the Greater Calgary Area and would like assistance from a dedicated, compassionate lawyer contact her office today.