Only Retain a Michigan DUI Lawyer Educated In Science
Another qualification you want to look for in the Michigan DUI lawyer you decide to retain is whether he or she has a science background or education, such as in biology, chemistry or biochemistry. Sounds weird, right? Why would you want your DUI lawyer to have a science background? Well, drunk driving prosecutions hinge on being able to introduce the evidence of you having operated a motor vehicle while over the legal blood alcohol level. This is scientific evidence, the most critical evidence in the case against you.
To attack the scientific evidence that the prosecution will rely on to convict you of drunk driving, your DUI lawyer must understand what he or she is dealing with — chemical testing. This doesn’t just include the scientific testing equipment used to test blood or breath alcohol levels, but also the scientific procedures used to analyze the data.
A Michigan DUI lawyer will not be able to attack the scientific evidence if he or she doesn’t understand it, and if that’s the case, then the jury will see that and your attorney will lose credibility. Worse yet, an attorney who doesn’t understand the scientific processes that go into testing and analyzing blood or breath alcohol could miss out on a potential opportunity to request that the evidence be suppressed, or in other words, dismissed. And without that critical evidence, the prosecution will not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you violated the drunk driving laws.
Finally, a DUI attorney who understands the science behind blood and breath alcohol testing and analysis will be able to properly and more effectively cross-examine the expert witnesses for the prosecution. Most importantly, a Michigan DUI lawyer educated in science may have an easier time explaining the science to the jury in a clear and understandable way.
Even if the prospective Michigan DUI lawyer you are considering to retain did not major in biology or chemistry in college, at least inquire as to whether he or she has educated herself in the relevant science, such as through continuing education courses or seminars.
