Margiotti & Mittman
The 10 biggest mistakes most people make after being arrested for a DUI in Pennsylvania . . . and how to avoid them.
1. Not taking the matter seriously. This is a charge that will follow you for the rest of your life, if you are convicted. The additional insurance charges alone could cost you thousands of dollars.
2. Not hiring an attorney. The law is complex and you need competent representation. You must raise the right defenses at the right time or you will lose them. Facts will disappear, memories fade and witnesses vanish. A winnable case can quickly become a loser.
3. Hiring an attorney based on the amount of the fee alone. The State has almost unlimited resources when it comes to your case. You need to hire an attorney and pay a fee which will allow him to put time and effort into your case to counter the prosecution. Attorneys must earn enough in the time they spend on your case in order to keep their doors open and make a living wage. If you go too low, your attorney will not be able to put in the time necessary to protect you. Look for a reasonable, predictable fee, not the lowest.
4. Not complying with driver's license laws. You could lose your right to drive.
5. Driving after your license has been taken away.
6. Not taking full advantage of your constitutional rights.
7. Taking the prosecutor's first offer. The first offer is not a bargain, it's just to get rid of your case with the least amount of work. Very few cases are dismissed or reduced to a non-alcohol charge at this stage. You do not give the judge an opportunity to rule on constitutional challenges. You give up your right to raise these issues and make the State prove it's case.
8. Fail to appear in Court. The Court will issue a bench warrant for your arrest and revoke any bond. The next time you are stopped for a traffic infraction, you will be spending some time in jail and posting a bond for your future appearances.
9. Talk to anyone but an attorney about your case. Anything you say to them can be used against you.
10. Think that talking to numerous attorneys will help you handle it on your own. You need to have an attorney go to Court with you.
About Vince Margiotti:
- He is a member in good standing with the Pennsylvania and Montgomery County Bar.
- He is Nationally Certified by the National Highway Traffic Administration for Field Sobriety Testing.
- He holds a 4-year Bachelor of the Arts Degree from Temple University, with a degree in Finance.
- In addition to his law degree (Juris Doctor), he also was the recipient of the National Italian American Scholarship for Scholastic achievement.
- He is admitted to practice in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey and is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar.
- He regularly attends seminars for updates in DUI Defense. He recently attended a 3-day seminar in Atlanta, Georgia,called Mastering Scientific Evidence in DUI/DWI Cases.
- He spends over 50 hours per month researching the latest cases, legaltreatises, scientific literature, and articles on the subject of drunk driving defense allowing him to be on the cutting edge of DUI defense at all times.
- He graduated from the Villanova University School of Law in 1996 and was admitted to to the Pennsylvania Bar in that same year. Many attorneys must take the bar exam more than one time to pass.
- DUI Help Member
- He has never been disciplined by the State Bar.
- He is doggedly independent, and believes in challenging everything for his clients' defense to be successful.
- As a matter of course, he is ready to fight your case by bombarding the District Attorney with extensive pre-trial motions, demonstrative evidence, photographs, witness testimony, videos, defense experts, essential cross-examination of the prosecution's witnesses, and, of course, your testimony.
- Clients come from across Pennsylvania and from other states to retain his services. He focuses on cases in the Montgomery, Bucks and Chester County areas.
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