DUI Questions

[Maximalovr]

What is the name of your state? Tennessee

Hey guys, I just have a few questions.

I'll skip my life story and all that good stuff, to make a long story short and to get to the point, here we go.

Was brought back to my car at about 4:30 AM, was put into my car by friends, passed out in my car, woke up to a police man asking me to get out of the vehicle because someone called the cops on me.

Okay, I blew .19. Completely drunk, obviously.

Would it help my case at all that my keys were not in the ignition or does that not make a bit of difference?

Like so many others on here, affording an attorney is going to be incredibly difficult, but would it greatly help me out if I did hire a DUI attorney?

How much does a first time DUI conviction usually end up costing someone when it's all said and done? What kind of payment options are usually available?

Thanks alot.

[JustAPal00]

If you had the keys in the car with you, most states consider that you were in control of the vehicle, and thus were DUI!

[Maximalovr]

Dang, that is most unfortunate. But thank you.

[JustAPal00]

From what I was told, if you ever need to sleep one off in your car again, put the keys in your trunk(assuming there is a trunk release in the car).

[las365]

So you were in the driver's seat, not the back seat? The problem is, you were so drunk, and everyone is going to know that the moment you woke up, you were going to fumble those keys into the ignition and drive.

You'll probably do a lot better in this situation with a lawyer than without.

If you are going to drink, take a cab. You also might consider getting some new friends who would take you home instead of puring you into your car.

[Maximalovr]

Thanks for the replies. But with such an outrageously high BAC do you think there is any reasonable possibility that if I have an attorney I may have the charge reduced? Perhaps if I try to have to story explained?

[BigMistakeFl]

The only way the prosecution would consider a lower charge is if the evidence is flawed somehow. Talk to a lawyer, once hired, he or she can get everything they have against you. You can enter a plea of not guilty right off the bat, and change it later if you wish. In most states, what is considered twice the legal limit is still set at 0.20, even though the legal limit was reduced everywhere to 0.08.

[Maximalovr]

I see. Time to hire a lawyer. Thanks again for the help