Did you know that alcohol and drugs are involved in nearly 80 percent of all crimes people are arrested for? This is precisely why public intoxication laws exist. While the correlation may not seem entirely relevant, it is often given a bit more attention than is necessarily warranted. It is because of this that we get calls a lot of time asking to help someone who has been arrested for being under the influence in a public space.
It needs to be said that a large percentage of the people who are arrested for public intoxication are most often law-abiding citizens who just had ‘a bit too much’ while out on the town. While we never condone driving while intoxicated, public intoxication is a different charge entirely from driving under the influence. If you are arrested for public intoxication, you might be able to avoid a number of hefty fines or a mark on your record if you proceed properly. In this post, we are going to give you a bit of advice regarding how you should move forward after being arrested for public intoxication.
Keep Track of Your Paperwork
If you are arrested, you will get a ticket, intake forms, and all of the paperwork that regards your release when you are exiting the jail. Holding onto your paperwork is important first and foremost because if the arresting officer arrests you without just cause or simply made a mistake, you could potentially get your ticket overturned.
We know that spending a night in jail can be both upsetting and traumatizing, but it is imperative that you keep your head on straight throughout the entire process. Anything you say while in custody can be held against you in court and therefore, remaining civil and cooperating with the police will make what comes next much better.
Call Your Lawyer ASAP
Speaking of keeping your mouth closed, it’s time for you to find representation. While basically any lawyer can adequately interpret the law and attempt to get your charges overturned, there are also lawyers you can hire who specialize in this type of law.
Once you find an attorney, be sure that you listen to everything they say. You may not be able to get out of the charge, but you may be able to lessen the damage by agreeing to take a recovery course.
Plain and simple, so long as you did not commit any other crimes while you were intoxicated in public, you should be able to get a relatively mild sentence or fine.
See If You Can Find Witnesses
If you happen to be friends with the bartender or server who were working at the establishment you were drinking at the night you were arrested, ask if they would potentially give testimony for you. As people who work in the hospitality industry, they are very well equipped to comment on when someone is tipsy as opposed to drunk and dangerous.
Additionally, these people might have access to your tab, proving precisely how much you had to drink at a particular place. If the tab and your witnesses claim you only had 2 drinks, you might be able to place blame on something like not having enough to eat that day, rather than excessive drinking.
Get Out of Jail Fast with the Help of a Bondsman
If you do happen to be arrested for public intoxication, the first thing you are going to need to do is to get out of jail. In order to do this, we would suggest that you contact the expert team at Affordable Bail Bonding in Roanoke. We will do everything we can to get you out of your cell quickly so that you can begin your next steps defending yourself from these charges.
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