Steven Louth Law Offices

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Driving under the influence (DUI) is taken extremely seriously by the courts and penalties can be severe, even for first time offenders. DUI is one of the more complicated offenses because there can be many issues involved. It is important to contact a Denver DUI attorney within the first few days of your arrest to evaluate your case and the specific set of circumstances surrounding your arrest. The attorneys at Steven Louth Law Offices work to understand the facts of your case and agree on a plan of attack going forward. There are two separate consequences that arise from a DUI, the first being the criminal charges that must be dealt with in court. The second issue is how to minimize the repercussions from the Department of Motor Vehicles and retain the privilege to drive. We handle both issues and appear on behalf of our clients for the hearing at the DMV. There can be time sensitive issues such as submitting a chemical test to an independent lab and requesting a hearing with the DMV. Contact our office for a free consultation to find out how we can help you.

Experience Makes a Difference

Steven Louth Law Offices has two attorneys, father and son, who exclusively dedicate their practice to criminal defense. Steven Louth served as a deputy district attorney for Boulder County for eight years before leaving to start his own practice. He has 25 years experience practicing criminal law. He understands how the prosecutors put a DUI case together and he uses his experience prosecuting to help his clients.

Both Steven Louth and Zachary Louth frequently conduct DUI jury trials. Potential clients who are considering taking their case to trial are always welcome and encouraged to watch one of our attorney's conduct a DUI jury trial. Our office has handled thousands of DUI cases over the years, we know how to defend our clients and minimize repercussions. Call our office and speak with an attorney at our DUI law firm for a free consultation.

Consenting to Roadsides and Choosing a Chemical Test

It is important you understand your rights and options if you are pulled over for DUI. After making a stop, if the officer suspects the driver is impaired, he or she will ask the driver to perform voluntary standardized roadside maneuvers. These are not required and consenting to do these can help the officer build a case against the suspect. Generally, it is best to politely decline these standardized roadside tests.

Still, if the officer smells alcohol on the driver's breath or sees erratic driving, he may have enough evidence to establish probable cause to place the driver under arrest. If a driver is arrested on suspicion of DUI, he or she is then given a choice to select a blood or breath test to determine the alcohol content in his body. According to the law, a person has already given his or her express consent to submit to one of these tests by driving in Colorado. If a suspected drunk driver refuses to submit to either a blood or breath test, he faces substantial penalties in regard to his driving privileges.

If you have been charged with DUI contact our DUI defense lawyers to analyze your case and help limit the potential damages.

What Do My BAC Results Mean For My Case?

Results of a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) Test or Breath Alcohol Concentration (BrAC) Test play a vital role in the the prosecution of a DUI or DWAI. Colorado is one of a few states in the country that arrest people for driving with a BAC or BrAC of .05-.079. This offense is called Driving While Ability Impaired and is legally considered a lesser charge than DUI. The law states that a person can be presumed to be impaired to the slightest degree if his/her BAC is above .05 but less than .079. A BAC or BrAC result of .08 or above is the presumed cut off for a DUI. The law states that a person with a BAC or BrAC of .08 or above can be presumed to be substantially less capable, either mentally or physically, or operating a motor vehicle. Contact an attorney who specialize in DUI defense for a complete explanation of your test results.

Reasonable Suspicion For A Stop

The first thing we look for when reviewing your case is if the officer had legal justification for pulling you over. Police cannot pull over anyone they want, they must have reasonable suspicion to suspect the driver is committing a violation. If they see a car speeding, swerving, driving without a taillight or any other violation of the traffic code they can pull the driver over and conduct their investigation. If they smell alcohol on the drivers breath they have reasonable cause to carry the investigation forward.Our Denver DUI Attorneys have successfully suppressed any evidence obtained in an illegal stop and had DUI charges dismissed. This is not common, but police officers make mistakes. Our Attorneys are up to date on the procedures police must follow and the appellate court decisions. Contact our office to speak with a Denver DUI Lawyer who understands illegal stops.

Aggravating Factors

Certain factors aggravate a DUI and can result in harsher penalties. If an accident occurs and it is determined the driver was impaired, the prosecution can push for harsher penalties. If the accident resulted in serious injury or death, Vehicular Assault or Vehicular Homicide occurs which are felony charges. Steven Louth has extensive experience with these cases and it is essential to contact a Denver Criminal Attorney to protect yourself and understand your rights.

Out Of State DUI's

If you do not reside in Colorado, your case may be resolved differently than a resident. Call our office today to speak with our Denver Criminal Defense Attorneys about your case.

Contact an Experienced DUI Defense Lawyer Today

If you have been charged with a DUI in Boulder County check out our Boulder DUI specific page. We look forward to answering your questions and helping you through this process. You can contact us day or night at 303-442-2297.